History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, Part 16

Author: edited by John F. Meginness
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Brown, Runk
Number of Pages: 1650

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HISTORY OF LYCOMING COUNTY.

children." He admitted that it was "very hard to have all the county doing military duty and no labor going on, which must be the ruin of this poor infant county if it continues any time." At the date of this writing he had not heard of any serious trouble up the river since the 24th of May, but added that Indians were frequently seen across the river " opposite Antes's mill and at the Great Island."

HUNTER'S INSINCERITY.

When the massacre of the 10th of June became noised about the excitement among the people was greatly increased and a panic was almost precipitated. Wiser counsels, however, prevailed and they determined to hold on a little longer and wait for help. In the meantime the proposition to petition Congress was not abandoned, for on the 2d of June Colonel Hunter wrote Vice-President Bryan informing him of what was contemplated by the people, and the declaration of their inability to defend themselves without aid from abroad. The chief motive for getting up this petition, (says Hunter) was for the purpose of quieting the minds of the people, as they were apprehensive of a severe stroke from the Indians about the time of harvest, which would take all the militia of the county to guard against the savages, and cause them to lose their crops. The "appeal" was a long document and was signed almost altogether by persons living below Muncy Hills, where there was comparatively little danger.

That some feeling existed between the upper and lower sections of the county is evident, for on the 10th of June, the day of the Williamsport massacre, another peti- tion was forwarded to the Executive Council praying for aid, which reflects upon the inability of Colonel Hunter to procure assistance for this part of the county. It is apparent that this was not the petition to which he made reference in his letter of the 2d of June. The insinuation in his letter that the motive for preparing that petition was to quiet the people, was cruel to say the least. From the language used he was insincere, or did not exert his best efforts to secure aid. The inhab- itants above the Muncy Hills evidently understood his true position when they almost to a man signed the second memorial and did not fail to hint therein what they thought of him as county lieutenant. This petition is dated at Muncy, and a study of the names will show that they nearly all belonged to the section now embraced within the limits of Lycoming county. There were a few from below who sympa- thized with them and did not hesitate to unite in their stirring appeal. This last · petition, with the names of the signers, is given in full:

MUNCY, June 10, 1778. To the Honorable the Supreme Executive Council of the State of Pennsylvania:

The remonstrance of sundry the distressed inhabitants of the county of Northumberland inhabiting the West Branch of the River Susquehanna above Muncy Hills, humbly sheweth:

That the repeated depredations and horrid murders lately committed upon the innocent and peaceable inhabitants amongst us within a few weeks past is truly alarming. The melancholy event of the 31st of May upon Loyalsock creek obliged us to leave our homes and livings, and to assemble together in large bodies in order to protect our wives and infant children from becoming the victims of savage fury; in full faith aud confidence that we should shortly meet with such succor as would enable us to make a vigorous stand, that we have since frequently applied to the lieutenant of the county for aid, who, after using his best endeavors has not been able to furnish us with more than seventy-three troops of the militia of this county to cover a rontier of at least forty miles in length. This supply we apprehend to be of very little use,

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STORY OF THE "BIG RUNAWAY."

especially as their times will be out in the midst of harvest, and should anything more happen in the meanwhile, we are convinced that it will be impossible to call out the militia of this county at any rate; that those considerations, together with the very alarming event of the murder and captivity of thirteen of our near neighbors and most intimate acquaintances this day has drove the majority of us to desperation, and to pray that you in your wisdom will not only order to our immediate relief such standing forces as will be equal to our necessity; but that you will order such magazines and stores of provisions to be provided as will convince the good people of this place that such troops are to be stationed amongst them during the war. Nothing short of your immediate assurance of this, we are convinced, will induce the people to run the farther risk of being obliged to move away at a more unfavorable season.

Therefore in consideration of the premises, we beg leave to submit ourselves and families to your care and protection, not doubting but you will order us such relief as to you in your wisdom may seem meet.

