History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 24

Author: Crumrine, Boyd, 1838-1916; Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Hungerford, Austin N
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : H.L. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 1216

USA > Pennsylvania > Washington County > History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 24

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Stone, in his "Life of Brant," ii. 220, says, " A band of between one and two hundred men from the settlements of the Monongahela turned out in quest of the marauders [those who had committed atrocities on the frontier east of the Ohio, and part of whom were supposed to be the Moravians], thirsting for vengeance, under the command of Col. David Williamson."

On page 143 of "Contributions to American History," published by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, is found the following : "In March, 1782, one hundred and sixty militiamen living upon the Monon- gahela set off on horseback to the Muskingum, in order to destroy three Moravian Indian settlements."

Col. Whittlesey, in the "American Pioneer," vol. ii. p. 428, says, " They were principally from the Monongahela region, and appointed William- son to the command."

Gen, Irvine, who was in the East at the time the expedition set out, and who arrived back at Fort Pitt a few days after the forces came back from their bloody work on the Muskingum, wrote to Gen. Washington on the 20th of April following, in which letter he said that upon his arrival at Fort Pitt he found that " about three hundred men had just re- turned from the Moravian towns."

3 The two other Wallace children-Robert, aged two and a half years, and his brother, ten years of age-were taken to Sandusky, where the elder one died. Robert was sold to the Wyandots, and remained with that tribe nearly three years. His father heard of his being there, and

body impaled on the sharpened trunk of a sapling standing directly on the path which led from the Mingo Bottom to the villages on the Muskingum. On their arrival at the Moravian town of Gnaden- hütten they announced the bloody work on which they had been engaged and exhibited the plunder they had secured. The Christian Indians at once saw how their own safety might be endangered by this visit of the hostile party. They reproached the Shawa- nese for having compromised them by stopping at their town, and begged them to proceed on their homeward journey without delay. The warriors com- plied with this request, but not until they had cun- ningly induced the simple Moravians to purchase from them some of the household utensils they had brought from the ravaged home on Raccoon Creek, and had disposed of the blood-stained dress of Mrs. Wallace to some of the foolish young squaws of Gna- denhütten. These were dear purchases to the unsus- pecting Moravians, for they soon after paid for them with their lives. It has been the opinion of many that the scheme was preconcerted on the part of the hostile Indians, who knew of the preparations which were being made in the white settlements for an expe- dition against the Muskingum towns,3 and left these articles at Gnadenhütten, expecting that the white men would find them there, and regarding the fact as positive proof that the Moravians had committed the outrages on Raccoon and Buffalo Creeks, would murder them and destroy their towns in retaliation. The hostile Indians suspected that the Moravians were in secret alliance with the Americans,4 and therefore might have wished to have them destroyed, or at least permanently driven from their towns, so that the war parties might pass to and fro between

after the close of the Revolution sent for him, and having succeeded in obtaining his release from captivity brought him back to his home in Washington County.

3 The story was afterwards current among the inhabitants that the infamous renegade, Simon Girty, was present in the settlements in dis- guise when the expedition was being formed, and that he did all in his power to promote it. That the Indians wished to have the blame of their outrages thrown on the Christian Indians is evident from the fact that two of the most savage of the captors of John Carpenter pretended to be Moravians, though they were but warriors in that disguise.

4 " The peaceable Indians [Moravians] first fell under suspicion with the Indian warriors and the English commandant at Detroit, to whom it was reported that their teachers [the missionaries] were in close confed- eracy with the American Congress for preventing not only their own people but also the Delawares and some other nations from associating their arms with those of the British for carrying on the war against tbe American colonies. The frequent failures of the war expeditions of the Indians was attributed to the Moravians, who often sent runners to Fort Pitt to give notice of their approach. This charge against them was certainly not without foundation. In the spring of 1781 the war chief of the Delawares fully apprised the missionaries and their followers of their danger both from the whites and Indians, and requested them to remove to a place of safety from both. This request was not complied with. The almost prophetic predictions of this chief were literally ful- filled." -- Doddridge's Early Settlement and Indian Wars, page 257.

