USA > New York > Orange County > Deerpark > A history of the Minisink Region : which includes the present towns of Minisink, Deerpark, Mount Hope, Greenville, and Wawayanda in Orange County, New York. > Part 6
USA > New York > Orange County > Mount Hope > A history of the Minisink Region : which includes the present towns of Minisink, Deerpark, Mount Hope, Greenville, and Wawayanda in Orange County, New York. > Part 6
USA > New York > Orange County > Minisink > A history of the Minisink Region : which includes the present towns of Minisink, Deerpark, Mount Hope, Greenville, and Wawayanda in Orange County, New York. > Part 6
USA > New York > Orange County > Greenville > A history of the Minisink Region : which includes the present towns of Minisink, Deerpark, Mount Hope, Greenville, and Wawayanda in Orange County, New York. > Part 6
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their fancied dream of security was suddenly broken in upon by the terrible war-whoop as hundreds of savages sprang from their ambush, and with hideous yells attacked the devoted band from every side. In the midst of the confusion that ensued, Zebulon displayed more courage than would have been thought possible considering the simplicity of his previous proceedings. He formed his men into a hollow square, and the. fierce onset of the savages was met with such a determined volley, as to at once check them. Though surprised, the Americans acted with such vigor and resolution that they quickly had the advantage on their side ; but just then a soldier, either through cowardice or treach- ery, cried out, "The Colonel has ordered a retreat." The soldiers at once gave way, and the Indians with terrible yells leaped in among the ranks. A horrible carnage ensued. Those who ran, fell by the pursuing bullet-those who resisted, by the knife, club, or toma- hawk. The dead, dying, wounded and struggling, friends and foes-were heaped together promiscuously, while from the mass arose shrieks of agony and yells of victory, supplications for mercy and threats of vengeance such as had never before been dreamed of in that hitherto happy valley. Happy were those who died the soonest ! The savages reserved their captives for more cruel tortures, while the Tories, more bloodthirsty still, actually tore the faces of the prisoners with their finger-nails., Never was rout so deplorable. Only about sixty of the four hundred escaped the butchery, and these, with Zebulon, made their way to a redout on the other bank of the Susquehanna.
The victors immediately invested Fort Kingston anew, and to terrify the remainder of the garrison they hurled over the walls about two hundred scalps still dripping
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with the blood of their murdered brethren. Seeing the impossibility of defense, Col. Dennison, who com- manded the fort, sent a flag to John Butler to inquire what terms would be allowed the garrison if they should surrender the fort. He returned as an answer- " The hatchet !" In this dreadful extremity, the Colonel made what resistance he could, and fought bravely till his soldiers were nearly all killed, when he was forced to surrender at discretion. The savages entered the fort and began to drag out the vanquished, who, know- ing what hands they were in, expected no mercy, found none, and met their fate without a cry. Becoming tired of killing in detail, the savages bethought themselves of a new expedient. . They enclosed the men, women and children in the houses and barracks, set them on fire, and consumed all within-listening with delight to the moans and shrieks, and dancing with hellish glee at the occasional glimpses they caught of the death struggles of the expiring multitude.
One more fort, that of Wilkesbarre, still remained in the hands of the colonists of Wyoming. This the victors next presented themselves before and demanded its surrender. Those within, hoping to find mercy if they made no resistance, surrendered at discretion. But if opposition exasperated these insatiable tigers for human blood, submission did not soften them. The soldiers of the garrison were first put to death by means of tor- tures such as only barbarity could devise. Then the · men, women, and children were shut up in the houses as before, fire was applied, and that unfeeling element . soon stilled their cries with death, and left nought but ashes to mark their mortal remains.
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Capt. Bedlock, of Fort Wilkesbarre, was stripped naked and his body stuck full of sharp pine splinters; a
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heap of the same material was then piled around him and set on fire. His two associates, Captains Ransom and Durgee, were then thrown alive into the flames, and all perished together.
One Tory, whose mother had married a second hus- band, butchered her with his own hand, and afterwards massacred his father-in-law, his sisters, and their infants in the cradle. Another killed his father and exterminated all his family. A third imbrued his hands . in the blood of his brothers, his sisters, his brother-in- law and his father-in-law. "These," says Eastman, "were a part only of the horrors perpetrated by the loyalists and Indians at the excision of Wyoming. Other atrocities, if possible still more abominable, we leave in silence."
