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 95
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On the next day the following was issued :
"Orders that, as the fort is not so far finished as was expected, all the troops off duty turn out to-morrow morning at half after six o'clock to work at the fort; and the teams be collected for that purpose. The commanding officer expects it will be so far finished that he can afford a sufficient guard the next day for burying the remains of our friends, now lying above ground, that lost their lives in the late battle at Westmoreland."
At "Camp Westinoreland, October 21, 1778," Colonel Butler issued the following orders* :
"A garrison court-martial held at Westmoreland by order of Colonel Butler, for to try such prisoners as may be brought before them. Capt. [Simon] Spalding, President; Lieutenants [Phineas] Peirce, [Willian1] Lemon, Gore and Forseman, members.
" Isaac Benjamin, confined for being drunk when he was to mount guard. The prisoner pleads not guilty. Sergeant Gardner and Mr. Hyde testify that said Benjamin this morning complained that he was sick, and did not drink one drop of liquor this day. Sergeant Eveland says that Benjamin acted as if he had been drunk this morning. The Court is of opinion that said Benjamin is not guilty, and request him to be released from his confinement.
"Garrett Walsh, a soldier of Colonel Hartley's reginient, Captain Kenney's detach- ment, confined for being drunk on guard. The prisoner pleads guilty. The Court sen- tence him to receive fifty lashes on his bare back.
"Samuel Ransom, confined for firing off his gun repeatedly, contrary to orders and rules of this garrison. The prisoner says that he did fire, but he did not think it was any harm, as it was such a practice in that place. He says that Sergeant Lawrence told hin it was contrary to orders; but he says that Sergeant Lawrence had practiced it himself. It is the opinion of Court that the prisoner should stand five minutes on a sharp picket with his bare foot.
"Phineas Coleman, confined for firing his gun repeatedly, contrary to orders and the rules of this garrison. The prisoner says that he has fired his gun, and had heard that it was contrary to orders to fire; but it was a practice in that place, and [he thought that] he might fire as well as other people. It is the opinion of this Court [that] the prisoner be picketed for five minutes.
" The commanding officer approves of the judgment of the above court-martial on each of the prisoners, and orders that it be put in execution at retreat-beating this evening."
The remains of those Westinorelanders who had lost their lives in the battle and massacre of the previous 3d of July were, at this time, still lying unburied where they had fallen. For various good reasons it had been impossible for the survivors of that fearful day to gather up the remains and inter them ; but the time had now come when this could be safely and conveniently done, and so, at Camp Westmoreland, on October 21, 1778, Colonel Butler issued the followingt :
"Orders. That there be a party consisting of a subaltern, two Sergeants, two Cor- porals and twenty-five privates to parade to-morrow morning with their arnis, &c., to go as a guard to those that will go to bury the remains of the nien killed at the late battle at and near the place called Wintermute Fort; and it is expected that the main inhabitants of this place [will] universally turn out and assist in burying their late friends, that lost their lives in said battle."
Early in the morning of the next day (October 22d) the burial party, under the command of Lieut. John Jenkins, Jr., set out from Camp Westmoreland for Abraham's Plains. They took with them two carts and a number of spades, mattocks and wooden pitchforks, and, arriving at a point about half way between Forty Fort and the battle-ground, they began to gather up the remains of the dead with their pitchforks. They found that, owing to the intense heat of the weather, and prob- ably the dryness of the air, the bodies were dry, shriveled up, and inof-
* See "Proceedings and Collections of The Wyoming Historical and Geological Society," VII:124. ¡ See ibid.
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fensive ; and, with a single exception, that their features could not be recognized. By the time the party had gone but a short distance their carts were filled up; whereupon they stopped, dug a big hole in a field near the highway, and deposited the contents of the carts therein. After putting in what bodies they had, they found that the hole would hold more ; therefore they proceeded on their way to the battle-field, whence they brought to this common burial-place all the remains they could find. The hole was then filled in with earth, heaped up into a mound of some size.