The same advice which was given to the Moravian Indians by the Delaware chief, as mentioned by Doddridge, was also pressed on them by Col. Brodhead at the time he was marching with his expedition to the Delaware towne in April, 1781, but they persisted in their determination to remain, seeming to court their own destruction.

105

THE REVOLUTION.

the Sandusky and the Ohio without having their move- ments watched and reported to the frontiersmen. If such was their wish and intention it was natural that rather than do the bloody work themselves they should prefer to have it done by the whites, because in that event it would be sure to rouse a universal spirit of revenge among the Northwestern savages, and to unite all the tribes and bands (some of which were still wavering and neutral) in a general Indian league · against the Pennsylvania and Virginia settlers. If such was their plan it was a deep-laid one, which was adroitly executed, and only too successful in its results.

Col. Williamson's forces moved from the Mingo Bottom 1 and passed up the valley of Cross Creek, on the direct trail to the Moravian towns. Before they had advanced far from the river they passed the spot where the Indian murderers of Mrs. Robert Wallace had impaled her mutilated body. Naturally the rage of the volunteers was raised to the highest pitch by the ghastly sight, and many and deep were the impre- cations launched against the Moravians as the perpe- trators of the bloody deed. If they had reasoned more coolly they must have regarded the presence of the corpse at that place as evidence in favor of the innocence of the Christian Indians, for if they had done the murder, they would hardly have advertised the fact by placing the body in that position on the direct path to their settlements ; but the men were too highly excited and incensed to reason in this way, and so they marched on, full of wrath and vengeful feel- ings against the peaceful inhabitants of the villages on the Muskingum.

gathering corn of the previous year's crop to carry to their suffering brethren on the Sandusky. A part of them were at Gnadenhütten and the remainder at the two other villages, engaged in the same work.

Early in the morning of the 7th the forces moved from their bivouac of the previous night, and advanced towards the town in two divisions. The left division was divided into three parties, one to move through the woods to the river-bank below the town, one to march in the same way to the stream at the upper end of the town, and the third to move at the proper time directly on the village. The right division was to move under cover to the river at a point about a mile above the town, and there to cross to the other shore for the purpose of capturing a body of the Indians who, as the commander had learned from his scouts, were on the west side of the river.

When the right division reached the river above the town they found the stream filled with floating ice and too much swollen to ford. They had neither the time nor the means necessary to build rafts for cross- ing, and no canoes or other craft were to be seen along the east bank. On the west, however, they saw what appeared to be a canoe, and a young man named Sloughter volunteered to swim across and bring it over. This was done, but it proved to be, not a ca- noe, but a trough intended for holding sugar-water. Though large for that use, it would only carry two men at a time, and in that manner they crossed the river, some of the men, however, stripping off' their clothes, placing them in the trough, and then swim- ming by its side across the stream. When some fif- teen or twenty of the party had gained the west bank of the river, one of the scouts, who had been posted a short distance in advance, discovered an Indian. Two shots were instantly fired at him, breaking his arm. He proved to be a young half-breed, named Joseph Shabosh, who had been sent out to catch a horse. After breaking his arm the scouts rushed upon him, killed 2 and scalped him, he the while begging piteously for his life, telling them that he was a Christian, and that his father was a white man and a

Late in the evening of the 6th of March the expe- dition arrived within less than a mile of Gnadenhütten, and the men bivouacked so near the village that their advanced scouts could faintly hear the shouting of the Indian children, yet none of the doomed people in the town knew of their approach. The place had not been permanently reoccupied by the Moravians since their expulsion by the hostile Indians in the preceding Sep- tember; but a body of about one hundred and fifty of the exiles (including many women and children) ; minister. The firing of the shots at young Shabosh had come back from the place to which they had been driven, and were then engaged at their old settlement,

of course put an end to all hopes of further conceal- ment, and word was at once sent to the parties of the left division to move instantly on Gnadenhütten, while the men of the right division who had gained the west bank of the river-that is to say the party who had killed Shabosh-marched as rapidly as pos- sible to the capture of the Moravians who were on that side of the stream. These were found in a field, gath- ering corn to take to Sandusky. The white men told them they had come to take them all to Fort Pitt for safety.

