A history of Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, from its first beginnings to the present time; including chapters of newly-discovered, Vol. II, Part 116

Author: Harvey, Oscar Jewell, 1851- [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Wilkes-Barre [Raeder press]
Number of Pages: 683

USA > Pennsylvania > Luzerne County > Wilkes-Barre > A history of Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, from its first beginnings to the present time; including chapters of newly-discovered, Vol. II > Part 116

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* 28th .- A party which was directed to search after strayed horses and cattle, early this morning drove into the fort twenty-four of the latter. A great blessing, indeed, as there are in the garrison about 1,200 [sic] souls, men, women and children included, and pre- vious to the twenty-four cattle being drove in, but five were left, and those but poor. About dusk sixty boats, most of them having many of the garrison on board, set off for Wyoming for provisions and other necessaries. Took passage, myself, with Captain Bush, on board . The Adventure,' where were fixed, as conveniently as circumstances would permit, Captain Carberry and Adjutant Huston, who, owing to their wounds and much pain, were exceedingly uneasy."

On Sunday, August 29th, the battle of Newtown was fought near the present city of Elmira, New York. Full and complete accounts of this battle are to be found in the book entitled " Journals of the Military Expedition of Maj. Gen. John Sullivan " (previously mentioned), and it is unnecessary, therefore, to describe in these pages-from an American standpoint-the event in question. But the following paragraphs, taken from "The Story of Butler's Rangers," by Ernest Cruikshank, may be fitly introduced here.

"Leaving a strong garrison at Tioga Sullivan deliberately resumed his advance, warily feeling every step with swarms of riflemen in front and on the flanks, and cutting a wide road through the woods for the passage of his artillery and pack-horses. Panic- stricken by the appearance of such an overwhelming army, a majority of the Indians thought only of removing their families and moveable property to a place of safety. The

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number of warriors that joined [Maj. John ] Butler never exceeded 300, although he had expected 1,000. The Delawares had promised 200, and sent only 30. He had less than 300 ' Rangers,' and only fourteen men of the 8th [Regiment]. * * He kept up an appearance of confidence, however, and attempted to reassure the Indians by telling them he would defeat the invaders with the ' Rangers' alone, assisted by their brethren under Brant. Unfortunately, runners then came from the Seneca villages on the Allegheny to announce that their country was invaded by a large force from Pittsburg [under Col. . Daniel Brodhead]. On this, Butler tried to persuade the Indians to retire to some more advantageous position, leaving small parties among the hills to harass the Americans on their advance ; but the Delawares had pointed out the spot where they ought to meet the enemy, and the others were obstinately bent upon following their advice.

"Having sent away his baggage in charge of the sick, Butler accordingly marched forward and took possession on August 27th of the ground indicated to him. ' It was a ridge of about half a mile in length [reported Major Butler], to the right of which lay a large plain extending to the river and terminating in a narrow pass near our [the British and Indians] encampment, so that, having possession of the heights, we would have had greatly the advantage should the enemy direct their march that way. On our left was a steep mountain, and a large creek in our front at a little distance.' A rough breastwork was formed of logs, which they attempted to mask with freshly cut boughs. In some places shallow rifle-pits were dug, and a log building was occupied and loop-holed for musketry McDonnel with sixty 'Rangers' and Brant with thirty 'whites and Indians' occupied the right of this position ; Capt. [Walter N.] Butler, with the remainder of the 'Rangers' and the party of the '8th,' held the center, while the main body of the Indians, commanded by Sayenqueraghta," was posted at the left, at the foot of the mountain.

"At sunset they were informed that the enemy was still encamped below Chemung, and they retired for the night to their own camp, about a mile distant. Next day the position was again occupied from sunrise until dark, without any appearance of the Americans. But Sullivan's scouts had heard the noise of their axes in the day and seen the glare of their camp-fires at night. Neither officers nor men of the 'Rangers' had a blanket or tent to cover them, and since their arrival at Chuckmet, two weeks before, they had neither meat, flour nor salt, but had been subsisting entirely upon a daily allowance of seven ears of green corn, which they had scarcely found time to cook. On the 29th [of August], at daybreak, they resumed possession of their lines, ' which,' But- ler said, 'some officious fellows among the Indians altered, and turned the left wing along the mountain, quite the contrary way from its original situation, which was in a great measure the cause of our defeat, as it gave the enemy room to outflank us on that wing without opposition.' Here they remained exposed to the full glare of the sun until two o'clock, when a number of riflemen appeared in the skirt of the woods. The plain between them and the breastwork was covered with tall grass, rising nearly as high as a man's head.