Gen. William Ross of Wilkes-Barré, who, as a young man of eighteen years, was a member of the burial party, declared in 1838* that the scene on the battle-field when the party went there was shock- ing ; that there were two rings where prisoners had been massacred, there being, according to his recollection, nine bodies in one ring and fourteen in the other ; that from one of these rings Lebbeus Hammond had sprung and escaped, and from the other, Joseph Elliott liad got away in a manner very similar; that he (Ross) understood that his brother Jeremiah was in the ring from which Elliott escaped ; that the bodies of Darius Spafford and Captain Durkee were the only ones recog- nized-the latter being identified because, at some time in his life, Dur- kee had lost a portion of one of his fingers; which fact was known to some of the burial party. The body of Lieut. Peren Ross was identified by means of a ring on one of the fingers.
That the remains of all the dead lying on and near the Wyoming battle-field were not buried in the Autumn of 1778, we learn from the following paragraphs extracted from journals of officers in the Sullivan Expedition. Under the date of July 2, 1779, Lieut. Col. Henry Dear- born wrote :
"I went with General Poor and several other gentlemen to-day to view the field of action where the battle between the two Butlers was fought. We found a great number of bones at and near the field of battle. Among a number of skull bones that we found, none was without the mark of the tomahawk. I saw one grave where seventy-five of our inen were buried, and was shown a place where seventeen of our men, after being taken, were made to sit down in a ring-sixteen of whom they immediately tomahawked ; the other leaped over the ring and made his escape."
Under the date of July 8, 1779, the Rev. William Rogers, D. D., Chaplain of Hand's Brigade, in the Sullivan Expedition, wrote :
"The place where the battle [of Wyoming] was fought may with propriety be called 'a place of skulls ;' as the bodies of the slain were not all buried. Their bones were scattered in every direction all around-a great number of which for a few days past hav- ing been picked up, were decently interred by our people. We passed a grave where seventy-five skeletons were buried ; also a spot where fourteen wretched creatures who, having surrendered upon being promised mercy, were nevertheless made immediately to sit down in a ring ; and after the savages had worked themselves up to the extreme of fury in their usual manner, by dancing, singing, halloaing, etc., they proceeded deliber- ately to tomahawk the poor fellows one after another. Fifteen surrendered, and com- posed the ring. Upon the Indians beginning their work of cruelty, one of them provi- dentially escaped, who reported the matter to Colonel Butler, who, upon his return to Wyoming, went to the spot and found the bones of the fourteen lying as human bodies in an exact circle. It is remarkable that on this spot grows a kind of grass different from all other grass around it. The bones of seven or eight other persons were found nearly consumed, they having been burned to death."
Under the date of July 8, 1779, Lieut. Samuel M. Shute wrote :
" Went to the field where the two Butlers fought last Summer There are a great many men's skulls to be picked up on the field-some with part of their hair on, the other part taken off with the scalps ; others with bullet holes in, or with the skull split with the tomahawk, which was a very affecting scene."
* See Hayden's "The Massacre of Wyoming," page 63.
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At Camp Westmoreland, October 25, 1778, Colonel Butler issued the following :
"Orders. That for the future no man belonging to the Continental troops or militia, doing duty at this post, sleep out of camp or stay out of camp any night on any pretence whatever, without special orders or liberty. And it is once more ordered that no one be- longing to the Continental troops or militia, doing duty at this post, absent themselves by night or by day without liberty from the commanding officers of their company; and the officers not to allow more to be absent at one time than Captain Kenney, two, Captain Spalding, three, Lieutenant Gore, one, and Captain Smith, one. The commanding officer expects this order will be strictly attended to without repeating-and that there be a re- turn of the joiners, carpenters and masons belonging to the troops, and that there be a return of those that are best skilled as artillerymen."
About this time Fort Wyoming, being fully completed, was occupied by the garrison. Under the date of October 30, 1778, Colonel Butler wrote to the Board of War as follows* :
"As my orders are immediately from the Board of War, I must trouble the Board with my returns of different kinds. Inclosed I send you the state of this post. As Colonel Hartley has likely given a state of affairs in this quarter till the time he returned from his expedition, I shall only mention what happened since. About two weeks ago a single man, { as he was traveling about two miles from the fort, was shot off his horse and scalped. The last accounts we got from our enemy in this quarter was by two men that made their escape from them. [They] say they were frequently talking that they designed another attempt on us this Fall ; but I think if they should come we have such a fortification that, with some more ammunition, we can defend against large bodies. By the inclosed returns the Honorable Board will be made acquainted with what we have, and of course will know what further is necessary. Should be very glad that there might be an order for them to be forwarded as soon as possible; and as there is some expense for forage for liorses, for iron work, and the transporting of provisions, should be glad to be furnished with money for that purpose by Captain Spalding. Should be glad that Captain Spalding might have liberty to purchase some necessary clothing for myself, and the other officers, in the Continental Store; and that he might be furnished with sufficient orders for clothing for the troops, as there is not any to be had liere. If there should be any further directions and orders for me, should be glad to receive them by Captain Spalding."
