USA > Pennsylvania > Bradford County > Athens > A history of old Tioga Point and early Athens, Pennsylvania > Part 18
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"The chief dances of the Indians are the Feast of the First Fruits, the Great Feather Dance and the White Dog Dance. At the first dance thanks are returned to the Great Spirit for the first fruits of the season. These are the strawberries. At the second dance, which takes place in the fall, the Indian renders thanks for all the fruits of the year. The White Dog Dance is by far the most important of the three. It takes place once a year in the month of January.
"According to the Indian's religion, the Great Spirit demands that he be rewarded the sacrifice of something that is very scarce in the tribe. It corresponds to the Eucharist in the Christian churches. The dog used is of a very rare kind and is bred especially for this purpose. It is milk white, and is selected as the fittest symbol of truth and veneration. The animal is always strangled, and never tortured. I have witnessed many of these dances and have never seen anything repulsive in them."-Harriet Maxwell Converse.
CHAPTER VIII
REVOLUTIONARY CAMPAIGNS IN THIS VALLEY
The Sullivan Expedition, and Its Forerunner, Commanded by Colonel Hartley-Some New Lights on Their History-Life in Fort Sulli- van-Cherry Valley Massacre
While to the casual reader "the Hartley Expedition" may seem of minor importance, classed, indeed, as an ordinary scouting expedition worthy of but passing notice ; careful investigation proves it to be far more. For the great Sullivan Expedition was planned by Washington, and only executed by Gen. Sullivan; whereas its forerunner was en- tirely due to the clever conception and able execution of Colonel Thomas Hartley1, who, in being appointed to defend the frontiers, was given absolute freedom. And his consummated endeavor proved the feasibility of the more extensive later campaign, convincing both Washington and Congress. Not that the idea of a raid into the Indian country was original with Hartley, for the Pennsylvania Archives show that from the hour of the Wyoming Massacre some such experiment was under consideration. As nearly as can be judged, the suggestion first came from General Armstrong, who July 22, 1778, wrote to the President of Congress, saying he had already addressed to the State Delegates in Congress "a few promiscuous thoughts on expediency of carrying the war into the Indian Country, and that the first or most natural excursion would appear to be up the Susquehanna to return the visit of Mr. Butler and his friends ; but we have no person acquainted
1 Thomas Hartley, lawyer, soldier and statesman, is not sufficiently well known to the people of his own State, or, perhaps, to the country. He was one whose brilliant life and bold deeds should be very familiar to the youth of America. His efforts in establishing or guarding the frontiers cannot be too highly estimated. Probably the best and fullest account of his life is in the valuable work, "Pennsylvania and the Federal Constitution." Dr. John W. Jordan has also written an excellent sketch, published in the Historical Magazine of Pennsylvania, accompanying a copy of the miniature possessed by descendants of Eleanor Hartley (Hall). The copy here presented, by the courtesy of Rev. H. E. Hayden, is evidently from the same miniature. The following is culled from above noted sources:
Thomas Hartley, the son of George Hartley, a prosperous Pennsylvania farmer, was born September 7, 1746, in Colebrookdale Township, Berks County. At the age of eighteen, after being at school in Reading, he chose the legal profession, and was admitted to the bar after several years study. He rose rapidly to legal distinction and was embarked upon a suc- cessful career, when the Revolutionary War began. He was successively elected to many responsible offices under the new Republic, and finally became Lieut. Colonel of the Sixth Battalion in January, 1776; and served in the Canadian campaign. In December Washington made him commander of a newly organized regiment which had an active part in the cam- paign for the defense of Philadelphia, and was also in active service at Brandywine, German- town and Paoli. In July, 1778, he was ordered with his regiment to Sunbury, and was put in charge of the defense of the frontier, a service well and ably rendered. December, 1778, upon the re-organization of his regiment with some independent companies, he was made commander of the whole by Congress. But two months later he resigned, having been elected a member of the Assembly of Pennsylvania. It seems strange that so brave a soldier should leave active service, but perhaps he saw in the new office greater opportunity to serve the young Republic. In 1783 he was elected as one of the Council of Censors; in 1787 was a delegate to the Pennsylvania Convention to ratify the Federal Constitution; and in 1788 he was elected a member of Congress by the Constitutionalists, and continued in that body for twelve years. He was the first Pennsylvania lawyer to be admitted a counsellor in the United
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with that country of which intelligence at this time is much wanted." A few days later he wrote to Bryan, Vice-President of Pennsylvania : "Beyond all question the Seneca towns and others northward ought to be the first mark would the Oneidas be guides? their Cler- gymen might pick from them such as could be trusted."
