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 early Wyoming Valley history, together with many biographical sketches and much genealogical material. Volume II > Part 82
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if that The inhabitants that bolt Dennisian none conemulates for lo auther with himself do not intial. buone during In present Contact, stand Wash Buck Samuel Gusting Nathan Denniston
The following is a printed copy of the foregoing articles, and is introduced here for the convenience of the reader.
"WESTMORELAND July 41 1778.
" CAPITULATION made, & compleated between Major John Butler on behalf of His Majesty King George the 3d and Colo Nathan Denniston of the United States of America. "ARTICLE 1ST That the Inhabitants of the Settlement lay down their Arms, and their Garrisons be demolished.
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"2D That the Inhabitants are to occupy their farms, peacably, & the lives of the Inhabitants preserved entire and unhurt.
"3D That the Continental Stores be delivered up.
" 4TH That Major Butler will use his utmost influence, that the private property of the Inhabitants shall be preserved entire to them.
" 5TH That the prisoners in Forty Fort, be delivered up, and that Samuel Finch now in Major Butler's possession be delivered up also.
"6TH That the properties taken from the People called Tories up the River be made good; and they to remain in peacable possession of their Farms, and unmolested in a free Trade, in and throughout this State as far as lies in my power.
"7TH That the Inhabitants that Col. Denniston now capitulates for, together with himself do not take up Arms during the present Contest.
" ZERAH BEECH, SAMUEL GUSTIN,
"JOHN JOHNSTON, WILLM CALDWELL, S
[Signed] "NATHAN DENNISTON, "JOHN BUTLER."
It will be noticed that the capitulation was general in its char- acter, and embraced not only Forty Fort, Fort Wilkes-Barré, and the Capitulation made und com- pleated between Major John Butter on behalf of This . Majesty King George tu 3. and Colori Nathan Dervierten of the United States of America Dated Westmoreland July 4+478 enclosed in LieuMole tBoltons Celler - of 14 " July 178. several block-houses which had not yet been formally surrendered, but included also the fort at Pittston and its inmates, as well as those persons who had been occupants of Jenkins' Fort and Wintermute's Fort. Samuel Finch, named in the 5th Article of the capitulation, was the Westmorelander who had been captured by the "Rangers" on July 2d, as narrated on page 994. Why no mention was made of John Gardner and Daniel Carr, who had Photo-reproduction of the original endorse- ment made by Captain Le Maistre on the back of the foregoing document. been captured at the inouth of Sit- ton's Creek; of Daniel Ingersoll and the various other persons who had been inade prisoners when Jen- kins' Fort and Wintermute's Fort were surrendered, and who were still detained in custody ; and of Samuel Carey, who had been captured after the battle (as previously related), it is impossible to say. "The prison- ers in Forty Fort," referred to in the 5th Article, were the two Indian spies who had been seized early in June and confined in the fort, as narrated on page 976. One of these Indians was known as " Black Henry " and as "Captain Henry" (see pages 720 and 922), and Miner observes-" Wyoming," Appendix, page 54-that 'Queen Esther ' had been down from her palace at Sheshequin to obtain their release, which Colonel Denison had deemed it proper to refuse. In anger at her disap- pointment she probably inade a threat that she would bring down more Indians-which would account for the taunt that she flung at Colonel Denison when she entered Forty Fort.
The Westmoreland Tories who inarched into the fort in the ranks of the "Rangers " had their faces painted in Indian-fashion, presumably hoping and expecting that they would not be recognized by their old friends and neighbors ; but the disguises of several-among the number being Parshall Terry, Jr .- were soon penetrated. After the capitulation many Indians went about the fort shaking hands with the inmates and exclaiming : "Brothers now ! All good friends !" Other Indians, who also seemed to be well disposed, tied white bands around the heads
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of some of the women in the fort and put paint on their faces, that they might be known as prisoners of war, and therefore not be in danger of being molested by strange Indians. As Major Butler stood in the gate- way of the fort, after the articles of capitulation had been executed, he recognized Sergeant Boyd, the British deserter mentioned on page 982. " Boyd," said he sternly, "go to that tree !" "I hope," said Boyd, imploringly, "your honor will consider nie a prisoner of war." "Go to that tree, sir!" was the only response. Boyd walked to the tree indicated, a short distance outside the fort, and stood erect against the trunk. Butler signaled to some Indians standing near, they fired a volley, and Boyd fell dead.