About the first of November the foregoing letter was carried to Philadelphia by Captain Spalding, who also took with him the returns referred to in the letter. The original duplicates of those returns (retained by Colonel Butler) are now in the collections of The Wyoming Historical and Geological Society. They are dated October 28, 1778, and show that the garrison at Wilkes-Barre at that time comprised the following : Lieut. Col. Zebulon Butler, Lieut. Obadialı Gore, Jr., and two enlisted mien of the 3d Regiment, Connecticut Line; the West- moreland Independent Company, in the Continental service, commanded by Capt. Simon Spalding and numbering seventy-seven officers and men; a detachment from Colonel Hartley's regiment, in command of Capt. James Kenney, numbering fifty-five officers and men ; a company of Westmoreland militia, commanded by Lieut. Daniel Gore, numbering twenty-one officers and men (the 2d Lieutenant being absent on leave of absence); a squad of Westmoreland militia, commanded by Capt. William Hooker Smith, numbering twelve officers and inen. This made a total force-including the sick and those absent on furlough-of 169 officers and men. These soldiers were all well armed, and furthermore, Fort Wyoming was equipped with two iron 4-pounder cannon and one swivel- gun (carrying either a 3-1b. ball or case-shot, as desired), together with a fair supply of ammunition.
In addition to the garrison, a considerable number of the inhabit- ants of Westmoreland (including some women and children) made their
* See "Proceedings and Collections of The Wyoming Historical and Geological Society," VII:142. ¡ William Jameson, mentioned on page 1100.
# See Vol. VII, pages 129 and 130, of the Society's printed "Collections."
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headquarters in Wilkes-Barré at that period, occupying the few houses and barracks in the town-plot which were not needed for the uses of the garrison. Early in October a town-meeting of the inhabitants of West- moreland was held at Wilkes-Barré, and Col. Nathan Denison and Lieut. Asahel Buck (see page 977) were chosen to represent Westmore- land in the General Assembly of Connecticut at its comning session. Colonel Denison soon set out for Hartford, but Lieutenant Buck, for some reason or another, failed to go. The Assembly convened on Octo- ber 21st, and on the 27th the following memorial, signed by Colonel Denison and by John Jenkins, Sr., of Westmoreland (the latter being in Hartford at the time), was presented to the Assembly, and read. (This memorial has never heretofore been printed.)*
"To the Hon'ble General Assembly of the State of Connecticut, now setting at Hartford within sd State :
"The Representation of us the subscribers of Westmoreland, in the County of West- moreland on the Susquehannah River, is as follows, viz that on or about the last day of June last the Inhabitants of sd county were much alarmed by Intelligence from a scout- ing Party of them then returned, that a large Body of the enemy, consisting mostly of Indians and Torys, were then advancing down the River towards the settlement, at the distance of about thirty miles. On the next [day] after which the enemy fell upon a small party of sd Inhabitants (returning from labour), kill'd four and captivated two or three; the next morning said Inhabitants obtained Intelligence where the enemy had encamped the night before, and thereupon as soon as possible the militia were collected to the Number of about four hundred, and marched on to the ground where the enemy had so encamped, finding that the enemy had retired and gone back of the mountains, so as to place themselves West of and opposite the settlement.
"The militia now fearing least the enemy should hastily march in, attack, murder and destroy the defenceless familys, marched directly back to the Place of their assem- bling, viz! in the Town of Kingston; that Night most of the militia were oblidged to retire, and each to take care and secure his family, so well as the then distressing circumstances would admit. On the morning next after, vizt on the 2d day of July, the enemy (in their whole body) marched in (or rather were guided in by false & treacherous Brethren ) and took Possession of one of our Forts (in the District of Exeter ) without opposition; the able bodyed men and militia were then as speedily and universally assembled as possible at Kingston Fort, three miles distant from the then situation of the main Body of the Enemy; the whole Number thus collected was between three & four hundred.