1 " Mingo Bottom is a rich plateau on the immediate bank of the Ohio, in the south half of section 27 of township two, range oue, of the govern- ment survey, extending south to a small affluent of the Ohio known as Cross Creek. Opposite the upper portion of Mingo Bottom is Mingo Island, containing about ten acres, although much larger in 1782. It supports a scanty growth of willow bushes ouly, but within the recol- lection of many now living it was studded with trees of large size, par- ticularly the soft maple. Cross Creek, on the Virginia side, flows into the Ohio about three-fourths of a mile below. Before the great flood of 1832 the island contained not less than twenty acres. The usual place of crossing was directly from shore to shore, across the head of the island. At the landing on the west bank the vagrant Mingoes had once a village, deserted, however, as early as 1772. Their town gave name to the locality. The Ohio has been forded at this crossing in very low water. The bluffs of the river are below the island on the Virginia side, above on the Ohio side. Mingo Bottom contains about two hundred and fifty acres."- Butterfield's Expedition against Sandusky, p. 63.

2 The name of Charles Bilderback has been preserved as that of the man who killed and scalped young Shabosh, and who seven years after- wards was captured by an Indian party, taken to the very place where Shabosh was murdered, and there killed and scalped. This is the tra- dition. The most that can be said of it is that it may be true.

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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

" The Indians surrendered,1 delivered up their arms, and appeared highly delighted with the prospect of their removal, and began with all speed to prepare victuals for the white men, and Indians were imme- diately dispatched to Salem, a short distance from Gnadenhütten, where the Indians were gathering in their corn, to bring them into Gnadenhütten. The party soon arrived with the whole number of Indians from Salem. In the mean time the Indians at Gnaden- hütten were confined in two houses some distance apart and placed under guards, and when those from Salem arrived they were divided and placed in the same houses with their brethren from Gnaden- hütten."

While these scenes were being enacted Williamson's men in Gnadenhütten ransacked the village, and found there what they considered damning proof of the treachery and guilt of the Moravians. They seized the Indian horses and pointed to the brands on them as proof that they had been stolen from the settlements. The Indians in reply said they were in the habit of branding their horses for identification, and offered to produce the branding irons they used for the purpose. Tea-kettles, pots, basins, pewter plates, and a variety of other articles were found which the white men alleged to have been taken from the houses of settlers east of the Ohio. The Indians replied that nearly all these things had been brought by the missionaries from the missions on the Susque- hanna, though some had been purchased by them from traders. But then came the fatal evidence that there were among these articles some household uten- sils which had been taken from the house of Robert Wallace, and that the dress which his wife wore when she received the death-blow was found upon the per- son of one of the young Moravian women, and these were fully identified by Wallace himself, who was present with the expedition. In the face of these facts all protestations of innocence on the part of the Indians were unavailing. Their doom was already fixed in the minds of the incensed borderers, who at once demanded of Col. Williamson that they should be put to death.

Under the pressure of these demands the com- mander called a council of war to decide what should be done, but the officers composing it evaded the re- sponsibility of making a decision, and in fact they knew they would be powerless to enforce it if made against the wishes of the men. Williamson there- upon ordered that the question be referred to a vote of the volunteers, which vote should be final. The men were then formed in line and the question for- mally put to them, "Shall the Moravian Indians be taken as prisoners to Fort Pitt, or put to death here ?" All those in favor of sparing their lives were directed to advance three paces to the front. At the order all stood fast in the line save eighteen brave men who

advanced to the front, and stood there in hopeless minority until the commander announced the result, then withdrew, and, as tradition says, called on God to witness that they were guiltless of participation in the awful tragedy about to be enacted.

It was evening on the 7th of March when the dread decision was communicated to the unhappy Moravian prisoners. They had already abandoned all hope of mercy from man, and when asked if they were pre- pared to die answered that they were Christians, and had no fear of death. They were then told that they must make all preparations during the night, and die on the following morning.

