History of Bradford County, Pennsylvania, with Illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 19

Author: Craft, David, 1832-1908; L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia : L. H. Everts
Number of Pages: 812

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Arriving at Abraham's ereek, about three miles from Wintermoot's, the army halted, and it was proposed to await here the attack of the enemy; but discovering the smoke of Wintermoot's and Jenkins' forts, which the British commander had ordered to be fired for the purpose of deceiving our people into the idea that he was retreating, the men could not be restrained, but pushed on to meet the enemy.

The Wintermoot fort stood upon a slight rise of ground, on the eastern edge of the ridge, about one and a half miles above the Wyoming monument. At the foot of this hill Major Butler had posted his troops, the Tories and regulars on the left in a line across the ridge, his Indian allies on the right, at right angles to the others. Here concealed, they awaited the approach of the American army.

Our forces unsuspectingly marched into the trap which had been set for them. When within about three hun- dred yards of the British line they deployed, began firing, advancing at each volley. The British line began to waver, but just at this moment the savages rushed from their lurk- ing-places, and with great fury attacked in flank and rear the companies on our left. In the confusion an order to fall baek was mistaken for a retreat. Panic ensued. The retreat became a rout. In less than half an hour from the time the first shot was fired the field was covered with fly- ing fugitives pursued by the yelling savages. Less than half the number who that fatal afternoon marched from Forty fort ever lived to return. That night was a night of horrors. Of all those who were taken prisoners or wounded but five were saved alive. Major Butler reported 227 scalps taken. He adds, "The Indians were so exasperated with

their loss last year, near Fort Stanwix, that it was with the greatest difficulty that I could save the lives of these few." He congratulated his masters that their inhuman butchers had not massacred the women and children ; " that not a single person has been hurt of the inhabitants but such as were in arms. To those, indeed, the Indians gave no quarter." The sickening details of that massacre have been so often told that they will not here be repeated. In one of the seouting-parties up the river, of which William Dalton, afterwards of Wyalusing, was one, a son of Queen Esther was killed. Though mortally wounded, he had strength to raise his rifle, fired, and wounded Dalton in the knee. The death of her son inflamed all the Indian blood of the haughty queen. She raged over the field of battle like a demon, torturing the wounded and murdering the captives. At one place sixteen eaptives had been brought together and placed in a circle around a rock, since ap- propriately called " Bloody Rock." Each was held to his place by two stalwart Indian warriors. The queen, standing in the eentre, with some sort of ceremony, passed around the ring until she came to her victim, when he was dragged forward, and his brains dashed out with the death- maul in the hands of this fury. William Buck, a nephew of Capt. Buck, a flaxen-haired boy, not being held tightly, frightened at the sight, ran, crying, when he was pursued and overtaken by two of the savages, who began to lead him baek, when one, coming up behind, eleft his skull with a tomahawk. While this was going on, Lebbeus Hammond and Joseph Elliott, both subsequently residents of this county, by a concerted movement, threw off their captors, sprang from the fatal ring; Elliott ran towards the river, Hammond for the woods. Elliott plunged into the water, and, being an expert swimmer, reached the eastern bank in safety, but the Indians who had followed him wounded him in the shoulder. Daniel Brown speaks of his coming into Wilkes-Barre fort early in the evening with no clothing but his pants, and covered with blood. Hammond was pursued by four or five Indians, but being fleet as a deer readily out- stripped them for a time. Seizing a pine knot while run- ning, he determined he would not be recaptured without a struggle. Turning squarely from the path, he concealed himself behind a tree ; his pursuers lost sight of him, gave up the chase, and returned to their horrid work of torture and slaughter. Hammond reached Forty fort next morning.

Neither the exact number on either side engaged, nor the number slain, can be known. Major Butler reported his force of rangers and Indians at 500. Col. Franklin and others give it from 800 to 1000, which is probably nearer the truth. He also reports his losses as one Indian killed, two rangers and eight Indians wounded. But the prisoners surrendered at Jenkins' fort said that the morning after the battle all the shovels in the place were put in requisition, and at least 80 were buried in the swamp. The American forces are estimated from 300 to 400. Col. H. B. Wright had an interview with Samuel Fineh, one of the survivors of the battle, who said that he, Finch, with another soldier, was stationed at the gateway of the fort to count the men as they passed out, and that ineluding the regulars and militia, there were 484 men. As to the number slain, Major Butler says the Indians brought in 227 scalps. In

HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Col. Franklin's journal, he says that near 300 men fell a sacrifice to Indian barbarity. Subsequently he made out a list with great care, which contains 158 names. Mr. Miner took great pains to collect all the names that any of the survivors could remember, and reekons 153, while Stewart Pearce, whose list contains 164 names, is larger than either. Of these Capt. Aholiab Buck, Lieut. James Wells, James Budd, Samuel Cole, William Dunn. Joseph Staples, and Parker Wilson had been residents of Bradford County. Among the survivors were Sebastian Strope, William Hayck, Justus Gaylord, and perhaps one or two others .*

The result of the battle being known, distress and panic pervaded the settlements. Every family was in mourning for some of its members slain. Women were running to and fro, wringing their hands and crying, "Oh, my husband, my father, my brother !" while with the surviving men able to bear arms all was indecision. At first it was thought best to assemble all the settlements at the Forty fort, and there defend the women and children to the last extremity, but on account of the scarcity of provision in the fort this was found to be impracticable. It was finally determined to surrender on as honorable terms as could be made with the victorious enemy. During the night Col. Butler and the few Continental soldiers went over to Wilkes-Barre. The next morning Col. Dennison, in company with Rev. Jacob Johnson, Zerah Beach, Esq., and one or two others, repaired under flag of truce to the headquarters of Major Butler, where terms of honorable capitulation were agreed upon. The military stores were to be delivered up, private property was to be preserved to its owners, and the in- habitants were to remain undisturbed in their homes on condition of their not again taking up arms during the war.

These conditions were ruthlessly violated. No sooner had the fort surrendered than the Indians began to possess themselves of whatever pleased their fancy. Men and women were stripped of their wearing apparel, cattle and horses were driven off, the houses burned, and the whole valley was given over to destruction. The British com- mander was utterly unable to enforce his commands or check the marauding bands of his own army in their work of plunder and devastation. The ludicrous was mingled with the sad. The savages, decked out with the stolen finery of the defenseless inhabitants, and attempting to imitate the manners of the whites, provoked a smile even amid the sadness and desolation they had caused. Queen Esther was as prominent here as she had been in the slaughter of the night before. Col. Franklin relates that as be marched out with Col. Denison to introduce the vietors through the gate of the fort, " Queen Esther, with all the impudence of an infernal being, turned to Col. Denison, and says, 'Well, Col. Den-ni-son, you make me promise to bring more Indians. Here, see (turning her hand back ), I bring all these.' Col. J. Butler observed to her that women should be seen and not heard." Later in the day she was

seen riding astride a stolen horse, on a stolen side-saddle placed with the hind end forward, with seven bonnets one upon the other on her head, with all the clothing she could contrive to get on, and over all a scarlet riding-cloak, stolen from Mrs. Shoemaker, carying in her hand a string of scalps freshly taken from the slaughtered friends of those who were the witnesses of her savage pride and the sufferers from her brutality.

Meanwhile the people were fleeing from the settlements in every direction. As many as could find boats or canoes escaped down the river. As they reported the destruction of Wyoming at Sunbury, the people there joined in the flight, and stopped not until they reached Paxton, where they received aid and sympathy from the generous Scotch- Irish who formed that settlement. Others went on foot, or with such conveyances as they could get, some to Easton, but the most to Stroudsburg. From these places of con- parative safety they made their way as best they could to their eastern homes. In this dreary march over the moun- tains, without provision or clothing, in constant fear of pur- suing savages, with no bed but the earth, and no covering but the stars, their sufferings would have been much greater but for the thoughtful aid of the then ensign Hollenback. He, gathering what food could be found at Wilkes-Barre, has- tened on to supply the wants of the most needy, and then, without a moment's delay, pushed on to where Capt. Spald- ing* was encamped, urging forward the men and their stores for the support and help of the famishing fugitives. As it was, many perished, some from hunger, fatigue, and expo- sure, some from sickness, and others, wandering in quest of whortleberries for food, were lost in the forests and never found.

A few had determined to remain at the fort at all haz- ards, and demand protection from the British commander. Among these were the families of Parshall Terry, the elder, and Uriah Terry ; but, Major Butler having left the valley,

@ A much more detailed account of the battle had been written, but as the whole subject will be exhaustively discussed at the centen- tennial anniversary, just enough is given to show the part Bradford County men took in it.

