USA > New York > Schoharie County > History of Schoharie County, New York : with illusustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 41
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This party made their way to the Minisink, where, lying concealed in the woods, they managed to get into their possession, one after another, five lusty men, and had brought them as far as to the east side of the Susquehanna opposite Tioga Point. Here they encamped for the night, intending in the morning to con- struct a raft in order to float themselves over the river, as they had done on their way towards the Minisink a few days before, and so pursue their way up the Chemung which course was the great thoroughfare of the Indians fron the Susquehanna country to that of the Genesee. Meanwhile the eleven Indians lay fast asleep being greatly fatigued and apprehending no danger, as the prisoners were securely bound and sleeping soundly, as the Indians supposed, before they laid themselves down ; but as the soul of one man, the prisoners were ever watch- ing some opportunity to escape. But this was not possible even if they could have made their escape, unless they should first have effected the death of the whole of the party of Indians. This object therefore was their constant aim. This night, by some means unknown, one of the prisoners got loose, doubtless either by knawing off his cord or by chafing it in two as
he lay upon it, or during the day had managed to hitch it as often as he could against the snags of the trees till it had become fretted and weak in some place, so that at last he got it in two. When this was effected, he silently cut the cords of his fellows, when each man took a hatchet, and in a moment nine of them received their blades to their handles in their brains ; but the sound of the blows in cutting through the bones of their heads awakened the other two, who sprung upon their feet as quick as thought, when one of them, as he fled, received the blade of a hatchet between his shoulders, which, however, did not kill him nor prevent his escape, yet he was terribly wounded.
These men who had so heroically made their escape, returned, as was supposed, to their
homes to relate to their families and posterity the perils of that dreadful night. After they had gone, the two Indians returned to the spot where lay their ruthless but unfortunate com- panions, fast-locked, not only in the sleep of the night, but that of death, never more to torment the ear of civilized life with the death yell of their sepulchral throats.
. They took from the feet of their slaughtered friends their mocassins, nine pair in number, and then constructed a raft on which they crossed the river, and had proceeded little way up the Chemung where they had built a hut, and the well Indian was endeavoring to cure his wounded companion.
When the whooping of the party of Indians to whom we were prisoners struck their ear, he gave the death yell, which hung on the dull air as the scream of a demon reverberating in doleful echoes up and down the stream; at which the whole body made a halt and stood in mute astonishment, not knowing what this could mean; when directly the two Indians made their appearance, exhibiting the nine pair of mocassins, and relating in the Indian tongue, which Harper understood, the death of their companions. In a inoment, as if transformed to devils, they threw themselves into a great circle around us, exhibiting the most horrid gestures, gnashing their teeth like a gang of wolves ready to devour, brandishing their toma- hawks over us, as so many arrows of death. But here let it be spoken, to the praise of Divine Providence, at the moment when we had given ourselves up as lost, the very Indian, who was a chief, and had been the only one of the eleven who had escaped unhurt, threw him- self into the midst of the ring, and with a shake of his hand gave the signal of silence, when he plead our cause by simply saying, "These are not the men who killed our friends, and to take the life of the innocent in cold blood, cannot be right." As it happened, this Indian knew us all, for he had lived about Schoharie before the war, and was known as as an inoffensive and kind-hearted native, but when the war came on, had seen fit to join the British Indians; his words had the desired effect, arrested the mind of Brant, and soothed to composure the terrific
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storm that a moment before had threatened to destroy us.
Again we resumcd our course, bearing with considerable more patience and fortitude the anguish of our sufferings, than it is likely we should have done had our lives not been pre- served from a greater calamity just described. We soon came to Newtown, where we were nearly at the point of starvation, Indians and all, as we had nothing to eat except a handful or two of corn a day; and what the end would have been is not hard to foresee, had not the amazing number of wolf tracks remaining, di- rected us to the carcass of a dead horse. The poor brute had been left to take care of itself the summer before by Sullivan, in his march to the Indian country, being unfit for further ser- vice as a pack-horse. Here, on the commons of nature, which during the summer and fall, it is likely, produced an abundance of pasturage, but when winter came on and rendered it im- possible for the poor worn-out animal to take care of itself, death came to its relief. That it had lived till the winter had become severe, was evident from its not being in the least degree putrescent, but was completely frozen, it having been buried in the snow during the winter.