The forts being in their hands, they next proceeded to the devastation of the country. In doing this they called into requisition at once fire, sword, and all instru- ments of destruction. The crops of every description were consigned to the flames. Habitations, granaries, and buildings, the fruits of years of toil and industry, sank into barren ruins in the track of these fell demons. "But," says Eastman, "who will believe that their fury, not yet satiated upon human creatures, was also wreaked upon the very beasts ? That they cut out the tongues of horses and cattle, and left them to wander in the midst of those fields, lately so luxuriant, and now in desolation, seeming to enjoy the torments of their lingering death ?"
Many women and children had escaped while the foe was busy dispatching their husbands and fathers. These were no less worthy of commiseration than those who had died. Dispersed and wandering in the forests as chance or fear directed their footsteps, without food,
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without clothes, without guide, these defenseless fugi- tives suffered every degree of distress. The most robust and resolute alone escaped ; the others perished, and their bodies, with those of their hapless infants, became the prey of wild beasts.
The father of the late Dr. Merit H. Cash, of Waway- anda, was among those who escaped this massacre. He was at that time a very small boy, and his mother led him by the hand through the wilderness for days, sub- sisting entirely upon the berries, &c., which they found on their way, till they were at last fortunate enough to reach the Minisink settlement.
Benjamin Whittaker, with his daughter, also escaped. They had removed to Wyoming but about three years before, having previously resided on the farm now owned by Mr. William H. Mead, near Brookfield, in the present town of Wawayanda. They were in the fort at Wyoming when it surrendered, and were both saved. Brandt took her by the hair of the head with one hand and painted her face with red paint with the other, telling her that that was the mark of safety. She after- wards married William Fullerton, Jr., whose descend- ants were formerly large property owners in Waway- anda, and are generally known throughout Orange county. (Eager's History, p. 414.)
At the capture of the same fort, when the Indians came flocking in, the settlers threw down their arms, and with the women and children huddled in one corner expecting instant death. A little lad named John Finch, amused at the odd appearance of the Indians, laughed at them. One of them raised his tomahawk to strike him down, but Brandt interfered and ordered him to let the boy go. He afterwards found his way to Minisink. Many of his relatives for a long time
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resided in the town of Mount Hope, and the village of Finchville is named after them.
A lady named Christina Wood was in one of the forts of Wyoming with her husband and family. Her hus- band and son were killed, and she was approached by an Indian with an uplifted tomahawk. She had an infant in her arms, and when the little innocent saw the savage approach it looked up into his face and smiled. The savage made a motion as if to make the child the first victim, seeing which the mother held it closer to her bosom. He gazed upon them for a moment, but the smile of innocence had touched his heart-the tomahawk fell by his side harmless, and he walked away and left them. She escaped, and found her way to Goshen with her child, where she afterwards died at the age of eighty-five. A survivor of the massacre, Asa A. Gore, died at Preston, Connecticut, January, 1850, aged eighty-one years and five months. His mother was one of those who escaped, and she carried him in her arms through the woods to Minisink.
Mrs. John Weeden, supposed to be the last survivor of the massacre, died in Columbia, Lorain county, Ohio, on Friday, April 13th, 1860, aged ninety-three years. Her maiden name was Martin. She and her father, mother and sister, escaped, and with a flag of truce traveled through the forest to within forty miles of the Connecticut river, where her older brother met them and then took them to Colchester. She was twelve years old at the time; was born in 1766, and married in 1798.
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CHAPTER VIII.
FIRST AND SECOND INVASIONS OF THE MINISINK REGION BY BRANDT'S INDIANS AND TORIES.
