USA > New York > The natural, statistical, and civil history of the state of New-York, v. 3 > Part 26
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presentation from the country concurred in the opinion, that a war with the Indians ought to be carried into their country, in order to humble them, and coerce them into a peace. The hostilities already manifested, were in a measure occasioned by . Colonel Hamilton, the governor of Detroit, and some other persons in the employ of the British government. Against Detroit, therefore, an expedition was resolved on by Congress. General M'Intosh, who commanded at Pittsburgh, was directed to prepare for carrying on the expedition, with three thousand men. To accelerate the success of this enterprise, and the sooner to reduce the hostile tribes to submission, another was resolved on against the Senecas. The officer commanding on the east side of the Hudson, was instructed to take measures to carry this resolution into effect.
Unfortunately these resolutions could not be carried into exe- cution, partly on account of a want of means, and partly on ac- count of the states not co-operating. Hence the frontiers re- mained exposed until the storm burst upon them.
The scene of greatest misery and devastation was Wyoming, in the state of Pennsylvania. This is a district of country lying on both sides of the Susquehannah, and was settled by emigrants from Connecticut. The district contained about eleven hun- dred families, and had furnished nearly one thousand men for the continental army, besides garrisons for the forts which the people had erected for their security. Unfortunately they had not been exempted from political divisions, which, when carried to excess, destroy those affections which attach members of the same family to each other, and plant the most deadly hate.
While the great body of the settlement joined their country- men in the existing contest, some few adhered to the royal cause. Encouraged by their distance from the military force of the nation, and stimulated by their neighbours in Canada, they did not conceal the motives they had in view, and having experienced severity, many of them were induced to take refuge among the Indians, or at the posts occupied by the British. Their numbers gradually increased, and with these their resent- ment. At their head was Colonel John Butler, the cousin of
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Colonel Zebulon Butler, who was commander of the militia of Wyoming.
The commencement of the year had furnished indications of hostile designs, on the part of the Indians ; but as the time drew near, when the blow, they meditated, was to be given, the artful policy of lulling those into security against whom it was directed, was resorted to. Several messengers came in from the hostile tribes, charged with assurances of their peaceful dis- positions, and Colonel John Butler declared, in an assemblage of savages, that he was about to withdraw to Detroit. Their designs, however, were suspected, and the inhabitants, for their own safety, took refuge in their forts.
On the first of July, a body, supposed to be nearly one thou- sand six hundred strong, composed of Indians and tories, who were painted like savages, under the command of Colonel John ' Butler, burst into the district of Wyoming, and obtained pos- session of one of the two upper forts without opposition. The other was taken. The two principal forts, Kingston and Wilks- barre, were near each other, on opposite sides of the Susqehan- nah. Colonel Zebulon Butler, with the greatest part of the armed men of the district, and a number of women and children, took refuge in Kingston. After rejecting a summons to sur- render, he proposed a parley, and a place at some distance from the fort was agreed upon for a meeting of the chiefs. He marched out with four hundred men to the place appointed, where no person was found on the part of the enemy ; but at a still greater distance from the fort, at the foot of the mountain, a flag was exhibited, which retired, as he approached, as if ap- prehensive of danger from the Americans.
Colonel Zebulon Butler continued to advance until he found himself almost surrounded by the enemy, who rose and fired on him. His troops, in this emergency, displayed great firmness and bravery, and would, in all likelihood, have beaten them back, and made good their retreat to the fort, had not one of the men exclaimed, in a loud voice, " The colonel has ordered a retreat." Instant confusion ensued, and the militia fled towards the river, which they endeavoured to cross, in order to gain
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the fort called Wilksbarre. The enemy pursued with the rage of demons, and of the four hundred that had marched out on this party, only about twenty escaped. Fort Kingston was in- vested, and to increase the terror of the garrison, and impress on them ideas of their horrible situation, the bleeding scalps of their murdered countrymen were sent in for their inspection.
