History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania, Part 18

Author: Mathews, Alfred, 1852-1904. 4n
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : R.T. Peck & Co.
Number of Pages: 1438

USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania > Part 18
USA > Pennsylvania > Pike County > History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania > Part 18
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania > Part 18

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" The arrival of the party seemed soon to.be generally known at the different Indian towns near, as a large and jubilant crowd was soon collected, composed mainly of women and chil- dren, who were to be Mr. Hilborn's torment- ors, and who seemed cager to engage in the

WAYNE, PIKE AND MONROE COUNTIES, PENNSYLVANIA.

sport of lashing the poor captive. Two long lines were formed, composed of women and children armed with whips and clubs, throngh which Mr. Hilboru was to pass. The young Mohawk, of whom mention has been made, stood by silently watching with cvident dis- pleasure the preparations for this humiliating method of torture, so universally prevalent among his people, feeling that the prisoner in his present condition was unable to endure the punishment. Mr. Hilborn was ordered to start at a given signal ; he attempted to run as well as he could, but had proceeded but a few paces wheu the brave and generous young Mohawk broke in the ranks and arrested his further progress ; the confusion that ensued lasted but a moment, as he boldly announced his determination, and right from custom, to offer himself to run in place of the sick captive. He was accepted, and ran the whole course; uot- withstanding his remarkable agility, he was severely punished, but he endured it without a word of complaint and apparently with stoical iudifference. The young Mohawk continued the friend of Mr. Hilborn throughout his cap- tivity and was always kind and considerate towards him.

" During his stay at Shenango the Indians received intelligence of General Sullivan's in- tentiou of coming up the Susquehanna to de- stroy their towns and growing crops; this in- formation produced the wildest excitement, and on the part of some of the warriors, exhibitions of violent rage.

" They had a large body of the best of land under cultivation, with the prospect of an abundant harvest of Indian corn, beans, etc., and the thought of having it destroyed was a natural cause of anxiety.

" About the time of receiving intelligence of the movements of General Sullivan they were holding a council in reference to an expedition to the settlements on the West Branch of the Susquehanna, to be commanded by the cele- brated Capt. Brandt and Capt. Montour. Hil- born was informed of this contemplated expedi- tiou by his friend, the young Mohawk, who seemed to be privy to all that was takiug place. He expressed his fears for the fate of Hilborn

should this expedition be attended with unfavor- able results, and also in case General Sul- livan's army should make its appearance. The prisoners in either case would be treated badly. Hilborn now for the first time made efforts to obtain for himself and his companions release from captivity, and for this purpose had an interview with the old Delaware chief who took him prisoner. He made no attempts at mis- statement, for he found the old man exceedingly shrewd and any efforts to deceive him would be fruitless. He told him that he was a Quaker, that he had taken no part in the war, that it was against his religious principles to fight, etc., and that the women and children could do them no harm ; but all his arguments were in vain ; the only reply was that, "all the Yankees have the same story." Yet they treated him with more consideration after this interview. His employment was now, and had been for some time, to attend to the cultivation of the growing corn. (As is well known, General Sullivan iu a few weeks from this time rendered desolate this whole region of country, destroying forty villages, some of them containing as many as a hundred houses, together with 160,000 bushels of corn, leaving scarce a trace of vegetation on the surface.)

" Mr. Hilborn, now finding that he could not purchase his freedom by eutreaties, laid a plan for his escape. He concluded to take a canoe at uight and quietly push dowu the. Susquehanna until morning, and then hide the craft in the mouth of some creek, while he watched from an elevated position to ascertain if he was pursued; if so, to take his chances by land, and if not, to agaiu take the canoe and at night make his way down the stream. In plan- ning his escape his mind became greatly exer- cised, for notwithstauding the promise made on the day of his capture was not voluntary, having been extorted from him at the peril of his life, and therefore not strictly binding, yet when he came to make the trial, he could uot with a clear conscience disregard the pledges he had given and falsify his word; yet the plan of escape was deemed practical, and he had many opportunities for putting it in execution. On one occasion he was sent some distauce for

LACKAWAXEN AND RAYMONDSKILL.

water; a strong impulse to regain his freedom suddenly took possession of him, and he drop- ped his camp-kettle and began to rnn. After going about half a mile he again thought of the promise on which his life had been spared, and as speedily returned to the camp with the water.