"The affair at Chemung [on August 13th] had made the Americans more than usually cautious, and before advancing into the plain some of their scouts climbed trees, from which they discovered this entrenchment and saw a number of Indians, brightly painted with vermilion, lying on the ground behind it. They at once commenced a brisk fire, while their artillery was being brought forward and a brigade of light-infantry detached around the hill to turn the . Rangers'' position and gain the defile in the rear. When the skirmish had lasted for half an hour, with trifling loss on either side, Butler began to suspect the enemy's purpose, and urged the Indians to commence their retreat. His advice was warmly seconded by Brant and the Seneca chief, who had come together from the opposite flanks to point out the danger of remaining any longer where they were. One of the most powerful reasons for an immediate retreat was the wretched physical condition of the ' Rangers,' who were horribly enfeebled by exposure and the poorness of their food, and at the very moment the action began three officers and several men were struck down by the ague. But the majority of the Indians were still obstinately bent on holding their ground, and would pay no attention to their arguments.

" By that time the Americans had got six guns and coehorns in position, and opened ' an elegant cannonade,' firing shells, round and grape-shot, and iron spikes, upon the main body of the Indians. This had an immediate and demoralizing effect. The sight of the shells bursting in their rear convinced them that they were already surrounded, and they sprang to their feet and ran away at full speed. The 'Rangers' and Brant's party being thus deserted, retired as rapidly as possible to the hill, which they found already occupied by the enemy's riflemen, with whom they kept up a running fight for nearly a mile, when they were obliged to disperse in every direction-some fording the river, others escaping along the wooded summit of the hill. Butler himself narrowly avoided capture. Many of the Indians never halted in their flight till they reached their respective villages, but the 'Rangers' assembled before dark at Nanticoketown, five miles distant, and continued their retreat until they overtook their baggage. Their actual loss had been miraculously small-only five men were killed or missing. and three wounded. The Indians reported a loss of five killed and nine wounded. Sullivan acknowledged a loss of forty-two killed and wounded among his regular troops, and at

* See page 968

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least one of his Oneida scouts was killed besides. His victorious troops amused them- selves by scalping the dead, and in two cases actually skinned the bodies of Indians from the hips downward, to make boot-tops, or leggings.

"Next day Sullivan sent back to Tioga all unnecessary baggage and some of his heaviest cannon, and resumed his advance in the same deliberate and cautious but resist- less manner, laying waste the scattered villages, cornfields and orchards he passed, in the

most thorough-going fashion imaginable. * * Indian runners constantly watched his progress from the hill-tops, and warned their tribesmen of his approach, so that he found their houses always deserted and empty. Half of Butler's men were sick and absolutely unfit for duty, and he fell back to Kanadesaga, sending the sick to the mouth of the Genesee for removal to Niagara. The mass of the Indians were thoroughly dispirited, and even the influence and example of Brant and Sayenqueraghta-who behaved through- out with admirable courage and firmness-failed to rally many of them to his support. The Cayugas sent an Oneida to beg for mercy for their tribe, but Sullivan haughtily replied that Congress had 'instructed him totally to extirpate the unfriendly nations of Indians, to subdue their country, destroy their crops, and drive them to seek habitations where they would be less troublesome.' Captain Butler continued to watch Sullivan's motions with a few picked ' Rangers ' and some Indians that were kept together by the tireless exertions of Brant and Roland Montour."

Relative to the battle of Newtown,* and certain subsequent inci- dents, we find the following in the journal of Lieut. John Jenkins, Jr., of Westmoreland.

* * "Soon after our cannon began to play upon them [the British and Indians], they ran off and left their breastworks in the most precipitous manner, leaving their packs, blankets, tomahawks, spears, &c., behind them. At the same time we took pos- session of the enemy's ground and fortifications. * * Poor's party took a Tory pris- oner, and twelve Indian scalps. The riflemen took a negro prisoner in the evening, about two miles from the enemy's works, and then returned and encamped near a very beautiful flat, where the enemy had planted and tilled about 120 acres of corn. August 30th the army lay still and sent out reconnoitering parties, and buried the dead. Having destroyed about 120 acres of excellent corn, beans, &c., [we] prepared to proceed after the enemy. Our wounded, heavy-artillery and wagons were sent back to Tioga in boats. This day in examining the prisoners they said that Butler and Brant commanded, and that the enemy consisted of 700 men-500 Indians and 200 Tories-and they had lived for two weeks on green corn, without bread or salt."

