A history of Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, from its first beginnings to the present time; including chapters of newly-discovered, Vol. II, Part 93

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 93

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

On September 4th orders were issued by Colonel Butler as follows :

"Orders. That the guard consist of one subaltern, two Sergeants, two Corporals and twenty-seven privates-out of which one Sergeant, one Corporal and six privates are to be taken for the picket guard-the guard to parade at troop-beating. The officer com- manding the guard is to be particularly careful that the men be kept together-not more than two to be absent at a time on any pretence whatever; the picket to remain in the fort until near dusk at evening, then to march to Mill Creek and guard the two bridges until daylight [the next morning], and then to return to the fort and remain until relieved. A drum and fife to attend the parade at guard-mounting.

"Details: Captain Spalding's company, one subaltern, one Sergeant, one Corporal, twelve privates; Captain Bush's company, one Sergeant, one Corporal, fourteen privates; Lieutenant Gore's, one private. Total, thirty-two."

On September 5th orders were issued by Colonel Butler as follows :

"Orders. That a court-martial sit this day at Mr. Yarington's house at 9 o'clock, to try such prisoners as shall be brought before them. Capt. Bush, President; Lieutenant McCurdy, Lieutenant Lemon, Lieutenant Jenkins and Ensign Hageman, members.

"At a garrison court-martial, whereof Capt. George Bush was President, was tried Thomas Niell, a Sergeant in Captain Spalding's independent company, for absenting himself from his guard contrary to orders. The Court are of opinion from the evidence that the prisoner is guilty of the charge, and sentence him to be reduced to the ranks. The judgment of the court-martial is approved of, and ordered that the prisoner be brought before guard at retreat-beating this evening, and there hear the doings of the Court read, and there be dismissed to go to his duty as a private. "¿

Early in September Isaac Tripp, Sr. (see page 467, Vol. I), his grandson, Isaac Tripp, Timothy Keyes (see page 998) and James Hock- sey went from Wilkes-Barre to Providence Township, where they had resided prior to the battle of Wyoming. Keyes and young Tripp were

* See "Pennsylvania Archives," First Series, VI : 780.

t LUKE SWETLAND and JOSEPH BLANCHARD are here referred to; the belief being that they had been killed at or near Nanticoke Falls on August 25th.

# See "Orderly Book" previously mentioned, published in "Proceedings and Collections of The Wyoming Historical and Geological Society," VII : 118.

September 24, 1778, Colonel Butler ordered that Thomas Niell "be restored again to a Sergeant in said Company, and to be obeyed as such."

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at this time members of the detachment of militia in service at Wilkes- Barré. (See page 1096.) All of the party, except young Tripp, owned lands and houses in Providence, and they made this journey for the pur- pose of ascertaining whether or not their houses and crops had been destroyed by the Indians. When they had arrived at a point near where Leggett's Creek empties into the Lackawanna-some eighteen miles from Wilkes-Barre, and within the present limits of the city of Scranton -they were surprised and captured by a band of Indians. Isaac Tripp, Sr .- who was about seventy-eight years of age-had his face painted by the Indians, who then dismissed him ; whereupon he made his way back to Wilkes-Barre, which he reached the next day.

The other captives were pinioned and taken by the Indians through Leggett's Gap into what is now the township of South Abington, Lacka- wanna County, where, after traveling a short distance along the old Indian trail which ran from Capouse Meadows northward to Oghwaga (frequently mentioned hereinbefore), the party halted and bivouacked for the night. Early the next morning they traveled about two miles along the trail till they reached a brook. Here they again halted, and then Keyes and Hocksey were led aside into the depths of the forest by two young Indians. Presently those who had remained behind heard the death-whoop shouted, and shortly afterwards the two Indians returned, brandishing bloody tomahawks and exhibiting the scalps of their victims. The hat of young Isaac Tripp was then taken from his head, and his scalp was examined twice, the savages meanwhile talking earnestly ; but he was finally assured that he would not be hurt. His face was then painted in Indian fashion, and the party proceeded north- ward. They ultimately arrived at Fort Niagara, after journeying many days, in the course of which young Tripp (who was not quite eighteen years of age) endured numerous sufferings .*