Colonel Zebulon Butler, having withdrawn himself and his family down the river, Colonel Dennison, the commanding officer , . went out with a flag, to enquire of the commander of the enemy what terms would be allowed on their surrendering the fort- uniting to Spartan brevity, more than Cannibal ferocity, this tutored savage answered in two words -- " the hatchet." -
Having lost great part of the garrison, and being unable to hold out longer, Colonel Dennison surrendered at discretion. The threat of Colonel John Butler was executed. After se- lecting a few prisoners, the great body of the people in the fort were iuclosed in the houses, when fire was applied to them and they were consumed together.
Colonel John Butler then passed over the river to Wilksbar- re, which surrendered immediately. The continental soldiers, amounting to seventy, were hacked to pieces. The remainder, consisting of the inhabitants, shared the same fate that their brethren had at Kingston.
All show of resistance was now termined, but the ruin con- templated was not yet complete. Near three thousand per- sons had escaped. Flying without money, clothes or food, they souglit for safety in the interior of the country. To pre- vent their returning, every thing remaining behind was destroy- ed. Fire and the tommahawk were alternately applied ; and all the houses and improvements, which the labour of years bad made, as well as every living animal which could be found, were destroyed., The houses and settlements of the tories alone were preserved.
The devastators of Wyoming withdrew before the arrival of the continental troops detached against them, could reach the place.
To cover and protect the whole frontier of the United States VOL. III.
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was impossible. Particular districts were therefore exposed to all the calamities incidental to savage warfare. Worn out by daily calls into the field, the militia every where solicited to be relieved and protected by the continental troops. Their appli- cations were often necessarily resisted, and the continentals dis- tributed in such-manner as would best promote the great ob- ject of the contest. The sufferings of the frontiers, however, were now such, and the danger which menaced them was so imminent, that it became necessary to spare for their defence a . more considerable portion of the army, than had been allotted to that part of the union, since the capture of Burgoyne. Co. Ionel Hartley's regiment, and two companies. of militia, were ordered, on the first intelligence of the destruction of Wyoming, to repair thither. The colonel set out on an expedition against the Indian towns, some of which he destroyed, and made some prisoners ; but hearing that they were collecting in considera- able force, he thought it advisable to retreat. His rear was at- tacked, but the assailants were repulsed.
The fourth Pennsylvania regiment, raised in the western frontier of that state, under the command of William Butler, a partisan of great merit, and the remnant of Morgan's rifle corps, led by Major Posey, were also detached to the assistance of the people of Schoharie. With his continentals and thirty rangers, Colonel Butler, in October, entered the enemy's coun- try, and after a march, attended with infinite labour and diffi- culty in crossing mountains and rivers, reached their towns at Oquago on the Susquehannah. These he destroyed, together with the corn and other things laid up for winter. . Colonel Butler returned from Oquago by the Unadilla, and laid waste all the Indian towns on that river. Oquago is in the county of Broome, and was the head-quarters of the celebrated Brandt, an Indian, distinguished for courage. In this ex- pedition Colonel Butler had the good fortune not to fall in with any party of the enemy. The loss of their towns and provisions compelled the enemy to withdraw to a greater dis- tance from the frontiers, which rendered their future intoads more difficult,
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Pending these transactions, Colonel Hartley informed Con- `gress that the enemy were fortifying a place at Chemung, a few miles from the mouth of the Cayuta, a stream falling into the Susquehannah, at which place a considerable number of tories were collected. Chemung and Niagara were represent- ed to be the principal places of resort for those tories who · could not reach the city of New-York. A resolution was passed, directing that measures should be taken for captur- ing Chemung, and for repressing the incursions of the savages on the frontiers of New-York, New-Jersey and Pennsylvania.
The season of the year, however, had come on when the rains swell the streams so as to render them impassible ; in addition to which it was impossible to transport artillery unless roads should be opened, without which any attempt on the fortifications would have been unsuccessful. A council of gen- eral officers was therefore convened at Albany, consisting of Generals Schuyler, Hand and Clinton, who, after taking all things into consideration, came to the conclusion that the en- terprise against Chemung ought to be deferred until the ensu- ing season.