Later he writes again to Bryan ; suggests that, as an excursion is to be made into the enemies' country by Colonel Morgan, that he should make a junction with Hartley and forces at Wyoming, or if more con- venient, "still higher on the Susquehanna at Tiahoga," thence to pro- ceed to the Seneca towns, etc. He also says there should be not less than 3,000 men under a good commander.
Congress and the Council evidently disapproved, as soon after he writes again: "I am sorry to find that the necessary efforts into the Indian country are not like to be carried out, or hang in suspense."
With this indecision, arising, of course, largely from inability to decide where troops could be used to best advantage; it was well that so resourceful a man as Hartley was in a position to act at this critical juncture. For, while the general historians touch lightly on these expeditions, it has come to be recognized by historical students that in the great issues of the Revolutionary War the Sullivan Expedition was a potent factor ; and that it could hardly have been possible without the bold effort of Hartley just before. The account of the Hartley Expe- dition as here given is the substance of a paper written originally for the Tioga Point Historical Society by Rev. David Craft, and read by him before that body in October, 1903. It was the desire and intention of the society to publish this at once. But through some misunder- standing it was withheld by Mr. Craft ; and at a later date revised and read before the Wyoming Historical and Geological Society, by whom it was published. The original paper, however, was finally given to the author for insertion in this work, with such corrections and additions as it seemed best to make. No credit, therefore, is due to the Wyoming Society for its appearance.
States Supreme Court. He was one of the original members of the Society of the Cincin- nati, and one of the first trustees of Dickinson College. In 1800 he was commissioned Major- General in the State Militia. Having purchased 1,000 acres of land in the Buffalo Valley, in 1799, he laid out a town which bears his name and perpetuates his memory.
His great admiration for Washington was evidently reciprocated, as his name is fre- quently mentioned as attending the social as well as official functions of the President. And in 1791 it is recorded that Hartley entertained Washington at his home in York, Pa. Thus it will be seen he rose to eminence in every position filled by him. A most remarkable tribute (appended) was paid by his friend and pastor at his funeral in December, 1800. It is strange that both he and Sullivan died almost before the prime of life at about the same age. Pos- sibly their constitutions were impaired by their rigorous campaigns. The large collection of Hartley's letters in the Historical Society of Pennsylvania show that he was both brilliant and witty.
"If I could blow the trump of fame over you ever so loud and long, what would you be the better for all this noise? Let not your integrity, patriotism, fortitude, hospitality and patronage be forgotten. Another (who need not be named) hath borne away the palm of glory, splendid with the never-dying honor of rearing the stupendous fabric of American freedom and empire. Departed friend! you hear me not, the grave is deep and silent. In this work of blessings to future ages you bore, though a subordinate, yet an honorable part. Soldiers of liberty! come, drop a tear over your companion in arms. Lovers of justice! come, drop a tear over her able advocate,-and of science, come drop a tear over its warmest patron. Children of misfortune! come, drop a tear over your benefactor and protector. Brethren of this earthly lodge! rejoice that our brother is removed to the temple of the Supreme. Ministers of religion! come, drop a tear to the memory of a man who was ever the friend of truth and virtue. And thou, my soul! come not into the assembly of those who would draw his reposed spirit from the bosom of the Father who is in heaven."- (From the funeral sermon by Rev. John Campbell, D. D.)
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THE HARTLEY EXPEDITION
The Party
Colonel Thomas Hartley and His Expedition Against the Tories and Indians at Tioga Point in 1778.
(As originally written by Rev. David Craft.)
The Hartley Expedition may properly be called the prologue of the Sullivan Expedition the following year. The destruction of Wyo- ming was complete. The people were driven off, their property de- stroyed, their buildings burned, and their cattle and horses taken by the enemy ; although Butler promised that if the people would not again take up arms against the British nothing should be molested.