In the journal of Lieut. Col. Adam Hubley, under the date of August 30, 1779, we find the following record :

"On account of the great quantities of corn, beans, potatoes, turnips, and other vegetables, in the destroying of which the troops were employed, and [on account of] the rain which set in in the after part of the day, obliged us to continue on the ground for this day and night. The troops were likewise employed in drawing eight days' provis- ions (commencing September 1st). The reason of drawing this great quantity at one time was ( however inconsistent with that economy which is absolutely necessary in our present situation-considering the extensive campaign before us, and the time of conse- quence it will require to complete it), the want of pack-horses for transporting the same; and, in order to expedite this great point in view, are obliged to substitute our soldiery for carrying the same. From the great and unparalleled neglect of those persons em- ployed for the purpose of supplying the western army with everything necessary to enable them to carry through the important expedition required of them, General Sullivan was at this early period under the disagreeable necessity of issuing the following . ADDRESS TO THE ARMY,' which was communicated by the commanding officers to their corps sep- arately, viz .:

"The Commander-in-Chief informs the troops that he used every effort to procure proper supplies for the army, and to obtain a sufficient number of horses to transport them, but owing to the inattention of those whose business it was to make the necessary provision, he failed of obtaining such an ample supply as he wished, and greatly fears that the supplies on hand will not, without the greatest prudence, enable him to complete the business of the Expedition. He therefore requests the several Brigadiers, and offi- cers commanding corps, to take the mind of the troops under their respective commands, whether they will, whilst in this country-which abounds with corn and vegetables of every kind-be content to draw one-half [a ration] of flour, and one-half of meat and salt a day. And he desires the troops to give their opinions with freedom and as soon as

* The centennial anniversary of the battle of Newtown was celebrated on the battle-ground Au- gust 29, 1879, under the auspices of "The Newtown Monument Association." A monument, which had been erected on the ground by this association, commemorative of the battle, was duly dedicated by the Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons, and addresses and poems were delivered and read by various gentlemen of prominence-among whom were the Rev. David Craft, D. D. (previously re- ferred to), the Hon. Steuben Jenkins of Wyoming, and the Hon. Edmund L. Dana and the Hon. Henry M. Hoyt (Governor of Pennsylvania) of Wilkes-Barre.

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possible. Should they generally fall in with the proposal, he promises they shall be paid that part of the rations which is held back at the full value in money.

"'He flatters himself that the troops who have discovered so much bravery and firm- ness will readily consent to fall in with a measure so essentially necessary to accomplish the important purpose of the Expedition, to enable them to add to the laurels they have already gained. The enemy have subsisted for a number of days on corn only, without either salt, meat, or flour, and the General cannot persuade himself that troops, who so far surpass them in bravery and true valor, will suffer themselves to be outdone in that fortitude and perseverance which not only distinguishes, but dignifies, the soldier. He does not mean to continue this through the campaign, but only wishes it to be adopted in those places where vegetables may supply the place of a part of the common ration of meat and flour, which will be much better than without any. The troops will please to consider the matter, and give their opinion as soon as possible.'

"Agreeably to the above address the army was drawn up this evening, in corps separately, and the same, through their commanding officers, made known to them, and their opinions requested thereupon ; when the whole [army], without a dissenting voice, cheerfully agreed to the request of the General, which they signifled by unanimously holding up their hands and giving three cheers. This remarkable instance of fortitude and virtue cannot but endear those brave troops to all ranks of people, more particularly as it was so generally and cheerfully entered into without a single dissenting voice."