The work of butchery was done in the forenoon of the 8th of March.2 The victims were dragged by ropes placed about their necks, some singly and others in pairs, to the place of slaughter, where they were knocked down like beasts with a cooper's mallet, and then tomahawked and scalped. The partic- ulars are too dreadful to dwell upon. The tale of Wyoming's massacre is less soul-sickening than the record of that day's work done by Christian white men.

" The prisoners," says the Rev. Dr. Doddridge, " from the time they were placed in the guard-house foresaw their fate, and began their devotions of sing- ing hymns, praying, and exhorting each other to place a firm reliance in the mercy of the Saviour of men. When their fate was announced to them these devoted people embraced, kissed, and bedewing each others' faces and bosoms with their mutual tears, asked pardon of the brothers and sisters for any of- fense they might have given them through life. Thus at peace with God and with each other, on being asked by those who were impatient for the slaughter whether they were ready to die, they answered that they had commended their souls to God and were ready to die. The particulars of the dreadful catas- trophe are too horrid to relate. Suffice it to say that in a few minutes these two slaughter-houses, as they were then called, exhibited in their ghastly interior the mangled, bleeding remains of these poor unfor- tunate people of all ages and sexes, from the aged, gray-headed parents down to the helpless infant at its mother's breast, dishonored by the fatal wounds of the tomahawk, mallet, war-club, spear, and scalping- knife."

An account of the operations of Williamson's forces from the time of their setting out on the expedition to that of their return to the settlements, including

1 From the Rev. Joseph Doddridge's "Notes on the Settlement and Indian Wars of the Western Parts of Virginia and Pennsylvania."

2 The manner in which Dr. Doddridge and some others tell the story of the massacre would lead to the inference that the Moravian prisoners were slaughtered on the 7th of March, commencing immediately after their doom was decided by the vote of the volunteers. That such was not the case, but that the killing was postponed until the morning of the 8th, is shown by the Rev. David Zeisberger's narrative of the trans- action, as also by the " Relation of Frederick Linebach," which is given in these pages. Gen, Irvine, however, in a letter to Gen. Washington, dated April 20, 1782, said the report there was that Williamson's men had killed the Moravians " after cool deliberation and considering the matter for three days."

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THE REVOLUTION.

the slaughter of the Moravians, is found in the Penn- sylvania Archives of 1781-83, page 524, as follows :

" Relation of what Frederick Linebach was told by two of his Neigh- bours living near Delaware River, above Easton, who were just returned from the Monongahela.

"That some time in February one hundred & sixty Men, living upon Monaungahela set off on Horseback to the Muskingum, in order to de- stroy Three Indian Settlements, of which they seemed to be sure of being the Touns of some Enemy Indiane. After coming nigh to one of the Touns they discovered some Indians on both sides of the River Mus- kingum. They then concluded to divide themselves in Two parties, the one to cross the River and the other to attack those Indians on this side. When the party got over the River they saw one of the Indians coming up towards them. They laid themselves flat on the ground waiting till the Indian was nigh enough, then one of them shot the Indian and broke his arm ; then three of the Militia ran towards him with Toma- hawks; when they were yet a little distance from him he ask'd them why they had fired at him; he was Minister Sheboshch's [John Bull's] Son, but they took no notice of what he said, but killed him on the Spot. They then surrounded the field, and took all the other Indians Prisoners. The Indians told them that they were Christians and made no resistance, when the Militia gave them to understand that they must bring them as Prisoners to Fort Pitt they seemed to be very glad. They were ordered to prepare themselves for the Journey, and to take all their Effects along with them. Accordingly they did so. They were asked how it came they had no Cattle? They answered that the small Stock that was left them had been sent to Sandusky.