Having completed the devastation of the settlements on the North Branch, the enemy turned his entire attention to the settlements along the West Branch, where raids had been made early in the season. Pioneers had pushed up this stream as far as the "Great Island" (pres-
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ent Lock Haven). As troubles from the Indians began to be imminent, and to have actually begun, forts were erected at various points for the protection of the settlers in their neighborhood, and the inhabitants be- gan to rest in quiet and with some feeling of security. Soon after the sack of Wyoming the storm in all its savage fury burst upon these hap- less settlers. Parties of Tories and Indians made a descent upon the settlements, ambushed and killed and scalped parties at work in the fields, or traveling upon the highways; or watching the absence of the men, attacked women and children in their houses; and, growing bolder by their success, they ventured even to attack considerable bodies of armed men and the forts upon which the inhabitants depended for pro- tection and shelter. In a short time terror and dismay spread through- out the valley. Men were shot down and scalped, and their assailants made good their escape, almost under the guns and in sight of the forts ; women were killed while at their domestic work and children while at play in the door-yard of their homes. A detailed account of the mur- ders, pillaging and general destruction of life and property cannot here be given. A piteous but urgent cry was made to the military authorities for help in their great extremity. The appeals of the people to Con- gress were not made in vain, for that body at once ordered Colonel Hartley with his regiment to the West Branch valley.1 He arrived in the early part of August and immediately took steps toward strength- ening Fort Muncy,1 near the mouth of Lycoming Creek, and putting it in condition to make a stout resistance in case of an attack. A body of militia, amounting to 300 men, was ordered out in the country to assist those who were anxious to gather their crops now suffering for the sickle. This had the effect of encouraging the people, and they com- menced returning in large numbers to their desolated homes. Colonel Hartley seems to have been the right man for the place. The records show that 100 men belonging to Colonel Hartley's regiment, 220 militia from Lancaster County, 170 from Berks County, 100 from Northumb- erland County,2 and between 60 and 70 of Captain Murray's company of six-months men, was the entire number of men enrolled in the val- ley. This made a force of about 700 men, which was deemed sufficient to cope with the enemy. They were stationed at various points by order of Colonel Hartley and directed to be vigilant.
Colonel Hartley soon saw the advantage to the service of a troop of cavalry, where the enemy were so alert as those with whom the set- tlers had to contend. Accordingly, on the first of September he in- formed the Executive Council that he considered it highly important to have a small body of horsemen ordered to the valley, and he also wrote to the Board of War making a similar request. In the same letter he stated that Captain Walker had succeeded in making the necessary re- pairs at Fort Muncy and that he had obtained a four-pounder from Fort Augusta, which had been properly mounted.3 During the long and bloody war between Rome and Carthage a Roman general and states- man said that the best way to defend Rome was to carry the war into Africa and put the Carthagenians on the defensive. As the Indians continued to be very troublesome, it occurred to Colonel Hartley to pur-
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sue similar tactics and undertake some offensive measures to inflict upon the merciless savages the same treatment the frontiersmen were receiv- ing at their hands. With this end in view, as well as to obtain informa- tion useful for a much more formidable expedition against the Indian towns of Central New York then under consideration, Colonel Hartley in September, 1778, planned an expedition to Tioga Point, to destroy some of their villages and break up some of their places of rendez- vous.4 . This expedition, which proved to be entirely successful, was one of the most remarkable on record, and though to some extent over- shadowed by the much greater and more pretentious one of the follow- ing year under General Sullivan, really made that expedition possible and paved the way for its success. The line of march was by the some- what unfrequented Indian trail known as the Sheshequin path, which, beginning at Muncy on the West Branch, followed up the Lycoming Creek to its head at the southwest corner of this country. Here the path divided ; one branch leading northward through present Elmira to Canadesaga, the other down the Towanda to between LeRoy and West Franklin, when it crossed the divide to Sugar Creek near the County Almshouse, thence down Sugar Creek to near its mouth, when it fol- lowed near the line of the present highway across Hemlock Run over Gibson Hill, where the Moravians called it "The narrow way," to the great path along the river, at present Ulster. It indicates the topo- graphical skill of the men of the forest that every great railway in the country follows substantially an Indian trail. The Northern Central Railway of the Pennsylvania system follows the rule, taking the valley of the Lycoming, which it crosses just about as frequently as the old path did, while near Grover it takes the northern path to Canadesaga, instead of the eastern one. The Sheshequin path was familiar to the early travelers in the country, all of whom speak of its deplorable con- dition and almost insuperable difficulties. Forty years before (1737) Conrad Weiser, the intrepid Indian agent, had been over this route, and was the first to notice the divide between the Lycoming and Towanda creeks.