Turning again to Colonel Franklin's account* of the battle of July 3, 1778, and subsequent events, we find the following paragraphs :
"Some persons, in giving an account of the battle, stated that the Tories and Indians brought fresh scalps into the fort and slapped them in the faces of the women. This was not done. I saw but one scalp brought into the fort by a Tory, and he said it was the scalp of Lieut. Lazarus Stewart [Jr.]. Some of the Tories and Indians told me that they had taken 190 scalps; but I think the number was not so great. They also informed us that if Colonels Butler and Denison, with their forces, had stood their ground one minute longer they would have gained the victory; that the Tories and Indians 011 the left wing were giving way, and that they would not have stood their ground another fire.
" The capitulation was on as good terms as we could expect, considering our situa- tion at the time; but the terms were, however, violated by the enemy in every respect -except that of massacreing the inhabitants. No personal injury was done to any one in the fort, but plundering immediately took place, even while the articles of capitulation were being committed to writing. Complaints were made that the Indians were plundering, when Major Butler sent orders by one of the chiefs to put a stop to it. Complaints were renewed, and Maj. Ezekiel Peirce (who was Clerk of the town of Westmoreland, and keeper of all the records) complained that the Indians had broken open his chest, and were destroying his books. The Westmoreland records were given up and saved, but all the records of Kingston-containing the surveys and the division of the land in the town- ship-with all of Peirce's private papers, were destroyed.
" Major Butler professed to have his feelings injured at such conduct, and repri- manded the Indians, saying that he had pledged his honor that the property of the inhabitants should be preserved entire; that by their plundering, his promises were vio- lated; that if he had known that they would have conducted themselves in that manner, he would have marched them off immediately after the battle, and never taken possession of the fort. Complaints were renewed, and Major Butler, turning to one of his chiefs, said: ' They are your Indians, you must stop them from plundering!' The chief withdrew, and in a few minutes returned, saying that he could not stop them-that they threatened to tomahawk him. Major Butler observed that he was sorry, but that after a successful battle the Indians would not be commanded. They even threatened his life, on somne occasions, when he was endeavoring to prevent them from plundering. He requested Colonel Denison to make up a statement of all property that was taken contrary to the agreement contained in the capitulation, and send it to him at his quarters the next morning, and pledged his honor that the full value would be paid. Colonel Denison observed that it would be difficult in so short a time to ascertain wliat property had been taken. Major Butler replied that he must make a statement as near as he could, and again pledged his honor that the full value should be paid. Major Butler remarked that, as Wyoming was a frontier, it was wrong for any part of the inhabitants to leave their own settlements and enter into the Continental army abroad; that such a large number having left their own settlements was the cause of the invasion of Wyoming, and that it would never have been attempted had all the people remained in their own settlements.t I was of the same opinion.
"After the business was finished in the fort the enemy withdrew in a body, march- ing out in the same form in which they had entered. About thirty or forty Indians and Tories remained in the fort, but the main body marched to Wintermute's Fort. The first house they came to after leaving the Kingston fort [Forty Fort] was set on fire, as was also every other house on their way. Major Butler marching at the head of the savages; all was laid in ruins before him-his pledged honor to the contrary not- withstanding."
Miner says ("Wyoming," page 234) : "Every hour growing bolder and more insolent, the savages soon threw off all restraint, seized on
* See page 994, ante.
¡ See page 955.
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Colonel Denison, and, taking the hat from his head, demanded also the linen frock he wore. In the pocket were a few dollars, the whole mili- tary chest of the settlement, and he made some resistance, when they, instantly lifting a tomahawk, threatened his life. Obliged to comply, lie, seeming to have some difficulty in slipping the frock over his head, stepped backward to where sat a young woman of his family, who, com- preliending the maneuver, adroitly took out the purse, when he gave up the coveted garinent to the spoiler."
As noted on page 992, Lieut. Elisha Scovell executed on July 1st articles of capitulation for Wintermute's Fort. On Sunday, July 5th, when the Indians began their plundering in the neighborhood of Sco- vell's home he removed some of his household goods to what he deemed a place of safety. Elisha Harding has told of the incident in these words :*
"When they began to plunder he [Scovell] took his goods and halted them near Jenkins' Fort, and placed them in a corner of the fence and made a shed of boards over them, and sat by them all safe until everybody else was stripped; then a certain Tom Green, who had married a squaw, called on him to open his chest. The reply was that Major Butler was a gentleman of honor, and had promised him [Scovell] that nothing should be taken from him. The reply was, 'Damn Butler and his orders !' and then he [Green] drew his sword across his [Scovell's] rack, and with his tomahawk split the lid [of the chest], and this turned the attention of the Indians to the work, and in a few minutes poor Elisha [Scovell] was as poor as his neighbors."