Aroused and stimulated by the reports which he received concern- ing Wyoming affairs, Governor Trumbull of Connecticut urged upon General Washington that proper military protection should be given to the people of Wyoming and their property. At the same time appeals . were being made to Washington for the protection of the western fron- tiers of New York and the western frontiers of Pennsylvania. At his headquarters at White Plains, New York, under the date of September 6, 1778, General Washington wrote to Governor Trumbull as follows:

"I feel with you for the unfortunate frontiers exposed to all the inroads of an enemy, whose natural barbarity in war has been increased by the arts and influence of a civilized nation. I had early ordered for the defence of the inhabitants Colonel Hartley's regiment, Col. [William] Butler's, Colonel Alden's, with the remains of Morgan's rifle corps. These, I believe, have been of considerable service, but I am unhappy in not hav- ing it in my power to afford them at present a more complete and sufficient security from this army for the purpose you mention, of carrying the war into the enemy's country."

At Sunbury Colonel Hartley continued to augment and dispose his forces so as to protect the West Branch region, and at the same time enable him to make his projected incursion into the Indian country at

* Isaac Tripp was detained at Fort Niagara for some time-being there when his cousin, Frances Slocum, was brought thither as an Indian captive, as related in the ensuing chapter. He saw her and talked with her there several times. Some time later he and other prisoners were conveyed to Can- ada, where they were kept, employed by the British in various capacities, until the close of the war. Upon his release Isaac Tripp returned to Providence Township, where he subsequently married El- canor - and lived until at least the year 1800. (His name is in the Providence tax-list for 1796, printed in Pearce's "Annals of Luzerne County."). About the beginning of the nineteenth cen- tury Isaac and Eleanor Tripp removed to what was known as the "Elkwoods Settlement," in Luzerne County (now Clifford Township, Susquehanna County), Pennsylvania. Mrs. Eleanor Tripp died there May 10, 1816, aged 67 years, and Isaac Tripp died there April 15, 1820.

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and above Tioga Point. Under the date of September 10, 1778, he wrote to Colonel Butler, at Wilkes-Barré, as follows* :

" I received yours of yesterday by the two men I wrote for. They will be very use- ful in the Indian country. Upon a full consideration concerning the Indian country, and. a view of the circumstances of our affairs, I have come to these determinations: That it is absolutely necessary that the troops at Wyoming, those on the West Branch, and in this department, should effect a junction before they proceed against Chemung, t where, I un- derstand, a great part of the plunder taken from our unhappy brethren at Wyoming, and a body of Indians and Tories, are collected. I mean that this town should be approached by the Lycoming path to the mouth of Towanda [Creek], and that the town should be attacked and, if possible, destroyed, and that the troops should sweep the country down the river to Wyoming. This will give relief to our frontiers, and intimidate our enemies. I have mentioned some of the particulars to Lieut. [William] Lemon, which he can in- form you.

"I am informed many of your people have the highest inclination to go against some of the Indian towns, [that] they may revenge the murders of fathers, brothers and friends, besides serving their country. You will detain Captain Kenneyt with a Ser- geant and ten men of my regiment, a subaltern and twenty [men] of Spalding's and Howe's men ( making in the whole thirty men), of those who are the least able to march; of which Captain Kenney is to take charge, under your immediate direction, in your gar- rison. That you retain fifty fighting men of the militia, or inhabitants, to compose your garrison. That Captain Bush, with the residue of my regiment and the other troops at Wyoming, do march off from thence on Monday next [September 14th] by the route of Freeland's Mills (if no nearer is known) to Muncy Fort, near Wallace's [Wallis']. They are to bring all the pack-horses, saddles, &c., with them; also a bag for each horse, if pos- sible, Previous to their march they are to draw and cook four days' provisions. Provis- ions will be provided for them afterwards. Mr. William Stewart will go with them. It is expected they will arrive at Fort Muncy the third night of their march, or the fourth day. "It will be impossible to tell the troops or people where they are to march to. You must induce the militia to go-say they are marching against some Indian town. After they are marched, the garrison are to be informed that the men are gone to the West Branch to support the people there, who have been attacked by the Indians. The route to Muncy will justify the last; the Tories will be deceived. You will act in the best man- ner you can during the absence of the troops. I shall not, perhaps, go myself to Che- mung (this between you and I), and you shall be supported with all the troops in this quarter in case of emergency. A garrison will still be continued near Nescopeck. * * * You may communicate this letter to Captains Bush and Kenney; also to Colonel Denison and Mr. W. Stewart-under the strictest injunction of secrecy. Mr. Howe and Mr. have had some intimations, but I dare say they will keep them secret. The inhabitants who go on this expedition will be back time enough to put in some Fall grain."