Before the expedition against Chemung was entirely relin- quished, a body of five hundred men, consisting of tories, In- dians and regulars, under Colonel Brandt, broke into Cherry Valley, where Colonel Alden was posted with a continental regiment. The colonel, quartering with a family, about balf a mile from the fort, was surprised and killed with ten or twelve soldiers and officers whom he had with him. The fort was then assaulted; but a resolute defence being made, the enemy desisted ; after which they laid the whole settlement waste, and murdered thirty-two of the inhabitans, mostly women and children. The cruelties committed by some of the royal- ists and Indians make humanity shudder. Not content with killing the inhabitants, they ripped open and quartered the . women, and then suspended their mangled limbs on the branches of trees. The helpless infants they took from the breasts of ther mothers and dashed their brains out against posts. Hav- ing completed the destruction of Cherry Valley they retired.
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While the frontiers of New-York and Pennsylvania were suf- fering all the miseries of savage warfare, a fate equally calam- itous seems to have been destined against the back settlements of Virginia. 'The militia of those settlements had made some successful incursions into the country northwest of the River Ohio, and had captured some British posts on the Mississippi. These were erected into a county called Illinois, and a regi- ment of infantry, with a troop of cavalry, under Colonel Clark, were raised for its protection. 'These were divided into sev- eral parties, the principal of which remained with Colonel Clark, at the village of Kaskaskias. Colonel Hamilton, the governor of Detroit, was at Fort St. Vincent on the Wabash, with about six hundred men, mostly Indians, projecting an ex- pedition, first against Kaskaskias, and then against Pittsburgh, at the head of the Ohio ; after which he proposed to desolate the frontiers of Virginia. But Colonel Clark, anticipating his designs, resolved to attack the post of St. Vincent. He was induced to accelerate his enterprise, in consequence of informa- tion he obtained that most of the Indians had been sent out by Colonel Hamilton, to block the Ohio and harass the border settlers. In the month of February he detached a galley, mounting two four-pounders, and four swivels, manned with a company of soldiers, and having on board stores for his troops, which were to go by land, with orders to descend the Missis- sippi to the mouth of the Ohio, and ascend thence to the vicinity of St. Vincent, and there take a station, and await his arrival. Having arranged this part of his plan, he set out from Kaskaskias, with one hundred and thirty men, and after a march of sixteen days, through woods and morasses, he appear- ed before St. Vincent, which was garrisoned by eighty regulars, and began the siege. Hamilton finding it impossible to defend the place, surrendered himself and his garrison.
This expedition, so happily carried into effect, was of great importance to the frontier inhabitants of Virginia. It entirely disconcerted the plans concerted by the enemy, for carrying on the ensuing campaign in that quarter. Several tribes of In- dians made peace with the United States, while others were intimidated in no small degree.
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After the war had broken out between France and Great Britain, in the Autumn of 1778, Congress renewed the plan for the invasion and conquest of Canada. This plan, had it been carried into effect, was to have been executed by the combined forces of France and America, both by sea and land. Con- gress in preparing this plan, did not consult a single comman- der, but preparation and execution are different things. Cabi- nets may easily prepare plans of operations, which cannot be carried into effect. The disasters which had attended the Americans in their first attempt to reduce that country, ought to have been sufficient admonitions to Congress not to make a second essay.
It was resolved to march, as early as the first of June, two separate detachments of troops, consisting each of fifteen hun- dred infantry, and one thousand `cavalry from Wyoming and Pittsburgh, to Niagara and Detroit. These corps were to de- stroy the towns belonging to the hostile Indian tribes, lying in their route. The troops, marching from Wyoming against Fort Niagara, were to be met at Oquago or its vicinity, by fifteen hundred men, who were to be collected at the city of Schenec- tady. A body of troops were to be stationed higher up the Mohawk, during the winter, for the purpose of procuring ma- terials for building boats. There they were to be reinforced in the spring, by two thousand five hundred men, and were to take possession of Oswego, and make excursions by water to- wards Niagara. Several regiments were to be cantoned on the · upper parts of Connecticut river, so as to form a body of five thousand men, from whence they were to march to St. John's and Montreal, &c. Such were a part of the paper plans of Congress.
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See Ramsey's History of the Revolutionary War, Marshall's Life of Washing. ton, &c., also my second volume History State of New-York.
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CHAPTER IX.