The same day Scovell received a document signed by Major Butler and Sayenqueraghta, and reading as followst:
" WESTMORELAND 5th July, 1778.
"This doth hereby certify that Lieut. ELISHA SCOVELL has surrendered his Gar- rison with all his people to Government and to remain as Neuteral during the present con- test with Great Britain and America, on consideration of which Col. JOHN BUTLER Super- intendent of the Six Nations of Indians their Allies &c., with Kayingwaurto the Chief of the Sanake [Seneca] Nation and the other Chief Warriors of the Six Nations do promise that they shall live in the quiet possession of their places with their Families and shall be daily protected from insult as far as lies in their Power and provided they should be taken it is our desire that they may forthwith be Released.
[Signed] [ Seal [A Turtle ] " JOHN BUTLER. " KAYINGWAURTO. "
The original of the foregoing is now in the possession of The Wyo- ming Historical and Geological Society, and a photo-reproduction of it may be found in "The Massacre of Wyoming " by the Rev. Horace Edwin Hayden, a pamphlet published by the abovementioned Society in 1895. The original document is not in the handwriting of John Butler, which accounts for the fact that he is therein referred to as " Colonel " and as "Superintendent of the Six Nations." Moreover, whenever Major Butler had occasion to write the name of the Seneca chief Sayenqueraghta he never wrote it " Kayingwaurto." The name of the chief was sometimes written Kayingwaurto, as explained on page 968, but was never so written by John Butler. For some time prior to 1778 John Butler had been Deputy Superintendent of Indian Affairs, with the title of Colonel (as explained on page 932), but the person wlio wrote the aforementioned document seems to have been laboring under the impression that Butler was Superintendent-in-chief, and not a Deputy. The signature of Jolin Butler attached to the document is in his own handwriting, however; and the totemic device (a turtle) of Sayenque- raghta was undoubtedly affixed to the paper by the old chief himself.
* See "Proceedings of The Wyoming Historical and Geological Society," VII : 97.
See the "Public Papers of George Clinton," III : 521.
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It is not at all probable that Colonel Denison, or any other person, representing the inmates of Forty Fort at the time of its surrender, attempted to make out and deliver to Major Butler a statement of the losses which they had sustained at the hands of the plundering savages. However, from a document printed in the "Public Papers of George Clinton " (III : 521), we learn that a statement of certain of the losses sustained by those who occupied Wintermute's Fort at the time of its surrender, was made out at Westinoreland, July 5, 1778, by Elisha Scovell, as follows :
"A List of the Cattle taken from the Company under the command of Lieut. ELISHA SCOVELL .*
"Daniel Ingersoll, 1 valuable Mare; David Smith, 1 Horse, 1 pare of Oxen, & 9 sheep; James Gorduce, 1 cow & 4 Horses; Joseph Baker, 1 Horse & 14 Hogs; Philip Waindemuth [Wintermute] and Christopher Waindemuth [Wintermute], 2 draft Horses, 2 Mares, 2 Colts, 3 Cows & 7 Hogs; John Windemuth [Wintermute], 2 Cows, 4 young Creatures, 3 large Hogs & 4 lesser Hogs; Jesse Lee, 2 Horses, 1 young Colt & 1 Cow; Peter Harres, 1 Yoke of Oxen & 1 Horse; Mr. [Frederick] Anker, + 4 Creatures; Lieut. Elisha Scovell, 6 large Horses, 8 Oxen and 5 cows.
"Westmoreland, 5th July, 1778. [Signed] "Lieut. ELISHA SCOVELL."
