USA > New York > Delaware County > History of Delaware County, and border wars of New York, containing a sketch of the early settlements in the county > Part 25
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upon the wild luxuriance of nature, which at some day had been the object of cultivation by beings equally as rude as Nature her- self. They had not been long upon this proud eminence, ere they espied three Indians towing a canoe up the rapids; one stand- ing in the canoe steering it, one on the shore tugging away at a rope, and the other using a pole to keep the boat off the shore. No sooner were they observed, than Murphy turned to his companions and said : "I've a notion to try the one standing in the canoe," and suiting the action to the word, he drew up and fired,-the distance being somewhat great, he had no ex- pectation of doing effect, but to their utter astonishment he reeled and fell backward over into the river. The other two Indians let loose the rope, dropped the pole, and fled to the woods, not even looking behind to see from whence proceeded the bullet that proved so fatal to their companion.
In the morning they proceeded up the river for some miles, but finding slight traces of Indians and discovering none, they crossed over the river, wheeled about, and commenced their march for the encampment, then about thirty miles distant : they had proceeded on their backward course until they arrived opposite the place where the scene just related was enacted the day before, where they discovered at a distance a boy appa- rently fifteen or sixteen years of age, in pursuit of cattle. They hailed him, but he fled, Murphy at the same time pur- suing ; he very easily overtook, and secured him prisoner : they then proceeded several miles into the woods, lit a fire, and prepared for the night's repose :- the boy, whose hands were tied behind, was placed between Murphy and Tufts. Sometime in the night Murphy awoke, and on raising up, he discovered the boy, his rifle and moccasons among the missing. He instantly sprang upon his feet, and gave the Indian war- whoop, which, by the by, he mimicked to perfection, to arouse his companions. Murphy, not a little aggravated at the loss of his rifle, moccasons and prisoner, and feeling himself chagrined
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at being duped by a boy of but fifteen years of age, imme- diately proposed that they should proceed in search of him ; but his companions, knowing the result if he persisted in so rash an undertaking, persuaded him to abandon it. What was to be done ! Murphy was without shoes or moccasons wherewith to cover his already tender feet, made so by his continual travel-But that benign Providence who never fails to provide for emergencies, had upon this all important occa- sion, more than blessed Follok with a pair of leather breeches, which, as soon as discovered, were sacrificed to the unmerciful treatment of Murphy's jack-knife. His moccasons completed, they commenced in the morning their homeward course, When they arrived at the encampment, Murphy was thus accosted by an officer : " Murphy, where the devil is your rifle :" he made no reply-the rebuke was too much for his naturally proud spirit to withstand, and he again determined to solicit for him- self and companions the privilege of going in search of the lost rifle ; which being granted, they commenced pursuit. The next day, about the same hour, and upon nearly the same spot of ground, they saw the identical boy driving cattle as before : they followed on in the rear until they observed him to enter an obscure hut in a remote part of the wilderness-they imme- diately entered the hut, where were some old women, and more than all, the wished-for rifle. They took the boy once more, and proceeded on their way back ; when about five miles on their return, they met a man on horseback, whom after some close quizzing they likewise took prisoner. While crossing the river, he threw himself intentionally into it; but on Mur- phy's drawing his rifle to his face, and threatening to shoot him through, he was glad to make for the shore.
They finally arrived safe at the encampment with their pri- soners and lost rifle, when in a few days they joined the main army of Sullivan, which numbered in all about five thousand, and then proceeded west, burning and laying waste all the
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Indian settlements in their reach. After an absence of six months, and enduring many hardships and privations, Murphy . and his company returned to the forts at Schoharie.