At Wilkes-Barré, under the date of September 12th, Colonel Butler issued the following :

"Orders. It is found that the pernicious practice of playing cards is prevalent in this camp, notwithstanding the Articles of War and sundry General Orders (which have been published throughout the American army) to the contrary, forbidding such practices. The Colonel is surprised to find that disciplined Continental troops should be so lost to good order as to be found violating those rules and orders. And that if any persist in such practices for the future, they may depend on being severely punished, according to the nature of the offence.

"As the camp has been alarmed by the firing of guns, the practice is once more strictly forbidden on penalty of severe punishment."

At Camp Westmoreland, Wilkes-Barré, on September 13th, in com- pliance with the instructions sent him by Colonel Hartley, Colonel But- ler issued the following :

"Orders. That a Detachment of 130 men of Continental Troops march from this post to-morrow under the command of Captain Bush, on an Expedition, and that they draw four days' provisions this afternoon and have it cooked and be in readiness to march by eight o'clock in the morning-and that they be paraded this afternoon, and the offi- cers see that the men are complete with arms and ammunition."

On Monday, September 14, 1778, Colonel Butler issued the fol- lowing :

* See "Proceedings and Collections of The Wyoming Historical and Geological Society," VII:140.

t See page 972.

# Capt. James Kenney, an officer of the detachment from "Hartley's Regiment" then at Wilkes- Barré.

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"Orders. That there be a return made to-morrow morning of the number and state of the Continental troops at this post, and also a return of the state of the militia who are under pay.

"That no soldier be absent from camp on any account whatever without leave from the commanding officer of the company, and he not to give liberty for more than two at a time.

" It has been observed by the commanding officer of this post that for sundry days past a number of soldiers have been intoxicated and unfit for service. It is ordered that all tavern-keepers and retailers of liquor be careful that no soldier be found drunk by their means, as they shall answer such defect by the forfeiture of their liquor, or at least be prohibited the liberty of retailing for the future."

At eight o'clock in the morning of this day (September 14th) Cap- tain Bush and his detachment set out from Wilkes-Barré on their march to Fort Muncy, on the West Branch of the Susquehanna. According to Dr. Craft* the detachment comprised sixty of the enlisted men of "Hartley's Regiment" who were stationed at Wilkes-Barre; Capt. Simon Spalding and fifty-eight enlisted men of the Westmoreland Inde- pendent Company in the Continental service, and Capt. John Franklin (mentioned on page 994) and a company of twelve Westmoreland militia- men, organized for the expedition. The route pursued by the detach- ment was as follows : Crossing the river at the foot of Northampton Street they struck the road which ran north-north-west across the flats (along the Kingston-Plymouth boundary-line), a distance of a little more than a mile, to a point west of Toby's Creek. There the road made a sharp turn to the south-west and ran an almost straight course over the top of Ross Hill and thence onward through the whole length of "Shawnee Flats;" thence along the foot of the Shawanese Mountain, at a distance of about half a mile from the river, to a point about one mile from Harvey's Creek ; thence down the flats, at a short distance from the river, to the mouth of the abovementioned creek, near Nanti- coke Falls-down to which point the road was a fairly decent one. It had been laid out several years previously by the surveyors of The Sus- quehanna Company, and subsequently had been more or less improved from time to time. It was the main, if not the only, public highway leading from the Wilkes-Barre ferry to Nanticoke Falls, and thence to Northumberland. t From Harvey's Creek to Hunlock's Creek, and thence to "Shickohinna " (now Shickshinny) Creek, and then beyond to Fort Jenkins, James McClure's, Fishing Creek, Montgomery's, Scull's, and Northumberland, the road followed the windings of the river, at a dis- tance of from one-half to three-quarters of a mile from the right bank.

Upon reaching the mouth of Shickshinny Creek Captain Bush's detachment took the old Indian path, or trail-then but seldom traveled -leading from the river at that point through the present townships of Union and Huntington, then crossing the North Mountain range, and, running a westerly course, striking the West Branch of the Susque- hanna at the mouth of Muncy Creek.# The detachment arrived at Fort Muncy on September 18th, having performed the difficult march in less than five days.