On the 13th of October (1778) succeeding the Wyo- ming Massacre, a band of about one hundred Indians and Tories, under command of Brandt, invaded the upper, or Peenpack, neighborhood. It is needless to say that their appearance was the signal for a general panic, so fearful had been their atrocities at Wyoming and Cherry Valley, which latter place had been deso- lated by them shortly after the former. They surprised the family of a Mr. Westfall, among the first of their acts in Peenpack, and killed the only man that was at home at the time. Mr. Thomas Swartout and his four sons, thinking that perhaps the invaders were few in number, and more intent on plunder than actual war, resolved to defend their own house. The women were sent to the fort at Gumaer's, and the house firmly barri- caded. But when the enemy appeared, their number at once convinced the little band of Spartans of the futility of defense. They fired a few times at the foe, but seeing their chances of retreat would soon be cut off, they resolved to endeavor to escape. Accordingly they all started and ran in the direction of the fort; but a bullet pierced the skull of one of the young men before they reached the shelter of the barn. One of the sons
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separated from the others and ran toward the Never- sink river, a half mile off. He was pursued by a detachment of the Indians, and shot while swimming the river, near the opposite shore. The old man and his two other sons kept together, and ran on as fast as they were able toward the fort. It soon became appar- ent to them that their efforts would be all in vain, as they were destined to be overtaken. The old man paused. "James," said he to one of his sons, "you are young and active and can save yourself. If you stay to assist me we shall all be killed. Save yourself while you can !" The young man took his father's advice, and started on with increased speed. The other son kept by the side of his father, and both were soon overtaken and tomahawked. James was closely pursued for over half a mile through brush and briers, over fences and across lots, till he at last reached the fort at Gumaer's, and the enemy liad to abandon the chase.
The continued firing warned the inhabitants of the country of the approaching danger, and they at onco repaired to the forts at Gumaer's and De Witt's, aban- doning that at Du Puy's, as they had no troops to garrison it. The fort at Gumaer's had only nine regu- lars to defend it, and was but a small picket fort at best. Capt. Cuddeback, who commanded it, was aware of the influence display oftentimes made on the Indian mind, and he resolved to profit by it. He ordered all the men and women, both young and old, to the rear of the fort. Next he had all the spare guns and sticks that could be found, together with all the old hats, coats and breeches, brought forward. The guns and sticks were placed in the hands of those who were unarmed, and the old clothes were used to change the appearance of the women. Many a blushing damsel, who two days before
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would have scorned the idea of her ever wearing male attire, made her appearance that day in a cocked hat and ragged coat and vest, with her dainty limbs clad in a faded pair of homespun breeches ; and many a staid matron was that day apparently transformed into a dignified Continental soldier, with a blue coat and brass buttons. When the enemy came in sight the Captain ordered the drums to beat, and placing himself at the head of his forces, marched them in Indian file around to the front of the fort and entered it, giving the Indians a distant, distinct, and consequently enlarged view of the garrison. This done, the women and children were ordered into the cellar as they could be of no further use ; but an elderly lady, Anna Swartout, the widow of James Swartout, Sr., refused to go, telling the Captain that she would take a pitchfork with which she had just marched in the fort, and remain with the men. Her request was granted, and she walked about with the fork in true military bearing, anxiously watch- ing the movements of the enemy, and ready to give them a taste of woman's courage should any of them attempt to enter. The Indians halted before coming within gunshot. The fort was situated on an open plain, and they knew the settlers to be good marksmen. Besides, they evidently supposed the garrison to have been reinforced, from the number of soldiers they had seen. After a few shots were exchanged without effect upon either side, they passed by, and the fort was saved by Capt. Cuddeback's strategem.
Brandt's forces then proceeded to Fort De Witt. Here they stationed themselves on a hill which was covered with woods near the fort, and remained some time, firing occasionally as they obtained a view of the garrison, but without effect, if we except the killing of
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Captain Newkirk's horse by a stray bullet. They then retreated toward the west the same day, after having burned all the houses, barns, &c., they found in their course; a circumstance that afterwards distressed the inhabitants much for the want of hay, grain and articles of furniture. And thus ended Brandt's first invasion of the Minisink Region. DuPuy and one or two others had sent their wives and children to Major Phillips', at Phillipsburg, (a small village in the eastern part of what is now the town of Wawayanda,) for safety. The dan- ger of the Minisink people thus became known, and Major Phillips arrived at Fort Gumaer the day after the invasion, with a company of militia. But the spoilers had departed, and pursuit was useless. Several women and children were sent for protection to Mr. James Finch's, where Finchville now stands, in the south-wes- tern part of the town of Mount Hope.