There is one circumstance that transpired during his cam- paign to the west, which we cannot omit to mention. When near what is now called Canandaigua lake, Murphy, with a company of some twenty other robust fellows, was dispatched round the upper end of the lake to destroy a small Indian village which was rapidly increasing. After destroying the village, and on their return to the main army, they found themselves almost instantaneously surrounded by a body of Indians more than double their number, and led by the cele- brated Brant. What was to be done? Murphy, knowing Brant, and judging what must be their inevitable fate if they fell into his hands, said to his companions, " we must fight or die." The war whoop was given, and the savages rushed forward, making the woods ring with their yells, as if the very lightnings from heaven had burst their bounds, and were spreading their deathlike gleams upon our little band. They returned every attack with spirit and coolness, and with as much effect as their situation would admit. Murphy saw his companions fall one after the other until there were but five left ; the contest not diminishing in the least in fury. At one moment all hopes of escape seemed shut out, at the next pros- pects would brighten for an instant. Their courage never for a moment forsook them; they struggled with desperation ; death and the diabolical infliction of savage torture stared them in the face, and they determined to sell their lives as dearly as possible. At this juncture, four of the party made a rush to pass the Indians ; the savages immediately ran before them to prevent their escape, which left a vacancy behind, in which direction Murphy ran with the fleetness of a deer : he gained rapidly on them until nearly exhausted, when coming to a brush fence, that stood at the top of a bank which de-
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scended to a fosse, he jumped over and secreted himself directly under the fence; the Indians came up, and one of them stood upon the fence directly above him gazing around (Murphy watching his eyes through the brush of which the fence was composed,) for some minutes, when the Indian went back. As soon as sufficiently rested he proceeded on his course to the army, which he reached after encamping one night without fire or a particle of food. His companions doubtless were all sacrificed to the bloody tomahawk, as Murphy never heard any thing of them to the day of his death.
Soon after, he returned to Schoharie, where he was greeted with joy and exultation by every patriot of his country. The women felt themselves secure under his protection. The men, knowing his superiority and skill in tracing and ferreting out the Indians on all occasions, submitted to his judgment and command ; and finally, where there seemed to be a general panic previous to his return, there was a sudden change as if by magic at beholding the noble and fearless countenance of Tim. Murphy. Nor were the Indians less surprised at finding their daring opposer crossing their trails, and frustrating their plans. They fled at his approach, trembled lest his bullet should find from a secret covert a hiding place in their breast, and feared, perhaps, that his spirit would haunt them in an evil hour.
Soon after our hero came to Schoharie with the detachment of Morgan's riflemen, he obtained permission to go on a scout- through the delightful vale of Fulton. It was in the spring, and all nature was waking from the icy lethargy of winter. The' Oneistagrawa was shaded with various hues as the sun was dancing on its brow .. The snow had melted on the plain below, yet small banks might be seen at intervals, which he eyed with apparent suspicion. Now he gazed on the adjacent mountain, now on the vale around, as he passed leisurely along.
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He advanced until he arrived where his sons Jacob and Peter now reside, when his attention was arrested by
-" A rose complexioned lass, Nimbly tripping through the grass,"
with a milk-pail on her arm. He stood perfectly still and saw her pass towards a barn where cattle were feeding. She stepped off with all the poetry of motion imaginable. How unlike the mincing step of coquetry ! Like Milton's Eve,
" Grace was in all her steps, heaven in her eye, In every motion, dignity and love."
Her dress was exceedingly plain, and which was admirably calculated for the exhibition of her exquisitely chiselled form to the best advantage. A handkerchief white as her lily hand was tied loosely over her head. Her hair did not hang in ringlets-by no means-but was carefully and neatly done up. Neither was her waist girted small as a city belle's, but was of a proper size, or to be more specific, an armful ! Her eyes were not diamonds, nor were her teeth pearl; yet we defy all christendom to produce a brighter pair of eyes or a finer set of teeth than were possessed by Miss Peggy Feeck. In short, she was not such a girl as would make fifty lovers commit suicide and after all die an old maid, but was one whom you would love for her artless innocence and real beauty. As Walcott justly observes :
"The dullest eye can beauty see, 'Tis lightning on the sight; Indeed it is a general bait, And man, the fish, will bite."
As Murphy approached he thought almost audibly, "J-s, what a swate creature !" and slowly advancing, he bade her
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"Gude morning," and they were soon in familiar talk. Reader, what do you think they talked about ? Not about the weather-nor about Such-a-one's courting such-another- nor about each other's appearance -- nor about love-or any such trash. But they conversed like persons of common sense, on subjects of some importance. Her conversation pleased him extremely, and time passed with unusual velocity, until she arose to return, when she very politely invited him to walk along and take breakfast, which request he as politely accepted. A hearty breakfast was prepared in the true Dutch style, and after indulging some chat with the "old folks" (which was somewhat difficult, as they had but a partial knowledge of English, and he less of Dutch, he departed, not, however, with- out a request to " call again."