In a "narrative " of his expedition-which Colonel Hartley pre- pared upon the completion of the enterprise, and forwarded to the Supreme Executive Council of the State-he said§ :

* See "Proceedings and Collections of The Wyoming Historical and Geological Society," IX:195. t It followed pretty closely the course of the old Indian path leading to Shamokin-noted on the map on page 454, Vol. I.

# With reference to the country traversed by this Indian path, see the map facing page 790, ante, and the map in Chapter XXIII.

{ See "Pennsylvania Archives," First Series, VII : 5.

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AT THE BEND OF THE SUSQUEHANNA OPPOSITE ROSS STREET. Showing Fish's Island, Ross Hill, the Woodward Colliery, etc., in the distance. From a photograph taken in October, 1901.

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" With volunteers and others we reckoned on 400 rank and file for the expedition, besides seventeen horse, which I mounted from my own regiment. Our rendezvous was Fort Muncy, on the West Branch, intending to penetrate by the Sheshecununk [Sheshe- quin] path to Tioga. The troops met at Muncy fort the 18th September, and they amounted to only about 200 rank and file. * * On the morning of the 21st, at four o'clock, we marched, carrying twelve days' provisions. We met with great rains and prodigious swamps, mountains, defiles, etc. We waded or swam the river Lycoming upwards of twenty times. * * In lonely woods and groves we found the haunts and lurking places of the savage murderers who had desolated our frontiers. We saw the huts where they had dressed and dried the scalps of the helpless women and children who had fell in their hands. On the morning of the 26th our advance party of nineteen met with an equal number of Indians on the path. A very important Indian chief was killed and scalped, and the rest fled. No time was lost. We advanced toward Sheshe- quin, in the neighborhood of which we took fifteen prisoners. We learned that a man had deserted from Captain Spalding's company at Wyoming, after the troops had marched from thence, and had given the enemy notice of our intended expedition against them."

The route taken by the Hartley Expedition was what was known as the "Sheshequin Path." It began at Muncy and ran thence along Lycoming Creek to its head, near the south-west corner of the present Bradford County. There the path divided-one branch leading north- ward through Newtown (now Elmira), New York, to Kanadesaga (men- tioned on page 967), and the other branch following Towanda Creek for some distance, then crossing the country to Sugar Creek on the north, following along that stream, eastwardly, for a few miles, and then run- ning in a northerly direction till it joined at ancient Sheshequin (now Ulster, Bradford County, Pennsylvania) the great path along the Sus- quehanna.

After the skirmish with the Indians on September 26th, as previ- ously mentioned, " it was certain that, although the expedition had been concealed from the enemy thus far, it could be so no longer," states Dr. Craft in his paper, "The Hartley Expedition."* "The fleeing Indians would give the alarm, and a force be collected to receive them as soon as they emerged from the wilderness. Whatever success the expedition might now achieve would depend upon the celerity of its movements in reaching Tioga before the enemy could collect his forces, which, owing to the recent attacks upon the New York frontiers, were considerably scattered. To push forward with all possible speed was now the order. A little farther on * * they discovered where upwards of seventy warriors had slept the night before, on their way to the frontier settle- ments. The fleeing Indians from the party encountered a little time ago communicated to these their panic, and all ran off to the towns on the Chemung."

The expedition reached Esthertownt (mentioned on page 984) after dark on September 26th, but, without halting, proceeded onward, forded the Chemung, or Tioga, River, and bivouacked for the night in the

* See "Proceedings and Collections of The Wyoming Historical and Geological Society," IX:200. t There seems to be some dispute as to the exact locality which Esthertown occupied. Governed by what we deemed some time ago to be the most satisfactory evidence obtainable, we have stated on page 984, ante, that the village in question stood "one mile south of the mouth of the Tioga River, near where the village of Milan, in the township of Ulster," now stands. Since this statement was printed, certain unpublished data relative to the subject having been brought to our attention, we have carefully considered the same, and, in connection therewith, have read the references to the site of Esthertown which are made in the journals of Serg't Moses Fellows, Thomas Grant, Lieut. Colonel Hubley, Maj. James Norris, the Rev. William Rogers and Lieut. Charles Nukerck, printed in "Journals of the Military Expedition of Maj. Gen. John Sullivan." Also, we have examined the "View of Tioga" sketched on the spot by Lieutenant Nukerck in August, 1779, and likewise the sketch of Tioga Point made by Lieut. Colonel Hubley at the same time, and reproduced in Chapter XVIII, post. The conclusion is irresistible that Esthertown was located, not in the present township of Ulster, but in the township of Athens, at a short distance north of Milan, and between one-half and three quarters of a mile below the mouth of Tioga River. In this place it would have been "not far from, and in full view of, the 'Point,'" as described by one writer, and "a little below, and in full sight of, the 'Point,' " as mentioned in a narrative by another writer.