# D. Williams Patterson, of Newark Valley, N. Y., furnished the IIist. Mag. the following " Roll of Capt. Spalding's company, which was formed under the order of Congress of June 23, 1778, uniting the remains of the two independent companies of Wyoming, originally commanded by Captains Durkee and Ransom, who were all of West- moreland, Conn."

Simon Spalding, eaptain ; John Jenkins, lieutenant; Thomas Mc- Cluer, sergeant; Peregrene Gardner, Jeremiah Clemans, Frederick Eveland, Thomas Baldwin, Thomas Neill, Mason F. Alden, Thomas Williams, Rufus Lawrence, John Hutchinson, corporals ; Benjamin Cole, Azel Hyde, Stephen Skiff, Daniel Denton, Elisha Mathewson, Israel Harding, William Carrol, Nathaniel Williams, William French, William Smith, William Cornelius, Ira Stephens, Geo. Palmer Ran- som, Richard Halstead, Asel Burnham, Nathaniel Evans, John Neal, Nathan Stark (erased), James Brown, Richard Woodcock, Ephraim Tyler, Elisha Garrett, Constant Searles, Isaae Benjamin, John Hal- stead, Elijah Walker, Obadiah Walker, Timothy Hopkins, Isaac Smith, Samuel Tubbs, William Kellogg, David Brown, Rufus Ben- nett, William MeCluer, James Wells, Asa Smith, John Swift, Elisha Satterlee, Charles Bennett, William Terry, Watson Baldwin, Ambrose Gailord, James Bagley, Moses Brown, Nathaniel Church, Lawrence Keeney, Shadrack Sylls, Gideon Church, Henry Harding, Amos Amsberry, John Carey, Thomas Picket, Oliver Bennett, Justns Gay- lord, Benjamin Clark, Frederick Follett, John Stark, privates. Total, 69.

Mr. Miner says the whole number in the company was 88; the fol- lowing are some of the remaining 19: Luke Swetland, Isaae Hard- ing, Josiah Fell, William Conover, John Worden, and Thomas Parks, leaving thirteen to be accounted for.

HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

the Indians had destroyed all the food remaining, and they after a few days were compelled to join the fugitives.

The papers relating to this campaign, including the mnster-rolls of Major Butler's forces, were destroyed by the burning of the government house in Canada, about thirty years ago ; so that neither the exact numbers nor the per- sons who composed his army can now be had. The In- dian Hopkins, of Sheshequiu, was in it; so was Hendrick, from Wyalusing, the latter showing great kindness to the Budd family, to whom he offered his protection. William Pawling was holding a captain's commission, Parshall Terry, Jr., and Jesse Pawling were lieutenants, and Benjamin Pawling was a quartermaster among the Royal Greens. Elisha Harding mentions, among others who were in the British forces, Michael Showers, Jacob Angar, Thomas Hill, Jacob Anguish, George Kentner, Simmons, Frank, Secords, Brown, and some others.

The story of the battle and massacre of Wyoming spread rapidly through the country, and created a profound sensa- tion both here and in Europe. It was at once determined by Washington and the board of war to send a strong force into the Indian country, which should thoroughly chastise them for their atrocities, and teach them a wholesome fear of the Americans. A considerable force of the militia was immediately called out and ordered to report at Sunbury. These were to be joined by Spalding's company, then at Wyoming, whither a few of the fugitives had returned, in hope of gathering the ripened harvests, and by a detachment from New York at Tioga Point, the whole to be under command of Col. Thomas Hartley, of the Pennsylvania line.

Various causes contributed to delay the assembling of this force. By the 18th of September no more than two hundred were mustered at Muncy, the place of rendezvous. Of these, one hundred and thirty were from Wyoming, under Capt. Spalding, of whom sixty were from the Eleventh Pennsylvania Regiment who had been sent to reinforce the Wyoming garrison, fifty-eight were of the independent company, and twelve were volunteers from among the set- tlers wbo had returned, a small force being left to protect the settlement.