A few years later Weiser, in company with Joseph Spangenberg and David Zeisberger, two intrepid Moravian missionaries, came over this same path, on which account it is afterward known in the Morav- ian records as "Joseph's path." All speak of its extreme difficulty and the relief experienced when the end was reached. The trouble experi- enced by Hartley's men, and which will be spoken of later, are not in the least overdrawn and are only a repetition of experiences given by. all former travelers. The best source of information regarding this ex- pedition is Colonel Hartley's own report to Congress, in which he de- scribes minutely every step taken from his leaving Muncy until he arrived at Wyoming. From this report free quotations will be made.5
As to his force, he says: "What with volunteers and others we reckoned on 400 rank and file for the expedition besides 17 horse, which I mounted from my regiment under the command of Mr. Carbury. Our rendezvous was Fort Muncy, on the West Branch, intending to penetrate by the Sheshecanunk Path to Tioga at the junction of the
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Cayuga with the main Northeast Branch of Susquehanna, from thence act as circumstances might require. The troops met at Muncy 18th of September. When we came to count and array our force for the expe- dition (instead of the 400, as had been expected) they amounted to only about 200 rank and file. We thought the number small, but as we pre- sumed the enemy had no notice of our design, we hoped at least to make a good diversion, if no more, whilst the inhabitants were saving their grain on the frontiers." " Of this force were 150 from Wyoming under the command of Captain Simon Spalding, of whom 60 were from the Eleventh Pennsylvania Regiment (Hartley's), who had been sent to reinforce the Wyoming garrison and now returned to their regi- ment, and 58 were Spalding's Independent Company, and 12 were vol- unteers under Captain John Franklin of the settlers, who had returned after the battle of July 3d.7 Of the other 70, a part was from Hartley's regiment at Fort Muncy and part was Captain Murray's six-months militia, and the 17 light horse under Captain Carbury.7 The most of them were connected with the Sullivan Expedition the following year.
At four o'clock of the morning of September 21, with the little force before mentioned, Colonel Hartley set out on his tedious and per- ilous march. They carried two boxes of spare ammunition besides what was in their cartridge boxes, and twelve days' rations. The path they were to take, always difficult, presented unusual obstacles. For a num- ber of years it had been but little used, and was so overgrown with brush and obstructed with fallen timber as to be hardly discernible, con- stantly requiring a considerable force with axes to clear the way and make it passable even for experienced woodsmen. Their march fell upon the period of the equinoctial storms, rain fell almost every day. Their clothing was soaked, every bush and twig they touched let down a shower upon them; the frequent swamps were filled with water, com- pelling them to wade knee-deep in the ooze and mire. The creek (Ly- coming), with its rapid current swollen to unusual depth, they were compelled to wade, sometimes breast-deep, no less than twenty times. The way lay over high mountains, up whose narrow paths they were compelled to climb on their hands and knees, down precipices of slip- pery rocks ; their clothing constantly wet, and compelled to sleep upon the ground soaked with water ; this three days' tramp up the Lycoming was enough to appall the most courageous-yet not a man flinched or hesitated. The Colonel says: "In our route we met with great Rains and prodigious Swamps. Mountains, Defiles and Rocks impeded our march. We had to open and clear the way as we passed.