This invasion thoroughly aroused the inhabitants to'a sense of their exposed situation, and the members of the committee of safety immediately took steps to increase the defensive powers of the settlement. The forts were repaired as well as the limited number of the garrison would permit, and an application was at once made to the general government for help. Their peti- tion was acted upon without delay, and the brave Count Pulaski, with a battalion of cavalry, sent to their assis- tance. The presence of these veterans inspired the settlers with new courage. Many of them brought their families back and proceeded to refit their homes and recommence clearing their lands. The winter glided away without any signs of the savage foe, and they began to hope that their share of the turmoils of war was at an end.
In February, (1779,) deeming their presence no longer
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necessary, Count Pulaski and his men were ordered to South Carolina. They left their winter quarters with regret; for their stay, though short, had been a pleasant one. The inhabitants too regretted the parting, for be- sides the respect they felt for Pulaski and his troops, they foresaw themselves left in a defenseless condition. Some time however clapsed after the departure, and they were not disturbed. The spring almost imperceptibly melted into summer. The birds returned from their southern homes, and again cheered the laborers by the noisy Neversink and sparkling Delaware with their
songs. Prosperity reigned supreme, and Minisink seemed destined after all for a favored region. But alas ! it was only the calm that precedes the storm. Even as we have sometimes seen a cloudless summer day ter- minate in a mingled tornado of wind, lightning and rain -just so was the serenity of the settlement of Minisink broken, on the 20th of July, 1779, by Brandt and his band of Tories and Indians. Just before daylight on that morning they surprised the fort at Major Decker's. The men had departed for their work pretty early, and the only occupants of the house were two negro boys; the women having gone the day before to Fort Gumaer. The negroes were made prisoners, and the Indians then searched the premises for plunder. Some liquor was found, and the party was disposed to make a carousal of it; but Brandt quickly stopped it by destroying the liquor. A tavern had been kept for years before the war at this place. Fire was then applied to the build- ings, and the invaders departed for the dwelling of Anthony Van Etten.
James Swartout, who escaped so narrowly from the Indians in the first invasion, had just entered a black- smith shop kept by a negro at Mr. Van Etten's, when
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he saw the Indians coming. No other place for secre- tion presenting itself, he crept up the chimney. The negro remained in the shop, knowing the Indians sel- dom injured a person of color. The Indians entered, and seeing no one but the negro, began throwing the tools around as if for sport. One of them took hold of the handle of the bellows and began to blow the fire furiously. The negro, knowing the effect that the heat and smoke would have on his friend in the chimney, told the Indian he would spoil that thing if he did not stop. He good naturedly ceased, and soon after with his companions left the shop. Swartout came down almost choked with smoke and dust, and nearly exhaust- ed with the effort needed to keep his position for so long a time. (Eager's History, p. 338.) While the enemy was busy burning Van Etten's buildings, he es- caped.
One detachment of Indians went to the house of Jas. Van Vliet. The inmates discovered them approaching and fled. A man named Roolif Cuddeback was there at the time, and ran toward the woods in a different direc- tion from the others. The foremost Indian, some dis- tance in advance of his companions, at once started in pursuit. Cuddeback, finding that he would be overta- ken, and that but one Indian was following him, sud- denly turned and faced him. The Indian threw his tomahawk at him, but it struck a bush and he dodged it. They then grasped in a hand-to-hand struggle- both unarmed except a knife which the Indian had in his belt. For this fatal instrument they both struggled. At last it fell to the ground, and neither could stoop to pick it up with safety. The contest lasted till both were nearly exhausted. Cuddeback afterwards said that he was more than a match for the Indian, but the
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latter became naked, and his skin was so slippery with grease and sweat that he could get no hold of him. Finally the Indian broke away from him, and ran off in the woods. It was reported afterwards that the Indian died in a few years of injuries received in this encounter. The father of this Indian was shot while crossing the river on horseback, by Capt. Cuddeback, a brother of James. (Eager's History, p. 389.)
Another party of the Indians set fire to a number of buildings near Carpenter's Point; among others, to the old Machackemeck church. Many of the inhabitants on this morning had gone to attend a funeral. The first intimation of danger they had was an alarm of " Indi- ans;" and on rushing to the open air the smoke and flames of burning houses were seen rising among the trees in every direction. The very name of Brandt caused many a cheek to blanch with fear. Some of the assemblage at once started for the settlements on the east side of the Shawangunk mountain. The others fled to the different forts. The Indians met Major Decker, who was on horseback. They shot at, and wounded him, but he put spurs to his horse and escaped.