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abandoned Indian village on Tioga Point. At this place another prisoner was taken, and from him it was learned that Capt. Walter N. Butler, of the "Rangers," had been at Tioga a few hours before the arrival of the expedition-" that he had 300 men with him, the most of them Tories dressed in green ; that they had gone towards Chemung, twelve miles off ; that they were determined to give battle." In his " narrative," previously referred to, Colonel Hartley declared :

"It was soon resolved we should proceed no further, but if possible make our way good to Wyoming. We burnt Tioga, Queen Esther's Palace, or town, and all the settle- ments on this [the west] side [of the Susquehanna]. Several canoes were taken, and some plunder, part of which was destroyed. Mr. Carberry, with the horse only, was close on Butler. He was in possession of the town of Shawnee, three miles up the Cayuga [Chemung, or Tioga] Branch. * * We came to Sheshecanunk that night [September 27th]. Had we had 500 regular troops and 150 light troops, with one or two pieces of artillery, we probably might liave destroyed Chemung, which is now the recep- tacle of all villainous Indians and Tories from the different tribes and States. From this [place] they make their excursions against the frontiers of New York, Pennsylvania, Jersey and Wioming. Niagara and Chemung are the asylums of those Tories who can- not get to New York [City]. On the morning of the 28th we crossed the river and marched towards Wyalusing, where we arrived that night at eleven o'clock-our men much worn down, our whisky and flour gone. On the morning of the 29th we were obliged to stay till eleven o'clock, to kill and cook beef. This necessary stop gave the enemy leisure to approach. Seventy of our men, from real or pretended lameness, went into the canoes; others rode on the empty pack-horses. . We had not more than 120 rank and file to fall in the line of march. * * * The rest [omitting the advance and rear guards] of our little army was formed into three divisions-those of my regiment com- posing the first, Captain Spalding's the second, and Capt. [James] Murray's* the third. In this order we moved from Wyalusing at twelve o'clock."

Having marched about three miles from Wyalusing, the Americans were apprized of the presence of the enemy by having their advance- guard fired upon. The fire being returned, the enemy retired ; but about a mile farther on the advance-guard met a sharper attack by a larger force. Hartley at once disposed his men to repel the attack, but the enemy again retired. About two o'clock, the Americans having arrived at the deserted plantation of John De Pui (see note, page 1050), at the mouth of Tuscarora Creek, they were again attacked by the enemy. Referring once more to the " narrative " of Colonel Hartley we find the following :

"About two o'clock a very heavy attack was made upon our rear, which obliged the most of our rear-guard to give way, whilst several Indians appeared on our left flank. By the weight of firing we were soon convinced we had to oppose a large body. Captain Stoddart commanded in front, I was in the center, * * whilst Captain Spalding was despatched to support the rear-guard. We gained the heights almost unnoticed by the barbarians. At the critical moment Captains [Hawkins] Boone and [John] Brady, and Lieut. [Robert] King, with a few brave fellows, landed from the canoes. * * The

war-whoop was given by our people below, and communicated round. We advanced on the enemy on all sides, with great shouting and noise. The Indians, after a brave resist- ance of some minutes, conceived themselves nearly surrounded, and fled with the utmost haste by the only passes that remained, and left ten dead on the ground. * * From every account these were a select body of warriors sent after us, consisting of near 200 men. Their confidence and impetuosity probably gave the victory to us. * * They would have murdered us all had they succeeded, but the great God of Battles protected us in the day of danger. We had four killed and ten wounded. They received such a beating as prevented them from giving us any further trouble during our march to Wyo- ming, which is more than fifty miles from the place of action. The officers of my regi- ment behaved well to a man. All the party will acknowledge the greatest merit and bravery of Captain Stoddart.t I cannot say enough in his favor. He deserves the esteem

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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 93

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