On Sunday, July 5th, the Indians dispersed themselves throughout the Valley in bands of from five to ten, and began to plunder the inhab- itants. Many of the latter-particularly the men who had taken part in the battle-had fled from the Valley before Forty Fort was capit- ulated. The deserted homes of these people were set on fire by the sav- age marauders in sheer wantonness. On this day news caine to Forty Fort that a Mr. Hickman and his wife and child, living in the house of Isaac Tripp at Capouse (Providence Township), had been murdered by Indians, after which the house had been set on fire and, with the bodies of the dead, almost entirely consumed. Also, that Daniel St. John and James A. Leach had been killed by Indians near Timothy Keyes' saw- mill, about six miles up the Lackawanna River. These two men were removing their families and household goods from the Valley, having set out in the morning from "the block-house at the Parker place in Pittston." Their belongings were loaded upon a cart drawn by two yoke of oxen. When the party was waylaid by the Indians St. John was on foot, driving the oxen, while Leach and the women and children were on the cart. Leach had his young child in his arms. Without warning the two men were shot and then scalped by a party of Indians ; one of whom took the young child which Leach had been carrying and gave it, all covered with its father's blood, to its mother, saying : "Me no hurt !" The Indians then killed one of the oxen, and departed. The women and children later made their way to the Pittston fort.
On this same Sunday a party of Indians led by "Anthony Turkey " (see page 1030) came to the honie of an aged man living in Wilkes- Barré-Philip Weeks. Three of the latter's sons-Philip, Jonathan and Bartholomew ; Silas Benedict, the husband of Jonathan Weeks' daugh- ter; Jabez Beers, a brother of the wife of Philip Weeks, Sr .; Josiah Car- man, a cousin of Mrs. Philip Weeks; and Robert Bates, a boarder- making seven from one home-had taken part in the battle of July 3d, and not one had lived to return home. When "Anthony Turkey" and his band came to Philip Weeks' they found him and his wife, together with their daughters-one or two of thein being young girls-and their twelve grandchildren. The Indians ordered Mr. Weeks to leave tlie
* See page 991.
t See page 987.
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Valley. "How can I," said he, "you have slain my whole family." Getting what provisions they could find the Indians feasted heartily, and then "Anthony Turkey," shoving a rocking-chair into the road, put on his head the hat of Mr. Weeks (which he had taken from the old gentleman), sat down in the chair and began to rock. Finally "Tur- key " and his companions took their departure, driving before them all of Mr. Weeks' cattle except one yoke of oxen. These they told him he could use in getting out of the Valley, and informed him that he must leave in three days.
The foregoing incidents, and inany others of a similar character which happened in various parts of the Valley on Saturday after the surrender of Forty Fort, and likewise on the following day, convinced many of the inhabitants, who had determined to remain on the ground and attempt to recover from their misfortunes, that the terms of capitulation would not be regarded by the enemy. Overpowered by excitement and horror these people saw safety and peace only in flight, and so, without tarrying to make proper preparations-neglecting, even, to provide them- selves with proper supplies of food-they fled from the Valley ; some going down the river in canoes and others trudging over the Wilkes- Barré Mountain. Among those who quit Forty Fort early in the morn- ing of Sunday, July 5th, before news had been received at the fort of the murder of the Hickinans and of St. John and Leach, was Colonel Denison. He went down the river to Sunbury, and a week or two later went across the country to Lower Smithfield Township in Northamp- ton County.
Abel Yarington was the ferryman at Wilkes-Barré. He attended to his duties faithfully during the 3d, 4th and 5th days of July, and on the last two of these days carried many fugitives from the Kingston to the Wilkes-Barre side of the river. Then, believing it was time to make preparations for the departure of himself and family, he placed the latter in his flat-boat, with a few articles of clothing and bedding, and inade all haste down the river. Before reaching Nanticoke Falls he saw the smoke rising from his burning house (on the Kingston side of the river), it having been set on fire by some prowling Indians.
The fugitives generally crossed the mountains to Fort Penn (the present Stroudsburg, Monroe County, Pennsylvania), which was located on land owned by Col. Jacob Stroud (see note on page 851), in what was then Lower Smithfield Township, Northampton County. This fort, which, like the Wyoming forts, was constructed of logs, had been built as a possible means of protection against the Indians, and it served as a place of rendezvous for the militia of the neighborhood when called into active service. Colonel Stroud made it his headquarters.