The petitition was signed by Nimrod Pennington, Samuel Gordon, Joseph Arbour, Joseph Hogeland, Joseph Webster, John Hollingsworth, Benjamin Burt, Peter Jones, Charles Bignall, Nathaniel Barber, Albert Polhamus, John Stryker, Samuel Carpenter, Samuel Wallis, Mordecai Mckinney, Andrew Culbertson, Robert Robb, James White, Henry Scott, Joseph J. Wallis, Amariah Sutton, William Hall, Richard Sutton, Joseph Carpenter, Amos Hogeland, Erasmus Persh, Adam Weaver," Zachariah Jeig, Andrew Platt, John Sutton, Thomas McWhorter, Henry McWhorter, Israel Parshall, David Wortman, Andrew Ross, Abraham Lafever, Albert Covenho- hoven, Matthew Bleakley, William Ellis, Samuel Harris, Jr., John Carpenter, Joseph Gounou, Thomas Keen, Daniel Green, Joseph Sutton, John Glendining, Isaac Hall, Enos Lundy, Samuel Harris, John Harris, John Robb, Andrew Wortman, James Hinds, Barnet Stryker, John Covenhoven, Cornelius Low, Timothy Treascey, Henry Pittinger, William Hepburn, Paul Ricketts, Cornelius Vanende, Robert Mc Whorter, Ezra Green, Comfort Wanerer, Daniel Perine, Cornelius Love, Pictern Yekof, Tim- othy Smith, John Ferney, Jonathan Benjamin, Daniel Green, Henry Cymore, Will- iam Snodgrass, Michael Coons, Cornelius Low, Peter Smith, William Hammond, David Berry, Peter Burns, Peter Carter, William Jones, John Buckalow, Ebenezer Green, Garordis Townsend, Frederick Blow, Benjamin Green, Claudius Boatman, John Scudder, Michael Coriell, Thomas Hunt, William Hamilton, Henry Silverthorn, James Clark, Edward Reardon, Fleming Wilson, Nathaniel Landon, Joseph Beckars, Jacob Mckinney, Oaky Stevenson, Samuel Brady, James Brady, James Patton, Jerome Vanest, Jacob Houk, Paulus Sheep, Caleb Knap, Joshua Ran, Powel Sheep, Solomon -, John Hall, Patrick Murdock, William Leacock, Charles Richards, Lieutenant, James Hamilton, John Hampton, Jacob Lawrenson, Ephraim Wortman, James Hampton, John White, Arthur Moore, Jonathan Hampton, Jacob Lameson, William Wilson, Thomas Newman, Jr., Joseph Newman, Robert Guy, Robert Wil- son, tanner, Jonathan Hamil, Thomas Newman, Sr., Oliver Silverthorn, Thomas Oliver, Joshua White, George Silverthorn, Henry Starrett, James Giles, George Jor- dan, Michael Schmidt, David Austin, Joseph Hall, William Watson, John Morris, Thomas Lobdell, and Samuel Armstrong.

This petition had some weight with the Supreme Executive Council and the Board of War, as the subsequent action of those bodies will show. But with the enemy at the door it was hard for the inhabitants to wait for assistance, and time seemed long to them.

On the 14th of June, four days after the bloody occurrences of the 10th, Colonel

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Hunter officially informed Vice-President Bryan of what had taken place on the West Branch. Communication with Antes's mill was then cut off. "This affair," he remarked, "hath hurt us much," meaning the slaughter on Loyalsock and Lycom- ing creeks.

AN ACT OF PERFIDY.

There is one particular incident connected with this Indian invasion which should not be overlooked. Job Chilloway, the friendly Indian, early gave notice to the whites of the conspiracy and contemplated invasion of the valley, and warned them to be prepared and on their guard. In the early spring of this year (1778) an Indian suddenly appeared on the opposite side of the river from Reed's Fort, at Lock Haven, and made anxious signs for some one to ferry him across. Colonel Long, who was stationed there with a small body of militia, was suspicious and feared he might be a decoy. He continued making signs for a ferryman and seemed to be honestly disposed. Still the commander hesitated. To show that his intentions were good he waded as far into the river as he could and appealed for assistance. One of the women at the fort, (supposed to be Mrs. Reed,) noticing the hesitancy of the Colonel, jumped into a canoe, paddled over the river, and brought the Indian across. He proved to be a friendly Indian, and had traveled a long distance over mountains and streams to warn the settlers that a hostile band of savages was prepar- ing to make a descent on the valley from the north for the purpose of murder and pillage. He was greatly exhausted by his long and perilous journey, and when he had delivered his message he repaired to a quiet place, lay down, and was soon buried in a profound slumber.