" The best means of Defence were now consulted, and concluded that if we should not be able to stand a Battle with them in the woods, it was not probable that we could long hold the Forts, as Provisions could not be at that time collected sufficient to hold out a long seige; Thereupon about three hundred of the best able & furnished marched out of the Fort and advanced within one mile of the enemy's then encampment, and formed in order for Battle, and in that Form advanced near to the line which the enemy had formed-when the Fire instantly began upon our Right Wing, and soon became general. The enemy had little or no advantage of us in the Begining of the action, but being much superior to us in Numbers, they soon surrounded our Left; the Fire being now very severe in Front and Flank we were compell'd to retreat with the loss of about 200 of our Party -- the loss of the enemy by the best accts was between seventy and eighty.
"On the morning of the 4th July a Flag was sent from the Enemy, demanding Possession of the Fort, and proposing Terms of Settlement, upon which it was concluded that the Fort should be demolished-the Inhabitants not to bear arms during the Ameri- can Contest-the Continental stores to be delivered to the enemy-and the Inhabitants to improve their Farms, and enjoy their possessions and property unmolested. Neverthe- less the enemy (being powerful) proceeded, plundered, burnt & destroyed almost every thing that was valuable-murdered several of the remaining Inhabitants and compell'd most of the remainder to leave their settlements nearly destitute of cloathing, Provisions, and the necessarys of life.
"After which horrid transactions, vizt on the 4th of Augt last, the surviving able bodyed and effective men to the Number of about one hundred and ten, including some Continental troops, assembled in Northampton County in the State of Pensilvania; there form'd themselves into proper companys &c. and marche'd to sd Westmoreland, where to this time they have remained in possession of sd lands, tho frequently disturbed & fired upon by Partys of the enemy, who are still distressing the Inhabitants of sd county, and threatening total Destruction.
" We further beg leave to Represent that there are already collected and Dwelling in sd county, vizt on that Part thereof commonly known by the Name of Wyoming,
* The original document is now in the collection of MSS. entitled "Susquehannah Settlers"- described on page 29, Vol. I.
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about fifty familys, and many more desirous to return in safety, and some returning. That very considerable quantitys of grain have been and are preserved, and a valuable stock of cattle, and that the military Force of said settlement including Continental Troops, at the present time, doth not exceed two hundred. Whereupon we humbly pray your Honts to still extend your compassions to the needy and distressed familys, widows and orphans now wandring in many Parts of this state, and grant them such Comfort as is reasonable-and also your further Protection to the above mentioned settlements, and grant them such further Force for their defence as may be judged needfull for their safety, and as in duty bound we shall ever pray. [Signed] "NATHAN DENISON,
"Dated Hartford, 27th October, 1778.
"JOHN JENKINS."
A joint-committee to consider, and report upon, this memorial was immediately appointed, composed of General Wolcott, General Ward, Captain Perkins, Colonel Porter, Mr. Burr and Mr. Wales of the Lower House, and Jabez Huntington of the Upper House. This committee subsequently reported, recommending that the Governor be desired to write to Congress, representing the distressed situation at Westmore- land, and requesting Congress to afford the inhabitants thereof such fur- ther aid and protection as should appear proper to prevent any further ravages of the enemy upon them. This report was promptly and unani- mously adopted by both Houses.
At this same session the General Assembly "granted " a rate, or tax, of two shillings on the pound, to be levied and collected on all the polls and rateable estates of the State, according to the various lists reported to the Assembly in October, 1777, and in January, 1778. The Westmoreland list of 1777 aggregated £20,322 17s., and two shillings on the pound would produce a tax of £2,032, 5s. 8d .- a sum which it would be quite impossible for the Westmorelanders to pay, because of the disas- ters which had befallen them. Nevertheless, early in November, in pursuance of the foregoing action of the Assembly, the Treasurer of the State issued a warrant to John Dorrance, Constable of Westmoreland, and Collector of the State Tax for the town, authorizing and requiring him to collect the above stated tax and make return thereof before Feb- ruary, 1779.