At the Van Auken fort, the Indians fired a volley, killing one of the garrison. An Indian then undertook to creep up to one of the buildings to set it on fire, but was detected in the act and shot.
At the same time a party of Indians, says Eager, vis- ited the school house, and threatened to exterminate one generation of the settlement at a blow. Here an incident took place, proving that the great Indian leader was possessed of human feelings, despite his ferocity. The teacher, Jeremiah Van Auken, was led about a half a mile from the school house and killed. Some of the boys were slain by the tomahawk, and the rest fled to
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the woods; while the little girls, bewildered with hor- ror, gathered around the dead body of their teacher and gazed in speechless fright at the terrible scene. A mo- ment more and the attention of the savages would be directed from the boys to them. In this dread emer- gency, a tall, powerful Indian came along, and with a brush hurriedly dashed some black paint on their aprons, telling them to " Hold up the mark when they saw an Indian coming, and it would save them;" then with a yell or warwhoop he disappeared in the woods. The tall Indian was none other than Brandt, and the children were safe. When the girls saw the Indians coming they held up their aprons with the black mark, and were not disturbed. An idea suggested itself to them, and with woman's wit they quickly adopted it. The boys were called from their hiding places, and the girls pressed the black mark upon their outer garments. It left a. distinct impression, and this the boys held to view when the Indians passed, with a like happy effect.
Mrs. Sarah Van Auken did not succeed in getting within the protection of the fort, and saved her life by creeping into an old ditch. (Eager's History, p. 390.)
During this incursion the Indians and Tories burned everything that came in their way-houses, barns, granaries and goods-in short, all that the flames could destroy. Those of the inhabitants who could not get to the forts in time to escape the fury of the savages, fled through the forest to Goshen, and the settlements east of the Shawangunk.
Benjamin Whittaker and family, who after their escape from the Wyoming Massacre, had settled on the Delaware, were again forced to flee for safety. His daughter Mary, according to Eager, hid herself among the straw in an old potato hole and thus escaped, though 5
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the Indians came searching for her, and stood on the boards, so near her that she could have touched their feet with her hands.
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Major Decker's wife escaped through the woods to Mr. James Finch's, the present site of Finchville, where she came leading her small children by the hand, with hardly clothes enough to cover their backs, and weeping piteously. The only article she saved of her household goods was a small bible which she carried under her arm.
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The enemy after completing the work of destruction and plunder fell back slowly on their line of retreat. They were confident that in point of numbers the set- tlers could not bring a force to compete with them under a week or ten days; their own force numbering, according to Dr. Wilson, three hundred Indian warriors and two hundred Tories painted to resemble Indians. Other accounts place their numbers at one hundred and eighty, and one or two as low as one hundred and sixty. Be this as it may, they were sufficiently confident to proceed leisurley on their return, and on the evening of the 21st encamped at Half-way Brook.
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CHAPTER IX.
THE BATTLE OF MINISINK.
Intelligence of the ravages of Brandt's band of sava- ges was brought to Goshen on the evening of the 20th, the same day of their invasion. The public mind was greatly excited by the tidings. At the reports of their barbarous murders, which were doubtless much exag- gerated by the panic stricken fugitives, work of all kinds was abandoned and the men gathered together in groups, each proposing plans for punishing the enemy, which were as absurd as impracticable. The children left their play and listened eagerly to the fearful tales told by older persons of the doings of the foe, while many a matron's face blanched with terror at the name of Brandt, whose ferocities at Wyoming and Cherry Valley were still fresh in their memory. One man amidst the confusion acted with promptness and decision. This was Col. Benjamin Tusten, commander of the local militia in the Goshen neighborhood. He at once dispatched messengers to the officers of his regiment, with orders to rendezvous at the "lower neighborhood" in Minisink the next morning, with as . many volunteers as they could raise. Word was also sent to Col. Hathorn, commander of the Warwick regi- ment of militia, to meet him at the same place. We may well suppose that many a volunteer passed a
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