A number of the militia at Reed's were engaged in shooting at a mark. Among them was a man named De Witt, who was slightly intoxicated. As he was loading his rifle he remarked to his companions that he would make the bullet he was putting in kill an Indian. Little attention was paid to his remark at the time. He made his word good, however; for, instead of firing at the mark, he leveled his rifle at the head of the sleeping Indian and shot him dead! Those who knew of his errand of mercy were horrified at the deed. A baser act of ingratitude could not well be committed. The cool blooded murder, for such it really was, was unpro- voked and cowardly in the extreme. The witnesses were so exasperated over the inhuman act that they threatened to lynch De Witt. This alarmed and sobered him, when conscience told him what a deed of perfidy he had committed, and realizing his danger, he took to his heels and fled. No efforts were made to stop him, and he was never heard of again. Probably retributive justice quickly over- took him and he fell by the remorseless tomahawk.

The hostile band of which the friendly Indian had given notice came. It consisted of twelve or fourteen savages, and terribly did they do their work at Loyalsock, Thomson's, and Lycoming. They fled by the way of the Sheshequin path up Lycoming creek, and on to Fort Niagara, "the headquarters of all that was barbarous, unrelenting. and cruel," where they demanded and received their reward, in the shape of British gold, for the bloody scalps they turned over as trophies of their raid!

The atrocious act of De Witt barely attracted the attention of one of the general

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officers. On the 17th of June, Brig. Gen. James Potter, writing to George Stewart, said that Colonel Long had forwarded to him an account of the assaults on Loyalsock and Lycoming, and then added that a few days before he had an Indian prisoner who "had come down from Sinnemahoning, and given him information of the approach of twelve Indians who did the murder." "I intended." added Colonel Long, " to have sent him down to Colonel Hunter in order to satisfy him, but an evil disposed person belonging to a lower garrison shot him as he was sleeping in the guard house." He does not say whether he disapproved of the act, or took advantage of the information given him by the Indian, who was basely murdered after apprising him of the danger in store for the settlers, but concluded his letter by saying: " We are informed that the northern Indians are determined to destroy both branches [the Susquehanna settlements] this month."

Had Colonel Long evinced any disposition to act quickly on the important information brought him from the wilds of Sinnemahoning, the calamity which befell the settlers below might have been averted, as the hostile band had to pass almost in sight of his post. A vigilant commander would have sent out scouts and made some effort to discover the whereabouts of the foe.

DILATORY POLICY CONTINUED.

Time wore away and little progress was made in the feeble efforts to protect the inhabitants of the West Branch. Council, under date of Lancaster, June 21st, informed General Roberdeau that they continued to have distressing accounts from Northumberland. The company of 100 men allowed by the Board of War for the defence of the frontier was found to be insufficient, and the levy being restrained to the county, added little to the defence. "Fearing the whole settlement will give way," continues the writer in behalf of Council, "orders have just been issued for another such corps exactly, to be raised in Lancaster county under six months' enlistment, for which it will be well that you procure approbation and the issue of rations."

Two days later, Gen. John Armstrong, writing from Carlisle to Vice-President Bryan, informed him that he had strong hopes that Congress would soon take up the question as to what was the best plan for protecting the frontier, and he begged to offer some suggestions. That Indian depredations were increasing the General was satisfied, and it was his opinion if some of their towns or places of rendezvous could be reached and destroyed some effective service would be rendered. If some- thing was not speedily done to repel the savages, "Carlisle must be the frontier in the space of one month." He believed that in order to carry out this plan success- fully, "not less than three different bodies of men should march at once, or near the same time; one from Sunbury, to proceed up the Susquehanna, and two of greater force from Pittsburg up the Allegheny river. These forces, he believed, would divert the attention of the Indians and prevent them from collecting in large bodies, when their harboring places could be attacked and destroyed.

The dilatory and temporizing policy of the Supreme Executive Council was well calculated to bring about the very condition foreshadowed by the petitioners. The outlook was growing more gloomy from day to day. Harvest was ready to cut and Indians were lying in wait to assail the husbandmen the moment they should leave

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their temporary places of defence and enter their fields. The savage knew the time to strike.