On August 31st the army marched from Newtown, and in the even- ing of September 1st arrived at Catharine's Town-mentioned in the last paragraph on page 207, Vol. I. The town was deserted, save by an aged squaw ; but plenty of " plunder " was found and appropriated -horses, cows, hogs, corn, beans, etc. Having destroyed the town, the army marched thence on September 3d. In the evening of September 7th Kanadesaga (see page 967) was reached, and, like the other Indian towns lying in the path of the army, was found deserted by its inhabit- ants. Relative to the arrival of the army at Kanadesaga, Lieut. Erkuries Beatty states in his journal :

"We again filed off to the left and marched along the beach [of Seneca Lake] till we came to 'Butler's buildings,' which is two or three houses on the banks of the lake, in a very beautiful situation. Here we again formed columns and marched through a corn- . field near, where the men had orders to pluck corn as they marched through-which they did. We then proceeded on towards the town. # * This is the chief town in the Seneca nation. * * There is about seventy or eighty houses in it, and built very com- pact, and the chief of the houses very good. Likewise I heard there was two or three old block-houses on it ; but I did not see them, as it was dark when we came in, and the men began immediately to pull down the houses for fire-wood. I believe the Indians had left it several days before, as there was not much appearance of their having been here lately. On the first entrance of our brigade a young child-I believe about three years old-was found running about the houses, which one of our officers [Capt. Thomas Machin] picked up and found it to be a white child ; but it was so much tanned and smoked that we could hardly distinguish it from an Indian child. It could talk no English-nothing but Indian, and I believe but little of that. The officer took great care of it, and clothed it, as it was naked when he found it."

In some of the houses of the town were found a considerable num- ber of deer and bear skins, some corn, and other plunder. A few horses and a cow were also found, running at large. The army destroyed the entire town, with all the growing crops of corn and vegetables, girdled the fruit trees, t burned the stacks of hay, and entirely devastated the place. Sergeant Moses Fellows states that, when the army marched from Kanadesaga on September 9th, " what corn, beans, peas, squashes, potatoes, onions, turnips, cabbages, cucumbers, watermelons, carrots, parsnips, etc., our men, horses, cattle, &c., could not eat, were destroyed." From this point all the sick and invalids of the army were sent back to Tioga Point, under an escort of a Captain and fifty men. On Septem-

* See page 967.

t A little to the north of Kanadesaga was a large peach-orchard, that was destroyed by the army; but in a few years it was again in a flourishing condition, and in 1797 one hundred bushels of peaches were sold from it to a neighboring distillery. The same year a farmer on one of the "Old Castle" farms sold cider to the amount of $1,200., which was made from apples grown in the old Indian orchard, the trees of which had been girdled by Sullivan's army, but had sprouted from the roots and were again in full bearing .- "Documentary History of New York."

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ber 13th the army arrived at Kanaghsaws, Conesus, or Adjutsa, described in the note on page 1041. From this point Lieut. Thomas Boyd, of " Morgan's Riflemen," with eighteen riflemen, seven mus- keteers, "Captain" Jehoiakim (the Stockbridge Indian, previously men- tioned), and Hanyarry, an Oneida Indian chief (who had served with the Continental army since the beginning of the war), was sent out at night to reconnoiter the country in front of the advancing army, with orders to return at day-break. The party having proceeded to within a short distance of Gathtsegwarohare-a small Indian town near Cana- seraga Creek, some six or seven miles west of Kanaghsaws-four of the men were sent forward to the town. They found it abandoned, but near by, about sunrise, they ran across three or four Indians, one of whom (who was riding a good horse, and had three guns) they killed and scalped. They returned immediately to Lieutenant Boyd, who, with the remainder of his party, lay at some distance from the town. Boyd then moved slowly towards Kanaghsaws, but sent on, in advance, four of his men (including Jehoiakim) to report to General Sullivan relative to the results of the reconnoissance.

When within about two miles of the main army Boyd and his men were attacked by a body of several hundred Indians and "Rangers," under the cominand of Joseph Brant and Maj. John Butler. Eight of the party escaped and made their way to Kanaghsaws, but Boyd, Han- yarry, and fourteen of the riflemen, forming the center of the party, were shut in on all sides. Their defense against overwhelming odds was not less gallant than it was hopeless. In their extremity they posted themselves in a small grove, with a considerable open space around it, and there they continued to fight. Some of the enemy were so near that the powder from their muskets burned the clothing and persons of the Americans. The conflict was continued until all were killed save Lieutenant Boyd and Sergeant Michael Parker, who, being severely wounded, were made prisoners and conveyed to Genesee Castle, or " Little Beard's Town " (see pages 967 and 1042), where they were put to death with inhuman and incredible tortures. Lieut. Colonel Hubley states that "the savages massacred them in the most cruel and bar- barous manner, having put them to the most excruciating torments possible, by first plucking their nails from their hands, then spearing, cutting and whipping them, and mangling their bodies; then cutting off the flesh from their shoulders by pieces, and then tomahawking and severing their heads from their bodies, and then leaving them a prey to their dogs." The Rev. Dr. Craft states (in his address hereinbefore referred to) :