One of the first survivors of the battle of July 3d to set out from Wilkes-Barré over the "Lower Road " (mentioned on page 979), which led to Fort Penn and to Easton, was Ensign Matthias Hollenback. As hereinbefore related he had reached the fort at Wilkes-Barré in the even- ing of July 3d. Early the next morning he mounted a horse, and, accompanied by a Mr. Hageman (either John or Joseph), set out with the liope and expectation of meeting Captain Spalding's company and urging them to hasten to the relief of the distressed inhabitants. On the evening of the 3d Spalding and his men were at Shupp's, about forty miles from Wilkes-Barre. Marching early on the 4th, they had
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advanced about thirteen miles when they met Messrs. Hollenback and Hageman-the first fugitives to come that road-and learned from them what they knew about the situation of affairs in Wyoming. Pushing forward, without delay, Spalding and his men, accompanied by Hollen- back and Hageman, reached Bear Swamp, twelve miles from Wilkes- Barré, at nightfall. The men were practically worn out by their march of nearly thirty miles over a wretched path, but nevertheless two of them volunteered to go forward to the top of Wilkes-Barré Mountain to recon- noiter. Arriving there they saw the flames rising from the buildings in the upper end of the Valley which had been set on fire by the enemy on their return march to Wintermute's after the surrender of Forty Fort. The men hastened back to Captain Spalding with a report of what they had seen, and with the further information that they had found at the deserted house of Nathan Bullock* on the "Lower Road," some three miles from Bear Swamp and nine miles from Wilkes-Barré, a company of fugitives, composed of the following-named residents of Wilkes-Barré : Mrs. Susanna (Huntington) Dana, widow of Anderson Dana, Sr. (men- tioned on pages 957, 958 and 963), who had fallen in the battle of the 3d ; Mrs. Susanna (Dana) Whiton, daughter of Anderson and Susanna Dana, and widow of Stephen Whiton who had fallen in the battle ; Sarah, Anderson, Aziel, Sylvester and Eleazar Dana (four of them under fourteen years of age), children of Anderson and Susanna (Huntington) Dana ; Daniel Downing,t Sr. (who had been in the battle of the 3d and had escaped safely), his sons Reuben and Daniel, Jr., and other mem- bers of his family ; Mrs. Saralı Durkee, widow of Capt. Robert Durkee (who had fallen on the 3d of July), and her two sons and two daughters. These people had with them a single horse, upon which was carried the few belongings of the party and a scanty supply of provisions, and they purposed spending the night at Bullock's. From them Spalding's scouts learned of the happenings in the Valley (including the withdrawal of Lieut. Col. Zebulon Butler and the survivors of Hewitt's company, as well as the surrender of Forty Fort) since the departure of Ensign Hol- lenback early in the morning of that day.
The next morning Captain Spalding, governed by what his scouts had seen and learned, determined that it would be useless as well as rash for him to venture into the Valley with his company of less than sixty inen. He concluded, therefore, to march his mien back over about thirty miles of the road they had come, and then change their course in the direction of Fort Penn-there to await orders from headquarters, and in the meantime to render all the assistance possible to the Wyoming fugi- tives. Before leaving their bivouac at Bear Swamp Ensign Hollenback obtained from Captain Spalding's commissary a pack-load of provisions, and placing this on his horse he hastened along the path in the direction of Wyoming and administered much needed relief to the many hungry fugitives who were now beginning to make their appearance in large numbers. "Imparting a saving morsel to one, and then hastening on to another starving group, he came, said the ancient people, 'like an Angel of Mercy.'"
According to the testimony of Samuel Finch, who was a prisoner in the hands of the enemy, but was released on July 7th in conformity
* Two of his sons fell in the battle of July 3, 1778, and it is probable that the other members of the family had moved down to Fort Wilkes-Barre on the first alarm of danger.
+ See note on page 996.
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with the terms of the articles of capitulation, Major Butler received a letter on July 6th by the hands of a messenger. He immediately assen1- bled his officers and the principal Indian chiefs and read the letter to them. Then he addressed the chiefs very earnestly in their own tongue, and Finch was informed that Butler enjoined upon the Indians not to kill women and children. When Butler ceased speaking the Indians raised a great shout. Then Butler ordered preparations to be made for the evacuation of the Valley by his command. Commenting upon this incident Miner (see his "History of Wyoming," pages 235 and 236) says: "It was supposed the letter hastened his march. Such a letter may have been received, or it might have been a scheme devised to hasten the departure of the Indians. Butler did not lack sense. All that duty, more than honor, required, had been done. He must have been insensi- ble to interest, as well as character, to countenance further atrocities. The Valley was in his absolute power. Had he meant to plunder and destroy the whole, certainly he would not have entered into written articles, voluntarily stipulating the reverse. *
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