The wolves had torn and gnawed the upper side quite away, but not being able to turn the carcass over it was sound and entire on the under side. This we seized upon, rejoicing as at the finding of a hidden treasure! It was instantly cut to pieces, bones, head and hoofs, and equally divided among the whole. Fires were built, at which we roasted and eat, without salt, each his own share, with the highest degree of satisfaction.
Near this place we found the Painted Post, which is now known- over the whole continent, to those conversant with the early history of our country ; the origin of which was as follows : Whether it was in the Revolution or in the Dunmore battles with the Indians, which com- menced in Virginia, or in the French war, I do not know, an Indian chief on this spot had been victorious in battle, killed and taken prisoners to the number of sixty. This event he celebrated by causing a tree to be taken from the forest and hewed four square, painted red, and · the number he killed, which was twenty-eight, repre-
sented across the post in black paint, without any heads, but those he took prisoners, which were thirty, were represented with heads on, in black paint, as the others. This post he erected and thus handed down to posterity an account that here a battle was fought, but by whom, and who the sufferers were is covered in darkness, except that it was between the whites and Indians.
The post will probably continue as long as the country shall remain inhabited, as the citizens heretofore have uniformly replaced it with a new one exactly like the original, whenever it has become decayed. Nothing more of note happened to us till we came to the Genesee river, except a continued state of suffering. We passed along between the Chemung and the head of the lakes Cayuga and Seneca, leaving the route of Sullivan, and went over the moun- tains farther north. These mountains, as they were very steep and high, covered with brush, and our bodies being weak and emaciated, were almost insurmountable, but at length we reached the top of the last and highest, which over- looks immeasurable wilds, the ancient abode of men and nations unknown, whose history is written only in the dust. Here we halted to rest, when the Tory Beacraft took it in his head to boast of what he had done in the way of murder since the war began. He said that he and others had killed some of the inhabitants of Schoharie, and that among them was the family of one Vroman. These he said they soon despatched, except a boy of about fourteen years of age, who fled across the flat toward the Schoharie river. "I took after the lad," said the Tory, " and although he ran like a spirit, I soon overtook him, and putting my hand under his chin laid him back on my thigh, though he struggled hard, cut his throat, scalped him, and hung the body across the fence." This made my blood run cold; vengeance boiled through every vein, but we dare not say a word to provoke our enemies, as it would be useless. This man, however, got his due, in a measure, after the war was over, which will be related at the end of this account.
Another of them, by the name of Barney Cane, boasted that he had killed. one, Major Hopkins, on Dimon Island, in Lake George.
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" A party of pleasure," as he stated, " had gone to this Island on a sailing excursion, and having spent more time than they were aware of before they were ready to return, concluded to encamp and remain all night, as it would be impossible for them to return to the fort. From the shore where we lay hid, it was easy to watch their motions ; and perceiving their defenseless situa- tion, as soon as it was dark, we set off for the Island, where we found them asleep by their fire, and discharging our guns among them, several were killed, among them was one woman who had a suckling child, which was not hurt. This we put to the breast of its dead mother, and so we left it. * * * * But Major Hopkins was only wounded, his thigh-bone being broken ; he started from his sleep to a stooping posture, when I struck him," said Barney Cane, " with the butt of my gun on the side of his head, he fell over, but caught on one hand ; I then knocked him the other way, when he caught with the other hand ; a third blow I laid him dead. These were all scalped except the infant. In the morning, a party from the fort went and brought away the dead, together with one they found alive, although he was scalped, and the babe, which was hanging and sobbing at the bosom of its lifeless mother."