" It has been currently reported that, after his capture, Boyd approached Brant under the sign of a Free Mason-of which ancient Fraternity both were members ;* that the chieftain recognized the bond of brotherhood and promised him protection, but, hav- ing been unexpectedly called away, the captives were placed in charge of Butler (prob- ably Walter N.), who, becoming exasperated with Boyd's persistent refusal to disclose any information in regard to the army, handed them over to the Indians to be put to death. The whole story, however, is extremely doubtful, and it is now difficult to ascer- tain how much of it, if any, should be received as true. The most that can be said with certainty is, that the next day the bodies of the unfortunate men were found by our troops, horribly mangled, and bearing marks of having suffered unspeakable torture."t

* As to Brant, see note on page 299, Vol. I.

t As to the Masonic incident above referred to, Colonel Stone, in his "Life of Brant" (II : 31), deals with it at some length, while Sidney Hayden, in his "Washington and His Masonic Compeers" (page 336), tells the story in the following words: "Boyd was wounded, and with one of his party was taken prisoner. He had been captured once before, at the storming of Quebec, but then was

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In the afternoon of September 13th the army advanced to Gathtseg- warohare, where they bivouacked for the night. Early the next morn- ing a force of 2,000 men was detailed to destroy the extensive corn-fields in the vicinity of the town-in performing which task six hours were consumed; the ears of corn being plucked and thrown into the creek. Towards noon the army began its march to Genesee Castle (previously mentioned), distant some five miles, in a north-westerly direction. Can- aseraga Creek was forded, and then a swamp of considerable extent was traversed. Soon afterwards the troops forded the Genesee River-about twenty yards in width, but with such a rapid current that the men were obliged to cross in platoons, with locked arms, to resist the force of the current. "The route was down the Genesee Valley-then in its autum- nal glory-covered with grass from six to ten feet high. Ascending the high land on the west side of the river, the scene was one of inde- scribable beauty. For miles not a hill nor bush could be seen-only here and there a clump of trees broke the monotony of the landscape." " There was spread out a spectacle of beauty which was gazed upon with delight by the rudest soldier. The name of Genesee became thence- forth but a new appellation for the perfection of fertility and beauty."

Genesee Castle was reached about six o'clock in the evening of the 14th, and was, of course, found to be deserted. It was learned later (as stated in the note on page 1106) that the Indians and Tories had set out from the town for Fort Niagara on the 13th, in great haste and confu- sion. They left behind them large heaps of husked and unhusked corn. The remains of Lieutenant Boyd and Sergeant Parker were found in the outskirts of the town, and were, without delay, interred with the honors of war .* Under the date of September 15, 1779, Maj. James Norris states in his journal :

" At six o'clock the whole army was turned out to destroy the corn in and about this town, which we found in great plenty. We were from six o'clock to two o'clock P. M. in destroying the corn and houses. It is generally thought we have destroyed 20,000 bushels of corn at this place. The method we took to destroy it was, to make large fires with parts of houses and other wood, and then piling the corn on the fire, which effectually destroyed the whole of it."

Under the same date Lieut. Colonel Hubley states in his journal : "This morning the whole army, excepting a covering party, were engaged in destroying the corn, beans, potatoes, and other vegetables, which were in quantity immense, and in goodness unequalled by any I have ever yet saw. Agreeable to a moderate calcu- lation there was not less than 200 acres, the whole of which was pulled, and piled up in large heaps, mixed with dry wood taken from the houses, and consumed to ashes. About three o'clock P. M. the business was finished, and the immediate objects of this Expe-

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A history of Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, from its first beginnings to the present time; including chapters of newly-discovered, Vol. II, Part 116

Author: Harvey, Oscar Jewell, 1851- [from old catalog] Publication date: 1909 Publisher: Wilkes-Barre [Raeder press] Number of Pages: 683

Author: Harvey, Oscar Jewell, 1851- [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Wilkes-Barre [Raeder press]
Number of Pages: 683