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· Colonel Van Schaick marches from Fort Schuyler on the Mo- hawk, against the Onondagas, on Onondaga Creek, and lays their settlements waste-Expedition against the Senecas- General Sullivan marches with three thousand men, from Eas- ton on the Delaware, to Tioga Point, at the confluence of Sus- quehannah and Tioga rivers-General Clinton proceeds with one thousand men, from the Mohawk, to the outlet of Otsego Lake, and thence down the Susquehannah, to Tioga Point, and joins Sullivan-The Generals Sullivan and Clinton de- camp and advance up the Tioga-Battle near where Newton now is-Sullivan and Clinton resume their march, and reach Genesee River-The Americans destroy the Indian towns, villages and corn fields along Genesee River-Colonel Broad- head invades the Indian settlements on the Alleghany River, and wastes them with fire-Colonel Brandt, the celebrated In- dian Chief, enters Minisinh in the county of Orange, and partly wastes it-The militia of the town of Goshen, and the adjoining parts, pursue Colonel Brandt, but are surprised and defeated-The British make an incursion from New- York into Virginia, take Portsmouth and other places on Elizabeth and James' Rivers, and destroy much property-The British, under Governor Tryon and Sir George Collyer, make an in- road into Connecticut, and burn Fairfield-New Haven taken and plundered-Skirmish between the royal troops and the Americans at Reading-Incident of Putnam descending the precipice at that place on horseback-General Wayne, with a detachment of the American army, storms Stoney Point-Sir Henry Clinton sets out from New- York to retake Stoney Point -- The Americans abandon it, efter demolishing the work's- Major Lec, with some Americans, surprises the British com- mandant at Poules' Hook in New-Jersey-Hostilities in the Southern states-Savannah in Georgia taken-Nearly all of
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Georgia submits to the royal government-Colonel Pitkins defeats a body of tories-General Lincoln takes the command in the south-The British, under Colonel Provost, defeat the Americans under General Ash-Governor Rutledge arm- ed with dictatorial power-The British invade South Caro- « lina, and advance in sight of Charleston --- General Lincoln · compels the British to retire-Arrival of the Count D' Es- taing on the coast of Georgia-The Americans and French . repulsed in an attempt to storm Savannah-Paper money- Its depreciation.
1779 .- ALTHOUGH the projected invasion of Canada was laid aside, yet several expeditions were undertaken, and carried into effect against the Indians, who infested the border settle- ments of New-York and Pennsylvania. General Schuyler was very instrumental in planning and getting these expeditions on foot. The first expedition undertaken was against the Onon- dagas, who dwelt 'on the creek of that name, about fifty-three miles westerly of Fort Schuyler, on the Mohawk. On the nineteenth of April, 1779, Colonel Goose Van Schaick, assisted by Lieutenant-colonel Willet and Major Cochran, with be- tween five and six hundred men, commenced his march from the latter place, for Onondaga, which he reached on the morn- ing of the third day. The Onondagas not apprehending a visit at this season of the year, were entirely unprepared, and fled to the woods on the first appearance of the Americans ; twelve, however, were killed, and thirty-four made prisoners in the flight. Colonel Van Schaick caused all their houses and provisions to be burned, and the whole settlement, extending eight miles along the creek, to be laid waste. This expedition was performed in less than six days, and without the loss of a man.
Fort Schuyler, from whence the troops set out, stood hard by where the bridge over the Mohawk at Utica now is. At that time the whole space between the Mohawk River and Onon- daga Creek, was covered with. woods, and was without roads or civilized inhabitants.