Here an old lady remarked, with a knowing twist of the head, that Murphy frequently passed in that direction as he went on a scout. Whether he went to see the romantic scenery in that region, or in pursuit of Indians, or to see
" That lovely being, gently formed and moulded, A rose with all its sweetness just unfolded,"
we leave for the prolific imagination of the reader to determine. At length her parents, considering his visits rather too fre- quent, directed her to inform him peremptorily that they were not acceptable. But little were they aware of the moral courage and determination of a girl in the vigor of youth, who has fixed her love. Byron told the truth when he says :
"The tree Rent from its forest root of years, the river Dammed from its fountain ; the child from the knee And breast maternal, weaned at once forever, Would wither less than these two torn apart- Alas, there is no instinct like the heart."
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What could she do ? Should he be sacrificed to the avarice and cupidity of parents ? No !
"Sooner let earth, sea, air, to chaos fall ; Men, monkeys, lap-dogs, parrots, perish all."
She informed him, with alternate sobs and tears, of her pa- rents' resolution. Murphy was thunderstruck ; not a word was spoken for some moments, when, after making a single request that they should meet again at a time and place speci- fied, he hastily departed. As he was returning toward the fort, he reflected ; why this unkind prohibition ? At length the thought struck him-it was because he was poor !
Time passed with a heavy step. Murphy endeavored to calm his feelings by continued action, and engaged in nume- rous skirmishes with invariable success ; yet his downcast eyes in the midst of triumph, indicated that something was wrong. Alas, how true the exclamation of the poet :
"For mighty hearts are held in slender chains."
At last the night of their meeting arrived, and seating himself beneath a spacious oak, he patiently waited to perceive the object of his pursuit. A faint light was glimmering through a window. At length that was extinguished ; moments then seemed hours, as he sat reclining against the oak. He waited half an hour longer, when the window was softly raised, and his "lady love" peeped through, and on recognizing him, beckoned for him to approach. After a serious consultation, they came to the determination of being united by
" That silken tie that binds two willing hearts."
They agreed to meet at the same place a few days afterward
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Murphy returned to the fort with a weight of lead from his heart. He consulted confidentially with one of the officers, who ยท applauded his gal-lantry, and afterward gave permission to go "any distance," in pursuit of a Domine. He accordingly went on the appointed evening in pursuit of his bride, and after a short time, she escaped through the window in her best petticoat and short-gown; and after she was seated behind him, they departed as rapidly as convenient for the fort, where they arrived about day-break. They were received by the garrison with three cheers which made the welkin ring. Mur- phy walked into the fort, escorting his prize, with as much pride as he would half a dozen captive Indians. The girls all kissed sweet Peggy, the women admired her courage, and the men all declared she would make a good soldier! But time was not to be lost ; for already they might be pursued by the avaricious father. They soon departed, in company with a William Bouck and a lady, in pursuit of a minister. They arrived at Duanesburgh in the afternoon, where Domine John- son finished
"That consummation devoutly to be wished."
They then returned to the fort, when they were again cheered by the soldiers.
The next day her father came to the fort, and with a long face inquired for his daughter; but finding he was "a day after the fair," he adopted, like a man of sense, the motto that "discretion is the better part of valor," and surrendered this best prize ever captured by man ! Making true what Virgil sang two thousand years ago: Omnia vincit amor ; et nos cedamus amori. Or as Dryden freely translates it :
" In hell, and earth, and sea, and heaven above,
Love conquers all, an all must yield to love." 27*
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In the fall of 1780, the enemy, about 800 strong, under Sir John Johnston, made preparations for destroying the val- leys of Schoharie and the Mohawk. The forces, consisting of British regulars, loyalists, tories and Indians, assembled on the Tioga, and marched thence up along the eastern branch of the Susquehanna, and crossed thence to Schoharie. On the 16th of October they encamped about four miles above the upper fort. It was their intention to pass the upper fort in the night, and to attack the middle fort* at day-break ; as it was expected that the upper fort would be the first object of attack, they hoped to surprise the middle fort by this unex- pected movement. Sir John had ordered his troops to be put in motion at four in the morning; but from some mistake it was five before they began their march ; consequently, the rear guard was discovered by the sentinels of the upper fort, and the alarm-gun was fired, which was quickly answered from the other forts, and twenty riflemen, under the supervision of Murphy, were sent out from the middle fort to watch the motions of the enemy; they soon fell in with an advanced party, and retreated back. At the firing of the settlement, houses, barns, and stacks of hay were burned, and cattle, sheep, and horses, were killed or driven away.
