Sheriff Joseph York’s Stand

Sheriff Joseph York’s Stand. . , Sheriff Joseph York's Stand , After the British captured Captain Giles Kellogg's artillery position, only St. Lawrence County Sheriff Joseph York stood between the British forces and their capture of Ogdensburgh., Unfortunately, the Americans had expected the main attack to come from the west, over the Oswegatchie River bridge at the end of Ford Street., "Great was their surprise when they turned and discovered 500 soldiers advancing” upon them, one survivor of the attack later wrote. Both York and Kellogg had to spend precious time turning their cannon around to face the enemy marching in formation up the street toward them. The British forces fired volleys of musket at them. wounding and killing some of the Ogdensburg militia and Kellogg's Artillery Company manning the cannon., When Kellogg's men withdrew, Sheriff York and his men stayed on to face McDonnell's onslaught alone. York and his men occupied an artillery position located near the corner of State Street and Ford Street. They manned a brass six pounder, mounted on a wheeled carriage. York fired at the advancing British, as the invaders fired volleys at them., Two of York's men, Joseph Kneeland and a Mr. Hyde fell mortally wounded. The rest of York's militia, seeing the cause was lost, turned and fled for their lives before the withering volleys from the British muskets., York remained alone., A survivor of the attack wrote that he (York) “disdaining to leave his post at the moment of danger, resolved to face the enemy (a column of 500 soldiers advancing up both State and Ford) alone. While he was engaged in charging the guns, the soldiers approached with guns leveled, ready for the order to fire.", Then the captain (of the British force) raised his hand and turning to his company, said: "there stands too brave a man to shoot.” York was taken prisoner. The. British gathered the cannon they found in the village, bringing them to the east bank of the Oswegatchie River, near what's now the U.S. Customs building where they were used to lay seige to Forsyth's main force across the Oswegatchie at the old French Fort., Picture Caption: The British Captain, seeing Sheriff Joseph York standing alone, loading his cannon, in the face of hundreds of British fire soldiers, raised his hand. Turning to his company, he said, '"there stands too brave a man to shoot.", Donated By St. Lawrence National Bank, Downtown Battlefield Committee , James E. Reagen, Chairman , Ken Snyder . Persis Boyesen . Francis Fitzgerald . Betty Steele . Rose Demers . Douglas McDonald . Manley Nipe . Michael Legacy . This historical marker was erected by Downtown Battlefield Committee. It is in Ogdensburg in St. Lawrence County New York