"In the Evening the Militia held a Council, when the Commander of the Militia told his men that he would leave it to their choice either to carry the Indians as Prisoners to Fort Pitt or to kill them; when they agreed that they should be killed. Of this Resolution of the Council they gave notice to the Indians by two Messengers, who told them that as they had said they were Christians they would give them time this night to prepare themselves accordingly. Hereupon the Women met together and sung Hymns & Psalms all Night, and so likewise did the Men, and kept on singing as long as there were three left. In the morn- ing the Militia chose Two houses, which they called the Slaughter Houses, and then fetched the Indians two or three at a time with Ropes about their Necks and dragged them into the Slaughter houses, where they knocked them down; then they set these Two houses on Fire, as likewise all the other houses. This done they went to the other Towns and set fire to the Houses, took their plunder, and returned to the Mo- naungahela, where they held a Vendue among themselves. Before these Informants came away it was agreed that 600 men should meet on the 18th of March to go to Sandusky, which is about 100 Miles from the Muskingum."1

1 Linebach (or Leimbach) was an inhabitant of Northampton County, Pa., living not far from the Moravian headquarters at Bethlehem, in that county. On receipt of the intelligence of the massacre, he communi- cated it to the Moravian Bishop Seidel, who requested that he would make the statement to Congress, which he did, carrying with him a let- ter from L. Weiss to Charles Thomson, secretary of Congress, as follows (see Penn. Archives of 1781-83, p. 523):

"SIR,-I received this afternoon a letter of the Reverend Nathaniel [Seidel], Bishop of the United Churches of the Brethren, residing at Bethlehem, dated the 5th instant. He informs me that the same day a melancholy report was brought to him by one Mr. Leimbach, relative to a murder committed by white Men upon a number of Christian Indians at a place called Muskingum. He continues in his Letter that the same Mr. Leimbach is to proceed the next day to Philads in order to give Congress information how he came to the knowledge of that Event, 80 that Congress, unless it had already a better account of the affair than he can give, might, upon his Report, take some measures, as well of the mischief already done, as more which might be done, and thus prevent the total extirpation of a Congregation of Indians converted to the Faith of Jesus Christ, and the Judgments of Almighty God against our dear Country, which stands much in need of his divine Protection. The Bishop desires me to give attention to Mr. Leimbach's Report (I have done it), and to direct him where he should make his addresses. I make bold, Sir, to address him to you, and to begg the Favour that you intro- duce him, if possible this night, with the Delegates of the State of Vir- ginia, from whence it is said the mischief originated, and to-morrow morning with Congress. Your Humanity, Sir, gives me Confidence to use the Freedom to trouble you this day, the day set apart for the Ser-

Of the whole party of about one hundred and fifty Indians of all ages who were present at the three vil- lages when Williamson's forces made their appearance, about one-third the number were at work at the upper village. These heard the shots that were fired at Young Shabosh, and one or two of them cautiously advancing down the river to ascertain the cause soon found the body scalped and mutilated. No further warning was necessary. The alarm was instantly given to the people at the upper town, who fled in terror to the woods, and thus made their escape, leaving their corn and implements behind them. Soon after their flight a party of Williamson's men came to the village, but finding it deserted made no attempt to pursue, though the horsemen could easily have overtaken the fugitives. The white men having set fire to the village, then returned to Guadenhütten. After the massacre that town was also set on fire and entirely consumed, including the two slaughter-houses and the bodies of the slain Moravians.

The number of Indians slaughtered was reported as eighty-eight, but Heckewelder, the white Moravian missionary, in his account gave the number of the murdered ones as ninety-six,-sixty-two adults, male and female, and thirty-four children. All these, he says, were killed in the two slaughter-houses except four, who being supposed to be warriors were taken some distance away on the open ground, there to be tomahawked and scalped. One of them in being taken to the fatal spot escaped from his captors by cut- ting the rope which bound him and then dashing away towards the woods. He was, however, soon overtaken by the horsemen, who cut him down and scalped him.

vice of Men to their God, about a Cause which is most properly his own The Tragic scenes of erecting two Butcher-Houses or Sheds, and killing in cold blood 95 browne or tawny sheep of Jesus Christ, one by one, is certainly taken notice of by the Shepherd, their Creator and Redeemer. "I am, with particular respect, Sir, " Your most obed. humble Servant,

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History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 24

Author: Crumrine, Boyd, 1838-1916; Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Hungerford, Austin N Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Philadelphia : H.L. Everts & Co. Number of Pages: 1216

Author: Crumrine, Boyd, 1838-1916; Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Hungerford, Austin N
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : H.L. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 1216