Having rested ourselves, and our tantalizing companions having finished the stories of their infamy, we descended the mountain towards the Genesee, which we came in sight of the next day about two o'clock. Here we were met by a small party of natives, who had come to the flats of the Genesee for the purpose of corn planting, as soon as the waters of the river should fall sufficiently to drain the ground of its water. These Indians had with them a very beautiful horse which Brant directed to be cut to pieces in a moment, and divided equally without dressing or any such fashionable delay, which was done, no part of the animal what- ever being suffered to be lost. There fell to each man of the company but a small piece, which we roasted, using the white ashes of our fires as salt, which gave it a delicious relish ; this Brant himself showed us how to do. On thesc flats were found infinite quantities of ground nuts, a root in form and size about
equal to a musket ball, which, being roasted, became exceedingly mealy and sweet. These, together with our new acquisition of horse- flesh, formed a delicious repast.
From this place Brant sent a runner to Niagara, a distance of about eighty miles, in order to inform the garrison of his approach, and of the number of prisoners he had, their names and quality. This was a most humane act of Brant, and by this means he effected the removal of all the Indian warriors in the two camps contiguous to the fort. Brant was in possession of a secret respecting Harper, which he had carefully concealed in his own breast during the whole journey, and, probably, in the very first instance at the time when he dis- covered that Harper was his prisoner, operated by influencing him, if possible, in saving his life. This secret consisted in a knowledge that there was then in the fort a British officer who had married a niece of Harper, Jane More, whose mother was a sister of Captain Harper. This girl, together with the mother and a sister, had been captured at the massacre of Cherry Valley and taken to Niagara. This information was conveyed by means of the runner to the hus- band of Jane More, Captain Powell, who, when the girl was first brought by Butler and his Indians, a prisoner to the fort, loved, courted and honorably married. Now if Powell wished to save the life of his wife's uncle he had the opportunity, by doing as Brant had suggested, that was, to send the warriors of both camps down the lake to the nine-mile landing, with the expectation of meeting Brant there, whose prisoners would be given into their hands to be dealt with as the genius of their natures' cus- toms might suggest. Accordingly, Powell told his wife that her uncle was among the prisoners of Brant, who had sent him word, and that the warriors must be sent away ; to whom he gave a quantity of rum, as they thought, to aid in the celebration of their infernal pow-wows at the nine-mile landing, having obtained the consent of his superior, Colonel Butler, to do so.
Brant had concealed, from both his Indians and Tories, as well as from the prisoners, that Powell, at the fort, was Harper's relative, or that he had made the above arrangement.
The reader may probably wish to know why
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the warriors in those two camps must be sent away, in order to save the lives of the prisoners. All persons acquainted with Indian customs in time of war, know very well that the unhappy wretch who falls into their hands at such a time, is compelled to run what is called the gauntlet, between two rows of Indians, composed of warriors, old men, women and children, who, as the prisoner flies between them, if possible, to reach a certain point assigned, called a council- house, or a fort, receives from every one who can reach him, a blow with the fist, club, hatchet or knife, and even wadding fired into their bodies, so that they generally die with their wounds before they reach the appointed place, though they struggle with all the violence of hope and despair. We had now, on the fourth day after the runner had been sent, arrived within two miles of Niagara, when the Tories began to tell us the danger we were soon to be exposed to, in passing those two Indian encampments, which, till then, we knew nothing of; this-difficulty they were careful to describe in the most critical manner, so that every step, although so near our journey's end, when we hoped at least to have our hunger satisfied, was as the steps of the wretch condemned to die. But on coming to the first encampment what was our surprise and joy at finding noth- ing there capable of injuring us but a few old women and children, who had indeed formed themselves as before described. However, one old squaw coming up in a very friendly manner saluted me by saying, "Poor shild, poor shild," when she gave me a blow, which, as I was tired, could not be parried, that nearly split my head in two. Directly we came to the second encampment, which was supposed to be more dangerous, as the most bloody warriors were, from choice, situated nearest the fort; but here, through the policy of Powell, a whole regiment of British troops were thrown into two parallel lines, extending through the whole encampment, to protect us, as here were many young lads of the natives quite able, if oppor- tunity was given them, to hack and club us to death before we reached the fort. But now the desired fort, although it was to be our prison- house, was seen through the opening woods. I had come to within about five rods of the gate-
way, still agonizing under the effects of the old squaw's blow, when a young savage, about twelve years old, came running with a hatchet in his hand directly up to me, and seizing hold of the petunip line, or cord, by which I was tied, twitched me around so that we faced each other, when he gave me a blow between my eyes on the forehead that nearly dropped me dead, as I was weak and faint; the blood spouted out at a fearful rate, when a soldier snatched the little demon's hatchet and flung it into the lake. Whether Brant was awarded over and above the eight dollars, (which was the stipulated price per head), for Harper, or not, I cannot tell; but as was most natural to sup- pose, there was on the part of himself and niece great joy on so unexpectedly falling in with friends and relatives in the midst of ene- mies, and on the part of Powell respect and kindness was shown to Harper on account of the lovely Jane More, who had become a talis- man of peace between them.