Small as the number was, Hartley decided to set out for Tioga. Early in the morning of the 21st this handful of men, with one hundred rounds of ammunition and twelve days' provisions, started by the Sheshequin path for Tioga, a distance of about seventy miles through an unbroken wil- derness. Their way lay across swamps, over mountains, through narrow defiles, and along steep precipices where the troops not infrequently had to crawl on their hands and knees. The Lycoming, along which the path lay, swollen by the heavy autumn rains which had recently fallen, they were compelled to wade or swim upwards of twenty times. Hartley well says, " I cannot help observing that, I imagine, the difficulties in crossing the Alps, or passing up the Ken- nipeck, could not have been greater than those our men experienced for the time." For four days this dreary march continued, and, though their clothing was constantly saturated with water, and themselves, chilled with the cold, compelled to sleep on the wet ground without covering, and, for fear of being discovered by the enemy, without fire, yet

not a murmur or complaint escaped the lips of these brave meu.

On the evening of the 25th they encamped within the confines of our county. Although at several places along their route they liad discovered traces of the murdering parties of the Indians, yet it was not until the morning of the 26th that any of them were met. The army had now reached the vicinity of the present village of Canton, when the advance party of nineteen fell in with an equal number of Indians approaching them. Our men fired. The leader, an important Indian chieftain, fell, and was scalped ; the rest fled.

About the neighborhood of Le Roy they discovered where about seventy warriors had encamped the night before, but apprised by the fugitives from the recent en- counter of the approach of Hartley, they joined in the flight.

The detachment now pressed forward with all speed, hoping to take the savages and Tories lurking about She- shequin by surprise. This place they reached the same evening. But the enemy had been apprised of their coming by one of the Van Alstynes, who had deserted from Capt. Spalding's company at Wyoming. They nevertheless rescued from the Indians fifteen prisoners, and retook quite a number of cattle, and considerable other property which had been captured at Wyoming. Here it was found that Col. Morgan, who was to have joined Hartley's forces at this point, had not been heard from ; therefore, sending a small force to Tioga, at whose approach the savages precipi- tately fled, they burnt that and Queen Esther's town, and returned to Sheshequin, where they encamped on the even- ing of the 27th.

The situation of this little band of two hundred men was perilous in the extreme. They were in the midst of the Indian country, eighty miles from the American settlements, with bands of hostile Indians skulking on their flanks and rear, Maj. Butler and his four hundred Royal Greens only ten miles distant, their ammunition nearly exhausted, and ouly one day's provision remaining in their haversacks. The boldness of the movement and the rapidity of the march had led the enemy to greatly overestimate the strength of the force, and given them no time to rally for defense. But their weakness had been discovered, and bands of Indians and rangers were hastily gathering for their de- struction. Nothing but a rapid retreat could avail them. Early the next morning, the 28th, they crossed the river, and following the Indian trail, at eleven o'clock at night they reached Wyalusing, a distance of more than thirty miles, worn down with fatigue, and lame from exposures and accidents. Here they were obliged to halt until near noon to cook some beef, now their only food.

When ready to take up again their march, but one hun- dred and twenty were able to fall into line ; the remainder, disabled by lameness and exhaustion, were placed either upon the pack-horses, or in the canoes taken at Tioga and Sheshequin. Hitherto the rapidity of the march had en- abled Hartley to keep in advance of any considerable force which might be pursuing him, but the necessary halt at Wyalusing had given time for the enemy to come up with him, and it therefore became necessary to march with more

HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

circumspection. Fifteen men, under a competent offieer, formed the advance-guard; these were followed by the pack- horses and the cattle they had collected. Seventy men, in three divisions, of which the first was from Hartley's regi- ment under command of Capt. Stoddart, the second under Capt. Spalding, and the third under Capt. Murrow, came next, while thirty picked men and five runners formed the rear. Flanking-parties were also arranged, but could not be used on account of the difficulty of the ground and the fatigue of the men. The seventeen mounted men were distributed between the front and rear.

In this order the little army set out from Wyalusing, but had hardly left their camping-ground before an attack was made on their front, and on aseending the hill immediately below, another attack was made, but both of these were readily repulsed. Reaching Indian Hill, just on the lower edge of this county, a heavy onset was made on the left flank and rear by a large body of the enemy. The rear- guard gave way, and Capt. Spalding was ordered to its sup- port. While they engaged the enemy, the first and third divisions gained a knoll which overlooked and flanked the enemy, a small party was sent to gain the rear, while those in the hoats, hearing the firing, hastily landed and came up from below. Thus from all sides an advance was made with great noise and shouting upon" the savages, who, thinking they were about to be surrounded, fled in haste, leaving ten of their number dead on the ground. Hartley's loss was four killed and ten wounded.