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The second expedition was principally against the Seneca .. who had their main stations on the banks of Genesee River. The chief command of the troops employed in this enterprise, was conferred on general Sullivan. Tioga Point, in Pennsyl- vania, at the union of the Susquehannah and Tioga Rivers, was selected for the rendezvous of the troops. General Sullivan, with three thousand men, set out from Easton on the Delaware, and advanced up the Susquehannah to that place, where he was joined by General Clinton, with upwards of one thousand. The latter had marched from the Mohawk to the outlet of Otsego Lake, by the way of Cherry Valley, whence he de- scended the Susquehannah. The water in the river, when he reached the outlet, was too low to float his boats. To remedy this, General Clinton caused a dam to be constructed across the outlet, for the purpose of preventing the escape of the wa- ters, till they should rise sufficiently high for his boats. This lake being fed by springs, soon rose to the height he wished, when he ordered the dam to be cut down. This raised the river so much, that he was enabled to descend in boats to Oqua- go, whence to Tioga Point-there is always sufficient depth of water. After the junction of these troops, General Sullivan resumed his march for the country of the Senecas. His route lay up Tioga and Conhocton Rivers. The Indians on hearing of the expedition projected against them, behaved with firm- ness. They collected their forces, and took a strong position on Tioga River, near Newton, in the county of Tioga, and for- tified it with skill and judgment. General Sullivan attacked them in this position. They stood a cannonade for more than two hours, during which time several assaults were repelled ; but they were forced to give way and abandon their works. This engagement was decisive ; after the trenches were forced, the Indians fled without attempting to rally. They were pur- sued by the Americans for several miles, but with little or no effect. The consternation, occasioned among them by this de- feat, was so great, that they gave up all ideas of further resist- ance. As the Americans advanced into their settlements, the Indians retired before them, without throwing any obstructions
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.in their way. The Generals Sullivan and Clinton penetrated into the midst of the Seneca's country, and spread desolation on every side. Eighteen towns and villages, besides hamlets and detached habitations were burned. All their fields of corn, and whatever else was in a state of cultivation, were destroyed. Nothing in the form of a house was left standing, nor was any Indian to be seen. The lands, about the towns and villages, were under tolerably good cultivation, and some of their houses were large and commodious. The quantity of corn destroyed was immense. Orchards, in which were several hundred fruit trees, were cut down. Their gardens, which contained great quantities of useful vegetables, were laid waste. The troops were so inflamed with indignation against the Indians, on ac- count of the many murders they had committed on the back settlers, that they were determined not to leave the country, before the work of destruction was fully consummated.
The Indians, by this expedition, being made to feel in a very sensible manner, those calamities they had been accustomed to inflict on others, became cautions and timid. The sufferings which they had to endure, and the dread of a repetition of thein, in case they should again provoke the indignation of the Ameri- can people, damped the ardour of their warriors considerably, and rendered their inroads less frequent and destructive.
While Generals Sullivan and Clinton were engaged in wast- · ing the Indian settlements on Tioga, Couhocton and Genesee rivers, Colonel Broadhead executed a successful expedition against the Mingo, Munsi, and Seneca Indians, residing on the Alleghany River. He set out about the first of August from Pittsburgh, with six hundred and five men, and proceeded up that river about two hundred miles, destroying in his way all the Indian habitations and corn fields which lay in his route. Colonel Broadhead spent five weeks in this expedition.
On the twenty-third of July the celebrated Colonel Brandt, with sixty Indians and twenty-seven white men, attacked the Minisink settlement, and burnt ten houses, twelve barns, a fort, and two mills, and carried away much property which they plundered, together with several prisoners. The militia from VOL. III. 38
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the town of Goshen and the neighbourhood assembled, to the number of one hundred and fifty, and went in pursuit of them, but with so little caution, that they were surprised and com- pletely routed. The Minisink settlement was then in the county of Orange ; it is now partly in the latter county and partly in Sullivan county. This inroad was made about the time that Generals Sullivan and Clinton were commencing the invasion of the Seneca country.
Throughout the year 1779, the British seem to have aimed at little more in the states, northward of North Carolina, than depredation. One of these, consisting of both naval and land forces, was intrusted to Sir George Collyer and General Mat- thews, who made a descent on Virginia. They sailed for Ports- mouth on the tenth of May, and on their arrival took possession of that defenceless town.` The remains of Norfolk, on the op- posite side of the river, fell of course into their hands. The Americans burned some of their own vessels, but others were made prizes by the invaders. The British guards marched eighteen miles in the night, and arriving at Suffolk court-house by morning, destroyed the vessels, naval stores, and a large magazine of provisions. Similar destruction was carried on at Kemp's Landing, Shepherd's Gospert, Tanner's Creek, and other places in the vicinity. The frigates and armed vessels were employed on the same business along the margins of the rivers Above one hundred and thirty vessels were either de- stroyed or taken, and a l that were on the stocks burned. The fleet and army then returned to New - York. This expedition into Virginia distressed a number of its inhabitants, and enrich- ed the British forces, but was of no service to the' comcion. cause.
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