This Day in North Country History: May 6

The Carry of the Great Rope

During the War of 1812, control of Lake Ontario was one of many issues considered critical by both sides. Kingston, Ontario was a key position for the British, and was just thirty or so miles north of the vital American base at Sackets Harbor.

In 1814, the British sought to disrupt American supply routes. A prime target was Fort Ontario, located at Oswego on the mouth of the Oswego River. On May 5, the British fleet launched an attack that was repelled by the Americans. On the following day, an intense assault was launched against the fort, which took heavy cannon fire from the British.

Eventually, the Americans lost the fort, along with some armaments, but most of the valuable supplies had been sent up the river to Oswego Falls (now Fulton) for safe storage. The plan worked, and shortly after the Battle of Oswego, a plan was in place to resume moving war supplies to Sackets Harbor.

After the attack, the British had withdrawn to the Galloo Islands to blockade any attempts at supplying Sackets Harbor. The strength of the American force at Sackets would increase dramatically if three new additions at the shipyard there could be supplied with rigging and armaments. By monitoring the harbor, the Brits were assuring their superiority on the lake.

Less than three weeks after the attack on Oswego, the vital supplies hidden at Oswego Falls were once again on the move north. They had already traveled from Brooklyn to Albany, then to Oneida Lake, and on to Oswego. Now it was time for the final, dangerous leg of the journey.

A land contingent paralleled the 19 American boats as they fairly sneaked up the shoreline. At Sandy Creek, the boats were taken inland as far as possible while scouts checked for the presence of British ships, which they found. Shortly after, the British launched an attack, and in less than a half hour, the Americans had won a resounding victory known as the Battle of Big Sandy Creek.

However, it was unsafe to risk sending the most valued supplies any further by water, where they might fall under attack and/or be captured by the British. Wagons, oxen, horses, and manpower were summoned, both from the military and from local residents. The plan was to move the important supplies by land.

The bateaux (boats) were unloaded, and soon a lengthy caravan laden with guns, ships cables, and many other supplies were on their way to Sackets Harbor, about 20 miles north. Only one item was left—a length of rope, albeit an important one—and it presented a real problem.

This wasn't just any length of rope. It was intended as the anchor line (and possibly other uses) for the USS Superior, a huge new frigate that could change the balance of power on the lake. That meant this was a BIG rope. To be more specific, it was generally described as 6 inches thick and 600 feet long, weighing in at just under 5 tons!

No cart was big enough to handle its tremendous size and weight, and the need at Sackets Harbor was urgent. Ingenuity often is introduced at a time like that, but sometimes good ol' elbow grease is the answer. Maybe in this case, the solution involved a combination of the two.

A section of the rope (referred to as a cable) was piled on a cart, and the remaining cable was strung out along the trail. Militiamen heaved it to their shoulders, and like one gigantic, ponderous snake, the cable began moving slowly northward.

There are various accounts of the trip, and the number of cable-carriers ranges from 84 to more than 200. Some say that discouraged men skipped out of the nasty job after a few hours, and that locals stepped in to literally shoulder the burden. None of the stories differ on one count, though: participants were left badly bruised from the incredibly difficult ordeal.

But, they did it! The cable arrived at Sackets Harbor on the afternoon of the second day. The men wore abrasions, cuts, and huge, deep-purple bruises as hard-earned badges of valor. At the close of their incredible journey, "there was loud cheering the whole length of the cable," and they were greeted with music, drumming, flag-waving, and drink—and the princely sum of $2 for their efforts.

They should have celebrated with a tug-of-war!

Key Locations Related to Battle of Oswego & Subsequent Events

© 2010 Lawrence P. Gooley