"I cannot help observing that I imagine the Difficulties in crossing the Alps, or passing up Kennipeck, could not have been greater than those our men experienced for a while. I have the pleasure to say they surmounted them with great Resolution and Fortitude. In Ionely woods and groves we found the Haunts and Lurking places of the savage Murderers, who had desolated our Frontier. We saw the Huts where they had dressed and dried the scalps of the helpless women and chil- dren who had fallen in their hands." To guard against surprise an ad- vance guard of from 15 to 20 men was kept a little distance in front of
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the main body, and wherever the way would admit, flankers were thrown out to beat the bush for ambuscades, while the rear had to be kept con- stantly well guarded. This necessary precaution added to the natural roughness of the path ; the drenching rains and the thick growth which had accumulated increased greatly the difficulty of the march over that of other travelers who have spoken of the tediousness of the route. Their first experience with the enemy occurred September 26, the sixth day of their march. The advance party of 19 met an equal number of Indians on the path approaching them.8 The whites had the first fire. A very important Indian chief was killed and scalped, the rest fled. It now became certain that the expedition, which, however secret it may have been before, could remain so no longer. The fleeing Indians would give the alarm and a force would be ready to receive them as soon as they emerged from the wilderness. Whatever success the expedition achieved now depended upon the celerity of its movements in reaching Tioga before the enemy could assemble his forces, which were consid- erably scattered, owing to recent attacks upon the New York frontiers. To hurry forward with all possible speed was now the order. A few miles farther on they discovered where upwards of seventy warriors had slept the night before on their march toward the frontier settlements. The fleeing Indians communicated their panic to this party, who joined them in their retreat to the towns on the Chemung. Unfortunately, we do not know the exact location of either the skirmish or the Indian camp. These events were, however, somewhere in the neighborhood of Le Roy or Burlington, on Sugar Creek, for that night the expedition reached Tioga, having made a forced march by way of Old Sheshequin. Sheshequinunk was an old Indian village on the west side of the river, on the site of present Ulster. During the Pontiac War (1763-1765) the town was abandoned, but after peace quite a number of families of Delawares under Echobund, the husband of the notorious Queen Esther, returned and built their huts just above Cash's (Old-town) Creek. A little later several families of Jersey Delawares, Christian Indians (Brainerd's), came to Sheshequin and built below the creek, which was the dividing line between the villages. At the request of these Christian Indians the Moravians sent a preacher among them. They had a church of hewn logs, a school house and a number of log dwellings. The settlement continued to thrive until 1772, when they joined the Wyalusing Indians in migrating to the Ohio. The heathen Indian vil- lage moved four miles up the river and located on what has since been known as Queen Esther's Flats.9 Echobund died probably about the time of the migration of the Moravian Indians, but his clan remained loyal to his widow, who upon the death of her husband assumed the government. She, with her warriors, was at Wyoming, where she raged like a fiend incarnate. She abandoned her village before the Hartley Expedition and later went to Canoga, N. Y., the birthplace of Red Jacket, where she married an Indian whom the whites called Steel- trap, and where she died. Tioga (Diahoga) was the oldest and most important Indian town in that part of the country. From time imme- morial it had been the "fore town" of the Iroquois and the residence of
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their viceroy, a Cayuga chieftain. It was a rendezvous for Indians and Tories during the Revolution. Hartley found it deserted, all the people having gone to Chemung.
On the morning of the 28th, Hartley with his force crossed the river and made their way by the great warrior path to Wyalusing.
Of the events of the 26th of September we let the Colonel tell the story. After speaking of the skirmish and the encampment he says : "No time was lost. We advanced towards Sheshecunnunk, in the neighborhood of which place we took 15 prisoners from them. We learn that a man had deserted from Capt. Spalding's company at Wyo- ming [one of the Van Alstynes] after the troops had marched from thence and had given the enemy notice of our intended expedition against them. We moved with the greatest Dispatch towards Tioga, advancing our Horse and some Foot in Front, who did their duty very well. A number of the enemy fled before us with Precipitation. It was near dark when we came to that town10 [the evening of the 26th of September ]. Our Troops were much fatigued. It was impossible to proceed further that Night. We took another Prisoner. Upon the whole information we were clear the Savages had intelligence of us some days-That the Indians had been towards the German Flats-in Mohawk Valley-had taken 8 scalps & brought off 70 oxen intended for the garrison of Fort Stanwix. That on their return they were to have attacked Wyoming and the settlements on the West Branch again. That Colo. Morgan or no other person had attempted to penetrate into the enemy's country, as we had been given to understand,11 and that the collected force at Chemung would be upwards of 500 and that they were building a fort there. We also were told that young Butler had been at Tioga a few Hours before we came-that he had 300 Men with him, the most of them Tories dressed in green12-that they were re- turned toward Chemung, 12 miles off, & that they were determined to give us Battle in some of the Defiles near it.
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