The Indians, being in advance of the regular forces, were the first to approach the fort. Murphy, whose eye was ever watching the enemy, had stationed himself in a ditch a few rods south of the fort, that he might, unperceived, the better view the movements of the enemy. The Indians approached to within about eighty yards of the fort, when Murphy fired upon them ; and as he arose the second time to fire, a bullet
* The remains of this fort are still to be seen, standing on the farm of Ralph Manning, in the town of Middleburgh. The Upper Fort was about five miles above, and the Lower Fort five miles below. The Lower Fort was built for a church, and is at present unoccupied. It stands about a mile north of the court-house.
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struck within two inches of his face, and glanced over his head, throwing dirt in his eyes. He then ran into the fort, not, however, without bringing to the ground another Indian.
About 8 o'clock the enemy commenced a regular attack on the fort, which was returned with effect from the garrison. The regular troops fired a few cannon shot, and threw a number of shells, one of which burst in the air above the fort, doing no injury ; another entered, and burst in the upper loft of the fort, doing no other mischief than destroying a quantity of bedding and nearly frightening to death a little Frenchman who had fled to the chamber for protection, and came running down stairs, at the same time exclaming, " de diable pe among de fedders." The interior of the fort was several times on fire, but was as often extinguished by the exertions of the women. The Indians retreated behind a row of willow trees, and kept up a constant fire, but at too great a distance to do effect. In the fort, all was gloom and despondency ; the garrison only amounted to 150 regular troops, and about 100 militia. Their ammunition was nearly exhausted-to attempt to defend the fort, appeared to be madness; to surrender, was to deliver up themselves, their wives and children, to imme- diate death, or at least to a long captivity. Major Wolsey, who commanded the fort, was inclined to surrender on the first appearance of the enemy, but was prevented by the officers of the militia, who resolved to defend the fort or to die in the contest. Wolsey's presence of mind forsook him in the hour of danger; he concealed himself at first with the women and children in the house, and when driven out by the ridicule of his new associates, he crawled round the intrenchments on his hands and knees, amid the jeers and bravos of the militia, who felt their courage revive as their laughter was excited by the cowardice of the Major. In the times of extreme danger, every thing which has a tendency to destroy reflection by exciting risibility has a good effect.
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The enemy, perceiving that their shot and shells did little or no execution, formed under shelter of a small building near the fort, and prepared to carry the works by assault. While the preparations were making, a flag was seen to approach the fort; all seemed inclined to admit it, when Murphy and Bartholomew Vrooman, who suspected that it was only an arti- fice to learn the actual strength of the garrison, and aware that for them at least there was no safety in capitulation, fired upon the flag. The flag retired and some soldiers were ordered to arrest Murphy ; but so great was his popularity among the soldiers, that no one dared to obey. The flag approached a second time, and was a second time driven back by Murphy and his adherents. A white flag was then ordered to be raised in the fort, but Murphy threatened with instant death any one who should obey. The enemy sent a flag a third time, and on Murphy's turning to fire upon it, Wolsey presented his pistol and threatened to shoot him if he did ;- but not in the least intimidated by the major's threat, Murphy very delibe- rately raised his rifle, and pointing it towards him firmly replied, "I will die before they shall have me prisoner." Maj. Wolsey then retired to his room, where he remained until Col. Vrooman was dispatched in search of him. He was found covered up in bed, trembling like a leaf. Col. Vrooman accosted him : " Was you sent here to sneak away so, when we are attacked by the Tories and Indians ? and do you mean to give up the fort to these bloody rascals?" To which Maj. Wolsey made no reply, but consented to yield up the command to Col. Vrooman. At this change of officers, unanimous joy pervaded the whole fort. And even the women smiled to behold the portly figure of Col. Vrooman stalking about the fort-directing and encouraging the soldiers in his melodious Low Dutch tones.
The British officers now held a council of war, and after a short consultation withdrew; and then proceeded down the
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Schoharie creek, burning and destroying every thing that lay in their way." A
Soon after Gen. Johnston departed towards the Lower Fort, Murphy followed in his rear and secured prisoner a man by the name of Benjamin Buttons.
The loss of the garrison in this affair was only one killed and two wounded, one mortally. It is not known what loss the enemy sustained, or why they retreated so hastily. The true, and most probable cause was the determined spirit of resistance manifested in firing upon the flag, leading them to suppose the defence could be obstinate. The tory leaders, satiated with blood, may have been unwilling to act over the tragedies of Wyoming and Cherry Valley.