"'THE BIG RUNAWAY. "

The blow came at last. A strong force of Indians, Tories, and British attacked the settlers at Wyoming in the afternoon of July 3, 1778, defeated them with heavy loss, and closed the carnage of the day by a dreadful massacre in the evening. This was the culmination of the plan to exterminate the settlements in the valleys of both branches of the Susquehanna. The battle of Wyoming struck terror into the settlements on the North Branch and a general flight commenced. All who could get away fled precipitately.

When the news reached Colonel Hunter he was greatly alarmed, and fearing for the safety of the people on the West Branch, especially those living west of the Muncy Hills, sent word to Colonel Hepburn to order them to abandon the country and fly to Fort Augusta. He did this, he claimed, because there was an insufficient force of militia to afford adequate protection in case of a combined attack like that at Wyom- ing. Congress had done nothing to provide him with men and means to guard the frontier, and in the hour of peril there was but oue alternative left him.

Colonel Hepburn obeyed orders promptly. Messengers were dispatched to the points where the people were collected to warn them to fly. Some trouble was experienced in getting a messenger to carry the news to Antes and Horn's Forts, the farthest outlying posts up the river. Finally Robert Covenhoven, and a young millwright in the employ of Andrew Culbertson volunteered to carry the orders. Covenhoven was brave and true, and knew the habits of the Indians thoroughly. The mission was dangerous, but the messengers quailed not. They crossed the river, ascended Bald Eagle mountain, and traveled along the summit until they came to the gap opposite Antes Fort, when they cautiously descended. Coven- hoven knew that Indians would not be found on the mountain. From that eleva- tion he would have a good view of the valley, and could quickly detect Indians if they should be moving on any of the paths. . When they came in sight of the fort it was evening. As they cautiously approached the report of a rifle rang upon their ears and they were momentarily alarmed and thought they had been fired on. Investigation showed that the shot had been fired by a lurking Indian at a young woman who had incautiously gone outside to milk a cow. She was uninjured, but greatly terrified, as the ball passed through her clothes.

The orders were passed on to Horn's as speedily as possible, and the work of pre- paring for the exodus commenced. Canoes, rafts, and all manner of floats were hastily collected aud loaded with household effects and provisions, when the women and children were placed on board and the motley fleet started down the river. In many instances household utensils and articles of value that could not be carried away were buried by the owners, and when they returned a few years afterwards they ,

were found in fair condition. As the fleets moved down the stream they were con- voyed by companies of men armed with their trusty rifles, who marched along the shore, and in supporting distance of each other.

Covenhoven hurriedly returned to Wallis's and assisted his own family to get away. The excitement which prevailed among the people at this time is simply in-

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STORY OF THE "BIG RUNAWAY."

describable. Many drove away their stock and hurried them down the river by the public road. Fear lent wings to every one in their flight. The retreat was marked by confusion, constant alarms, and terror. Indians were imagined to lurk iu every bush. No one considered himself safe, but expected to be set upon and scalped at every turn in the river or the road.

Covenhoven accompanied his father's family to Sunbury and then hurried back with a keel-boat to secure their household furniture. As he was rounding a point in the river above Lewisburg he met the main fleet descending from the forts above. "Such a sight," he says, "he never saw in his life. Boats, canoes, hog troughs, rafts hastily made of dry sticks-every sort of floating article had been put in req- uisition and where crowded with women, children, and plunder-there were several hundred people in all. Whenever any obstruction occurred at a shoal or riffle, the women would leap out and put their shoulders, not indeed to the wheel, but to the flat-boat or raft, and launch it again in deep water."

Mrs. Hannah Miller, a daughter of Samuel Wallis, who died at Muncy in 1858, and who fled with her father's family, related this exciting incident: "During the night a number of families were with them on a flat-boat. They had placed boxes or chests along the sides of the craft, leaving a space in the center where the beds were made for the women and children. While a German woman was engaged doing something about the boat, she laid her baby on one of the boxes. It rolled off, and landing among the other children commenced crying loudly. This alarmed all the mothers and they had a hard time to prevent their babies from crying. They feared that such a noise might attract the attention of Indians lurking along the shore.