" Capt. Brandt was arranging now for his in- tended expedition against the settlements on the West Branch of the Susquehanna.

" Hilborn heard from his Indian friend his opinion of the high character of the Mohawk chief, whom he described as the greatest man among the Indian nations ; that he had been educated in New England, had since been in London in company with Guy Johnston, and now held a commission under the erown, and that he was noted as much for his humanity as for his bravery. Mr. Hilborn now resolved to call on Brandt and state his case as well as he could. He found him in his tent, seated at a table, writing, and dressed in a calico wrapper. He was received with great politeness, and Capt. Brandt acted towards him more like an English gentleman than an Indian chief. Hc listened attentively to what Mr. Hilborn had to say, and seemed to have much sympathy for him, but finally told him that as he was a prisoner of the Delawares, he could not interfere for him, as he was a Mohawk. Yet Hilborn believed that the interview was of service to him, for it was ordered soon after that he should be sent to Niagara and delivered to the English there.

" After bidding farewell to his generous Indian friend, he was conducted through the Genesee country, where he saw large bodies of beautiful land under cultivation by the Indians.

" From Niagara he was ordered on board a ves- sel to be sent to Quebec. In passing down the St. Lawrence the water was exceedingly rapid and the navigation appeared dangerous. The vessel was conducted by a Frenchman with mueh skill, and he arrived safely in Quebec in just two months from the time he was taken prisoner. Here he was under no restraint and seemed to be left to take care of himself. He was now hungry, moneyless and almost naked. In this extremity he applied to an Irish eolonel in the British service for relief. The colonel listened to the relation he gave of himself, and,

to Hilborn's surprise, loaned him money enough to purchase a tolerably decent suit of clothes and something to eat.

" He now made effort to obtain employment, by which he might support himself for the present and discharge his obligation to the generous colonel. Happening to mention to him that he was a miller by trade, he at once sent him to a mill of his own on the opposite side of the river, to work for a time on trial. In this new situation he did everything in his power to show his gratitude by furthering the interests of his employer. He made several alterations, re-dressed the stones, etc., and after a little time had the mill doing better than it had ever done before. The colonel was greatly pleased and soon after made him superintendent of the whole business of purchasing grain, sel- ling the flour, as well as attending to its manu- facture, the sale of flour amounting to about £100 per week. He remained in this situation over a year, but with constant longing to return home; yet no opportunity was afforded. He at length made known his desire to the colonel, who seemed very reluctant to part with him, and offered to give him whatever wages he might in reason ask, if he would remain.

" But seeing he had his heart set on getting to his home, the colonel generously procured a passage for him in a transport about to sail for New York. They sailed by the Newfonnd- land fisheries, when the captain receiving infor- mation of a French fleet lying off the coast, they put into Halifax. He remained in Nova Scotia a considerable time, when he again took pas- sage and was finally landed in New Jersey, somewhere near Amboy, from which place he walked to his father's honsc, in Makefield, and from thenee to his home on Brodhead's Creck, having been away just two years from the time of his eapturc."

The family captured with Mr. Hilborn were all released and returned safely home, excepting one of the children, who died at Niagara.

The battle of the Raymondskill, or, as it is sometimes ealled, the battle of the Conashaugh, occurred the year following the battle of the Lackawaxen or Minisink. Of this engagement we have a carefully preserved traditional report

WAYNE, PIKE AND MONROE COUNTIES, PENNSYLVANIA.

and a cotemporary account which agrces sub- stantially with it, and give place to both, as no narrative of the fight has ever appeared in the public prints.