A small body of men then left the Middle Fort under Col. Vrooman, and by a circuitous route reached the Lower Fort, just as the tories and Indians were passing where the village of Schoharie now stands. Several buildings which were there erected, were burned to the ground. When they arrived at the Lower Fort, they showed little disposition to attack it, although its garrison did not amount to 100. They separated into two divisions, the regular troops marching along the bank of the creek, and the Indians filing off a quarter of a mile to the east of the fort. The regulars fired a few cannon shot without effect, one only lodging in the corner of the church .- The Indians and tories, in preparing a small brass cannon, received a brisk and deadly fire from the fort, which so frightened them that they sunk their cannon in a morass, and marched to where the road now runs, where they were joined by the regulars. They then fired a few shots with small arms, and the Indians approached near enough to throw their bullets into the tower of the church, where some marksmen had been stationed. A discharge of grape drove them back, and passing over the Fox creek, they set fire to a house and grist-mill, after which they proceeded to Fort Hunter.
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The beautiful valley of the Schoharie creek presented a scene of devastation, on the night of the 17th October, not easily described. Houses, barns, and numerous stacks of hay and grain were consumed ; domestic animals lay dead every where over the fields ; a few buildings belonging to the tories had been spared, but Murphy, among others, sallying out, set fire to them in revenge. After the burning of Schoharie, this settlement ceased to be so much an object of tory vengeance, and during the years 1781 and 1782, though there were fre- quent alarms, little damage was done by the enemy.
The savages appeared once in Cobleskill, burned a few buildings, killed one man and carried off five prisoners; but the body of the inhabitants had taken refuge in a fort which they had built on their return from Schoharie, in 1781, and were safe.
Soon after Sir John Johnston passed through Schoharie, Murphy and his three friends, Follok, Tufts and Evans, went over the hills of Summit. Murphy, by some mishap, strayed from the rest and wandering in the woods, he at length saw an Indian skinning a deer, which he had recently killed. Murphy being unperceived, took aim and shot the Indian through the head, who reeling fell beside the deer. He then ran up, took off the Indian's scalp, and laying him over a log, placed the deer's skin over him in such a manner as to make it appear at a short distance like a large deer. This was scarcely done before he heard a rustling in the leaves a few rods off; as quick as thought, he crawled among the bushes and thick weeds near, where he could see distinctly three In- dians moving their heads about, as if doubtful of what had the appearance of a deer. Finally, one of them fired at the sup- posed deer, and rushing up, what was their chagrin at disco- vering they had shot one of their own fellows! They gave several doleful yells to call others, and stood grinding their teeth and gesticulating wildly. Murphy, fearing that they
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might discover him soon, or that others might arrive, concluded it best to shoot one, and hazard a running fight with the other two." He accordingly fired, brought down his man-and rushed behind a very large tree. Before they had recovered front their panic, he discharged his other rifle barrel and mortally wounded. a second. The only remaining Indian fired ; the ball passed through the bark of one side of the tree, within a few inches of Murphy's face. The Indian then seized a rifle from one who was rolling and howling over the ground. By this time Murphy had reloaded his rifle, and both of them sprang behind trees some fifty yards apart. The moment one looked out, the rifle of the other was raised, and the head im- mediately drawn back. At last Murphy put his hat on the end of his ramrod, and pushed it showly to the side of the tree. - The Indian immediately fired-his ball passed through the centre of the hat. The hat was then dropped, when the Indian rushed up with hatchet and scalping knife. Murphy fired-he staggered a few paces forward, and fell down dead. The Indian was very large and powerful, and Murphy being exceedingly angry, skinned his legs, and drew the skin over his stockings. He then went in pursuit of his companions. He was unable to find them, and about 10 o'clock at night he stopped, and kindled a fire on the side of a little rivulet, where he roasted a small piece of the deer, which he had carried in his pocket. He had also a small biscuit, which he ate with his meat. After his repast, he procured water from the brook, with which he extinguised the fire. He proceeded on a quarter of a mile farther ; he crept in among the limbs of a tree, that apparently had fallen a few days before. In the morning, he advanced several miles, when he was unexpectedly surrounded by a large body of Indians, who had followed in his trail. He shot down two, who were on the side in which he wished to fly. Several of the Indians fired, and as he afterwards often remarked, the balls whistled by him. He ran with the utmost
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