Had it not been for the armed force that marched along the shores to protect the women and children in the floats, the Indians very likely would have attacked them at the most dangerous points, and caused great havoc. In a day or two the valley was abandoned and homes and ripening harvests left to the mercy of the foe. Those in the rear could see the sky reddened at night by the lurid glare eaused by burning houses and barns. The scene was one of appalling grandeur, and the im- pression made on the minds of those who witnessed it-especially the young-was so vivid and deep that it never was effaced, but like some hideous spectre of evil, was always before them to haunt their memories!

This remarkable and exciting event, which stands without a parallel in the annals of pioneer times, is what is known in history as the " Big Runaway!" It marked an epoch in the early development of this valley, on account of the temporizing policy which brought it about, that has never yet been fully explained by State historians.

Ou the 4th of July, a few days before the fugitives began to arrive at Sunbury, Colonel Hunter dispatched a messenger to Vice-President Bryan, informing him that he had "intelligence of the most alarming and serious consequence," and he feared that " Wyoming will not long be able to oppose the rapid progress of the enemy." "In that case," he continued, "we can not say when the [Indians] will stop, and Lancaster county must soon tell their ravages."

Wyoming had then fallen, but he did not know it. But a few days elapsed, however, until advance couriers began to arrive and the stories they told of disaster and carnage were of the most exciting and exaggerated character. The startling intelligence alarmed and almost distracted the doughty commander of Fort Augusta,

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and it was not long till he had dispatched a messenger to Colonel Hepburn to issue orders to the people to evacuate the West Branch valley.

Five days later, (July 9, 1778,) he had sufficiently recovered from the state of excitement into which he had been thrown, to issue a proclamation to the com- manders of militia in Berks county, in which he informed them of the "distressed situation of this county .... The inhabitants of the West Branch have suffered almost as much as Wyoming, though not at one time, therefore not so severely felt; however, both branches are almost evacuated, and from all appearances the towns of Northumberland and Sunbury will be the frontiers in less than twenty-four hours." But being a little bit encouraged, he paused to notify them that "the inhabitants of both towns, with a few of the fugitives from the upper parts of the county, seem determined to make a stand, but how long they can do it is very precarious, and indeed without assistance from other counties their stand will be very short, in which case you and other counties must experience the calamities we now feel by being the frontier." Dropping into a reflective mood the Colonel concluded: "Nothing but a firm reliance on Divine Providence, and the virtue of our neighbors, induces the few to stand that remain in the two towns, and if they are not very speedily reinforced they must give way, but will have this consolation that they have stood in defence of their liberty and country as long as they could, and that the want of assistance alone obliges them to retreat. In justice to the county, [North- umberland] I must bear testimony that the States never applied to it in vain. The whole State must know that we have reduced ourselves to our present feeble con- dition by our readiness to turn out upon all occasions when called upon in defence of the common cause. Should we now fall for want of assistance, let the neighboring counties reconcile to themselves, if they can, the breach of brotherly love, charity, and every other virtue which adorns and advances the human species above the brute creation." Such a severe arraignment, as well as reflection on the purity of the motives of his neighbors, was not calculated to make them feel very warmly towards him, much less to strain a point to aid him.

He closed his "proclamation" by saying: "I will not attempt to point out particular cruelties or barbarities that have been practiced on our unhappy inhabit- ants, but assure you that for the number, history affords, in no instance, more heathenish cruelty or savage barbarity than has been exhibited in this county. I shall only add that a few hundred men, timely sent to Sunbury, to act in conjunc- tion with the people who mean to stand there, or proceed further up the country, as occasion may require, will, in all human probability, save numbers of lives, and pre- vent the depredations threatened by the savages on other counties. I should be glad, gentlemen, to hear from some of you as soon as possible, that we may know what assistance we are to expect from your county."

There is nothing on record to show that these militia officers, who were so chided in this proclamation, ever did anything to assist Colonel Hunter in the hour of his extremity. Less letter writing might have redounded more to his credit as a county lieutenant.

William Maclay, who was at Paxtang on the 12th of July, the same day that Colonel Hunter wrote his letter to the Berks county officers, addressed one to Timothy Matlack, secretary of the Supreme Executive Council, informing him that

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History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, Part 16

Author: edited by John F. Meginness Publication date: 1892 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Brown, Runk Number of Pages: 1650

Author: edited by John F. Meginness
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Brown, Runk
Number of Pages: 1650