We had scarcely arrived when we were brought to the presence of a number of British officers of the Crown, who blazed in all the glory of military habiliments, and among them as chief, was the bloated, insolent, unprincipled, cruel, infamous Butler, whose name will stink in the recollections of men to the latest page of American history ; because it was he who directed, rewarded, and encouraged the opera- tions of the Indians and Tories all along from Canada to the State of Delaware. This man commenced in a very abusive manner to ques- tion us respecting American affairs ; and ad- dressing me in particular, probably because he was nearer me than any of the rest, whether I did not think that by and by his Indians would compel a general surrender of the Yankees ! I replied to him in as modest a manner as possible, not feeling in a mood of repartee, as the blood from the wound in my forehead still continued to trickle down my face, covering my vest and bosom with blood, that I did not wish to say anything about it nor to give offense to any one. But he would not excuse me; still insisting that I should say whether I did not think so ; to which I firmly replied-feeling what blood and spirit there were yet left in me, to rouse a little-that if I
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must answer him, it was to say No! and that he might as well think to empty the lake of its waters at a bucketful at a time, as to conquer the Yankees in that way. At which he burst out in a violent manner, calling me a dam'd rebel, for giving him such an insolent answer, and ordered me out of his sight ; but here, when ready to sink to the floor, (not from any- thing the huge bulk of flesh had said to me, but from hunger, weariness, and the loss of blood,) a noble-hearted soldier interposed, saying to Butler, "The lad is not to blame, as you have compelled him to answer your question, which no doubt he has done according to the best of his judgment." " Here, poor fellow, take this glass of wine and drink." Thus the matter ended.
We were now given over to the care of a woman, Nancy Bundy by name, who had been ordered to prepare us a soup, made of proper materials, who was not slow to relieve our dis- tress as far as she dare, as she also was a prisoner. But in taking off the belt which I had worn around my body, as the manner of the Indians is, to keep the wind out of the stomach, it appeared that I was falling to pieces, so strange was the sensation, that I was ready to disown my own body had I not been con- vinced by my other senses that there was no mistake.
I will just give the reader a short account of this woman, as I received it from herself. She stated that herself, husband,' and two children were captured at the massacre of Wyoming, by Butler's Indians and Tories, and brought to the Genesee country, then entirely inhabited by the natives. There she was parted from her hus- band, the Indians carrying him she knew not where, but to some other and distant tribe. She had not been long in the possession of the tribe after her husband was taken away, when the Indian who had taken her prisoner, ad- dressed her, and was desirous of making her his wife; but she repulsed him, saying very imprudently she had one husband, and it would be unlawful to have more than one. This seemed to satisfy him, and she saw no more of him for a long time ; but after a while he came back and renewed his suit, alleging that there were no objections to her ınarrying him as her
husband was dead, for, said he, I found where he was and I have killed him. She then told him if he had killed her husband he might kill her also, for she would not marry a murderer .. When he saw she was resolute and that his person was hateful in her sight, he took and tied her, and brought her to this place and sold her for eight dollars.