Under the date of October 29, 1778, at Wallingford, Connecticut, the Rev. Jacob Johnson, who was living there with his family (he and they being among the refugees from Wyoming), addressed to Governor Trum- bull the following communication *- which was received by the Gover- nor at Hartford on October 31st.
"Sr .- When I was In Hartford Tuesday last I purposed to have waited on your Excellency, before I went out of Town, but being suddenly call'd away, I had no con- venient oppertunity, without transgressing order-I therefore use this way of writing, to communicate my mind to you, Sir, with respect to the Present Distressing state of the People, at Westmoreland, on the Susquehanna; both as to the Defence of the Present Inhabitants there; and the sufferers (of whom I am one of the chief ) driven from thence -I have had some talk with Colonel [Eliphalet] Dyer, and some other Gentn on the sub- ject. Colonel Denison, Representative and, I suppose, Agent for the Town and County of Westinoreland, not being then in the Assembly, or Town, I do, therefore, as a sufferer and one Interested, and concerned both in the common cause of the State of Connecticut and more especially so to the former Inhabitants (so many of whom are drove off, and have no certain dwelling-place), and those in Particular that are on the Ground, with but one single Company for their defence-besides a number of the Inhabitants-all of whom amount to but about 150. And that Company, which is there, were raised out of tlie Inhab- itants tliere, with two more [companies] that have been in the Continental service until and after our suffering.
"The amount of one of those Companys raised on the Susquehanna are extinguished by sword & sickness; the other what remains are in the Continental service. Wlierefore we think it but Reesonable & Equitable that at least Two Companys more should be orderd to Westmoreland-That a good & sufficient Fort & Garison be Placed there and the
* The original is among the "Trumbull Papers," mentioned on page 29, Vol. I.
1
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sufferers in some way be provided for-That the Inhabitants there may not fall a prey to the sword, nor be Dispersed Sufferers to Famine & Nakedness, and final death.
"From your Excellency's most Obed't Humb Servt.,
[Signed] "JACOB JOHNSON,
Late Minister of Christ at Wilkesbarre on Susqha On behalfe of his Fellow Sufferers.
"To his Excellency the Governor, and Company of the State of Connecticut-To be deliberated upon and something done (if it may be) according as the Nature & Neces- sity of the Cause requires and Calls for-and the Calamity of the Present distressing war with Great Britain will admit of.
"N. B. I presume Col. N. Denison (as agent) will present a Memorial to the Gen!1 Assembly of the State of Connecticut, now sitting, relative to the distressing State of the Inhabitants of Westmoreland. But in case of failure, I hope your Excellency and the Gen !! Assembly of this State of Connecticut will not forget, or neglect, the suffering, bleeding cause of so many Widdows, Fatherless children and mourners-and especially that cry of the Blood! of so many slain! that calls for Justice to be done on the murtherers."
Some days later Mr. Johnson wrote from Wallingford to Col. Zeb- ulon Butler (who, it will be remembered, was the former's son-in-law) at Wilkes-Barré, relative to the condition of affairs in Wyoming. An extract from this letter is printed on page 746, ante.
During the presence of " Butler's Rangers " and their Indian allies at Chemung and Tioga Point subsequently to the Hartley Expedition- while making preparations for the projected incursion into Cherry Val- ley, New York-various small bands of Indians came down the river to Wyoming and committed depredations and murders; and after the expedition against Cherry Valley had set out from Tioga Point, the Indians who remained behind were emboldened to sneak down to Wilkes- Barré, and beyond, and prey on the scattered inhabitants. Particular men- tion has been made of some of these irruptions, which occurred in the month of October, 1778. On November 2d, at the village of Wilkes-Barré, Nathan Kingsley was killed, and Frances Slocum and a brother of young Kingsley were carried into captivity. (A detailed account of this event is given in the ensuing chapter.) On November 5th, at the grist-mill (referred to on page 1085) near Nanticoke Falls, William Jackson, an old gentleman named Hageman, his wife, and daughter Leonora, Edward Lester, and his wife and four children, were captured and marched about three miles up the river in the direction of Wilkes-Barré. There the company halted, and Jackson and Lester and the latter's eldest son were killed and scalped by the Indians. Miner states that Hage- man "escaped with six wounds, and survived, although the food he took oozed from a spear wound in his side." Mrs. Hageman,* Leonora Hageman, and Mrs. Lestert and her three surviving children, were carried
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