Old James Philip McCarty, who was "re- deemed " by Daniel Westfall (that is, he sold his time to pay his passage), was brought by the latter up to New Jersey. He started a clearing on the Pennsylvania side, up the Raymondskill (Pike County), and had stock over there. One rainy day in April, 1780, McCarty crossed the Delaware and went up to his clearing to look after his horses. He was riding his horse when it started and gave a snort. McCarty looked and discovered an Indian. He rode on, how- ever, trying to appear as if he did not see him, but, when he got out of sight, he slipped from the horse and ran across the creek and down near its mouth, where he crossed it again on a foot-log, and followed down the Delaware under cover of the bank to the usual place of crossing, opposite the stone fort in New Jersey. Here he hid in the brush and waited for some one to come across for him, for he concluded that his people would become alarmed on ac- count of his absence and look for him. His brother John became anxious about him towards nightfall, and, in company with Sam Helm, started across the river from the fort, to look for him. As McCarty saw them coming, he stood up, and Sam Helm, mistaking him for an Indian, immediately drew up his rifle and fired. The ball hit McCarty in the shoulder ; then they saw what they had done and carried him across to the fort. He told them about seeing the Indian, and Captain Peter West- brook immediately began to make preparations to reconnoitre the Pennsylvania side in force next day. He received reinforcements from the Pennsylvania side ; Lieutenant Ennis was along and Captain Van Etten. They crossed from the fort the next morning and thought they would find the Indians on Powwow Hill, an elevated little plateau, at the mouth of the Raymondskill. Part of the men went up over the hill and the rest of them went up the Ray- mondskill. Those that crossed Powwow Hill found two Indians, and Sam Helm shot and wounded one of them badly. (Years after-

terward they found the skeleton of an Indian in a cleft in the rocks not far away, and they supposed it was that of this wounded Indian, who had hidden away and died there.) They worked their way up the mountain and came togetlier, and followed the Indian trail, single file. When they had reached Bastian Spring, where there is a bluff at the right, they were fired upon by the Indians, who were in ambush. The captain and about one-third of the men in front stood their ground, while those in the rear broke and fled. The men who fought dropped behind trees and returned the fire of the Indians. Abram Westbrook, who was a young man, kept close to his uncle, the captain, and fired away with his gun, but he noticed that the Indian he had selected did not fall. The captain looked around and saw that they were alone and that the Indians were trying to surround them. He told his nephew to load his gun and then they started to retreat. They had not run far when they came to a thicket, and there they parted, Abram taking one side and the captain the other. Abram reached the Delaware and crossed with the other fugitives, who had rendezvoused there. Sam Helm was shot through the fleshy part of both thighs, but waded down the Conashaugh, supported by two men, who carried a stick that he leaned on. Lieutenant Ennis was killed and twelve others, and a number were wounded. The place to which they retreated is below Cave Bank, and is called Death Eddy to this day. They went up in force the next day and found Captain Westbrook killed and scalped near the thicket where he separated from young Abram Westbrook. The dead were taken up and buried in the old Minisink burying-ground, and cedar posts were placed at their heads. These posts remained for years and some persons now living remember seeing them. There was an Indian burying-ground not far from where the battle was fought, on the side-hill back from the Delaware, and that region was sacred ground to the Indians. If the forces under Westbrook had stood their ground they might have defeated the Indians, but they were under no discipline, and, being suddenly attacked, every man appears to have looked out for him-

LACKAWAXEN AND RAYMONDSKILL.

self. Abram Westbrook was only about nine- teen when the battle was fought, and he kept close to his uncle, fancying that he would be safer with him. The gun which he used was a borrowed one, and he afterward found that the barrel was crooked, which accounted for his poor shots during the fight.1

The cotemporary account which we cull from the musty and little-known pages of the Colonial Records, appears in a letter from John Van Campen to President Reed and fixes the date of the battle of the Raymondskill on April 21, 1780. It will be noticed that it disagrees in details with the account already given, but in the main supports it.