This was the last encounter of Hartley with the Indians, and he reached Wyoming Oct. 1. The enemy, however, followed, and remained for some time lurking about, stealing cattle and horses, and killing or capturing small parties who ventured any distance from the fort.

Colonel Franklin, who was in this expedition as captain of the Wyoming militia, says, " The troops retook a great number of the Wyoming cattle and horses, and other prop- erty, and returned with their booty about the 1st of Octo- ber, though they met with many hazardous skirmishes on the expedition, with the loss of several lives. Several In- dians were killed in the different skirmishes.

"The inhabitants were much pleased to see their property, such as cattle, horses, and other effects, brought back from the savages, but as greatly disappointed to see the whole sold at auction or vendue, for the use of the troops, as it was said that no advantage eould account to the owners unless they should become the highest bidders."

On receiving the report of this expedition, the supreme executive council of this State ordered

"That the unanimous thanks of council be given to Col. Thomas IIartley for the brave and prudent conduct in covering the northwest- ern frontiers of this State, and repelling the savages and other ene- mies ; and that he he requested to inform the officers and men who have been under his command that this council is highly sensible of the difficulties and hardships of the duty which they have performed, and the courage and zeal which they have shown during the last campaign."

The results of this expedition were valuable. It taught the Indians that blows could be given as well as taken, and compelled thie abandonment of Tioga and Sheshequin as places of permanent oeeupation. These towns were never rebuilt by the Indians. It demonstrated the practicability

of sending a strong foree into the Indian country, who should visit upon the savages the devastation they had com- mitted upon others, and what would be required to give efficiency to such offensive movements.

Congress had resolved to fit out an expedition to the In- dian country, which should break up their settlements, and so chastise the Iroquois nations that, if possible, they might be restrained from committing further outrages upon the border. In the month of October, 1778, Congress referred the matter to George Clinton, governor of New York, and Generals Schuyler and Hand, who reported that the season was too far advanced to proseeute successfully an enterprise of such magnitude. It was decided by Congress that the eampaigns of 1779 should be largely on the defensive, and Washington determined that during this lull in the active prosecution of the war would be a favorable time to strike a heavy blow upon the savage tribes of the Six Nations. The plan of the campaign was in great measure confided to Gen. Hand, who had previously made the subject a matter of special study. In March he ordered Mr. Jenkins, the sur- "veyor of the Susquehanna company, and well acquainted with the geography of the country along which it was de- signed the expedition should pass, to repair to headquarters, for the purpose of communicating such information as he had to General Washington.

. The details having been arranged, the chief command of the expedition was given to Maj .- Gen. John Sullivan, of New Hampshire, who was directed to repair to Easton, where the main body of troops was ordered to be assem- bled. The letter of instructions accompanying the appoint- ment detailed with great exactness the objects to be aeeom- plished and the means to be used. With reiterated emphasis Washington directed the total and complete de- struction of the settlements; crops, and plantations of the enemy, so " that the country may not be merely overrun but destroyed," and this in the most effectual manner ; that the army was to advance with noise and shouting, and the fre- quent firing of cannon, that the Indians might be both ter- rified by the force and made to suffer by the devastation of the invading army. It need hardly be added that these instructions were carried out to the letter.

In the months of April and May the German battalion, consisting of two hundred men, under the command of Maj. Powell, one regiment from York Co., Pa., commanded by Col. Adam Hubley, and a New Hampshire regiment, ar- rived at Wyoming. Col. Zebulon Butler and Capt. John P. Schots (Sharts is the recent spelling), each with a small foree, were already there.

On June 18, Gen. Sullivan left Easton with two New Jersey and two New Hampshire regiments and Col. Proc- tor's artillery, and in five days reached Wyoming. Delays and misunderstandings had characterized the movements of this expedition from the first. The officers of the Jersey regiment hesitated to obey marching orders, on account of the baek wardness of the legislature of that State to arrange their compensation on the basis of the greatly depreciated enrrency. This being finally arranged, the board of war deemed the requisitions of Sullivan extravagant, and Con- gress reluctantly granted such supplies as by them were re- garded essential. It was alleged by some that this tardiness

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History of Bradford County, Pennsylvania, with Illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 19

Author: Craft, David, 1832-1908; L.H. Everts & Co Publication date: 1878 Publisher: Philadelphia : L. H. Everts Number of Pages: 812

Author: Craft, David, 1832-1908; L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia : L. H. Everts
Number of Pages: 812