From this prison, after being sold to the British garrison for eight dollars a head, we were sent across the lake to Carleton Island, from this place down to the Cedars ; from the Cedars we were transported from place to place, till at length we were permanently lodged in the prison at Chambly. Here we were put in irons, and remained two years, suffering everything but death, for want of clothes, fire, food, medicine, exercise and pure air. At length from the weight and inconvenience of my irons I became so weak that I could not rise from the floor, when my fellow-sufferer Thorp, who was not as badly off as myself, used to help me up.
The physician appointed to have the care of the prisoners, whose name was Pendergrass, paid but little attention to his charge, seldom visiting us, but never examining closely into our situation ; consequently a description of my horrid condition would afflict the reader, on which account I forbear it. At length however this physician was removed and another put in his place, of entirely contrary character; he was humane, inquisitive, industrious and skillful.
When he came first to that part of the prison where myself and about twenty others were confined, the captain of the fort came with him, when the doctor proceeded to examine us, one by one, instead of giving us a general look only, as the other had done. The place where I sat was quite in the corner, I had chosen it because it was the darkest and served to hide me from observation more than any other part of the room. I had contrived to get into my possession an old rug of some sort which partly hid my naked limbs ; this I kept over my lapin the best possible manner.
After a while it became my turn to be ex- amined, when he said : "Well my lad what is the matter of you?" From shame and fear lest he would witness the loathsome predica-
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ment which I was in, I said, "Nothing sir," "Well then," said he "get up." " I cannot, sir, said I." " He then took the end of his cane and putting it under the blanket that was partly over me, threw it one side, and a spec- tacle of human suffering presented itself, such as he had not dreamed of seeing. I had fixed my eyes steadily on his face, to see if aught of pity moved his breast, which I knew I could trace in his countenance, if any appeared. He turned pale; a frown gathered on his brow, .the curl of his lip denoted wrath ; when he turned round to the captain of the fort, whose name was Steel, and looking steadily at him said, in a voice of thunder, " You infamous villain, in the name of God, are you murdering people alive here ! send for your provost sergeant in a moment, and knock off that poor fellow's spare shackles, or I will smash you in a moment !" Oh, this language was balm to my wounds ; was oil to my bleeding heart; it was the voice of sympathy, of determined mercy, and immediate relief. I had a soldier's heart, which shrunk not ; a fountain of tears I had not in the hour of battle; but now they rushed out amain, as if anxious to behold the man who, by his goodness had drawn them from their deep seclusion.
An entire change of situation now took place ; our health was recovered, which rendered my imprisonment quite tolerable. From this place after a while we were sent to Rebel Island, or Cutodelack or Cutthroat Island, where we re- mained a year, when peace was declared.
We were now sent to Quebec and put on board a cartel ship, and sent round to Boston ; though before we reached that place we were driven out to sea in a storm and nearly ship- wrecked, suffering exceedingly ; but at last arrived at the desired haven where I once more set foot on my native land and rejoice that it was a land of liberty and Independence. As fast as possible we made the best of our way to Old Schoharie, which was our home, after an absence of three years, during which I suffered much, as well as my companions, for the love of my country; which under the blessings of Heaven I have enjoyed these many years, feeling that it is a recompense in full measure.
May He, who never lost a battle perpetuate
the blessing to those who have it, to the latest era of time.
Supposed Silver Mine .- Years before the Revolution, the Indians procured an ore at some point in Blenheim that resembled silver, and as soon as peace was proclaimed, efforts were made by the speculative to find the vein that the Indians had kept a secret. After several ineffectual attempts, John and Wilhelmus Bouck procured the services of one Casper Bertram, a German mineralogist, or, as called at that time a "chemister," whose superstition was greater than his ability. After searching for several years he concluded the precious ore lay in large deposits upon the farm of Nicholas Becker.
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