"LOWER SMITHFIELD, April the 24th, 1780. " Honored Sir :

"In hope my last by Mr. Mixer is come to hand, informing you of the Incursion of the Indians at the house of Manvel Gunsaleyes. I herewith inform your honor of their later attempts. James McCarte, with his family, was removed to the Jersey. On the 20th Instant his sons went to their home to feed the Cattle, Discovered Signs of Indians, returned to the Jersey immediately, and acquainted Major Westbrook and Captain Westbrook (with) the signs they had Discovered. They sent immediately for some of their best men and Crossed the River that night, and about sunrise the morning following Discovered the Indians Nigh the Barun and began the attack; the number of the Enemy is supposed to be about four- teen ; the Major received no Damage with his party ; the Indians retreated to the woods ; the Major was re- inforced by Captain Vannatten with three of his sons & Son in Law. Pursued the Indians by the Blood, and about two miles came up with them. As it is, without Doubt three of them was wounded. Renewed the attack, Drove the Indians in a few minutes ; they Ran to the edge of a thick woods. Captain Vannat- ten maintained his ground with his few men, the Major with his men also. Captain Westbrook's men left him at the first fire from the enemy in the Woods, which was the ruin of the whole; but the ground maintained for some time and the retreat secured by the Major & Vannatten ; kill'd and missing on the part of the Major and Vannatten ; Captain West- brook missing; not yet found; Benjamin Ennis kill'd, son in law to Captain Vannatten; Richard

Rosekrans kill'd and two more wounded. Of the enemy kill'd, two found, one an officer, appearing by his Dress, found in his pocket a regular Journal from the first of March until the 16th Inst .; as ap- pears by his journal there is three hundred and Ninety marched from Niagari (Niagara), divided into Different parties ; the Officer was a White man. "Respective Sir :

"I'me now under Difficulties of mind; what the Event will be God only knows; the People are De- termined to Evacuate the Country, as there appears no Prospect of Relief by the Militia.

"I am, Sir, with Due Respect, "Your Most Huble Servt, " JOHN VANCAMPEN.

" P. S .- The said McCarte where the attack began is about two miles Below Well's Ferry,2" on the Banks of Delaware.

"Capt. Vannatten lives in Delaware township, one mile below McCarte's."3

About the time of the Hilborn capture by the Indians, there were several other persons cither made prisoners or murdered by the Indians in what is now Monroc County. Emmanuel Salle- day, who lived on the Ransbury place, three miles from Stroudsburg, with his family, were made captives and taken to New York State, but subsequently released and returned to the Minisink. Emmanuel Gunsolus (or Gonzales) and his daughter were taken from their home near Bushkill and conveyed to Niagara, where the father was compelled to run the gauntlet. The Learn (or Larner) family were surprised and several of them killed,4 and Colonel Stroud, of Fort Penn, was bitterly complained of by Robert Levers, of Easton, in letters to the Council, it being alleged that he would not send men to protect them, because he judged Learn to be a Tory.

It was also about this time that a small band of Indians came down upon the Middle Smith- field settlement, near the "Kechout," on the Bushkill, and lying stealthily in ambush, suc- ceeded in accomplishing a murderous design. William Conrtright and Charles McGinnis went at evening to a pasture owned by the former to turn out some horses, and as they let

1 This is the first time that an account of this battle has ever been fully given. B. A. Westbrook collected the facts from "Long Ben" Westbrook, a son of Abram Westbrook, and Philip McCarty, a son of Old Philip McCarty ; and Ed- mond Lord's recollections of what Sam Helm told him agree with the account as here given.

2 'This Well's Ferry was at the site of Milford, Pike County.

3 Col. Rec., vol. viii. p. 202, 203.

4 See the chapter on Pocono township for a full account 1 of the murders at Learn's

WAYNE, PIKE AND MONROE COUNTIES. PENNSYLVANIA.

down the bars, three Indians sprang out of the bushes and captured them and the animals they led. They specdily fled with their prisoners northward (following a route eoinciding with the present Coolbaugh road northward to the saw-mill). When they had gone about five miles McGinnis became fatigued, and his captors, not being able to make him travel as fast as they desired, halted, deliberately painted themselves, as was their eustom when about to commit a deed of blood, and killed him with their toma- hawks. This occurred in the wilderness, at a place in the northern part of Middle Smithfield, ever since ealled " McGinnis' Barren." After taking his scalp they marched on and reached a point about twelve miles farther north at sun- down, and encamped in a large swamp. Court- right, unpereeived by the Indians, had been breaking twigs along the route, and, unknown to the Indians, a party of rescuers were follow- ing as fast as possible the trail thus indicated.

The pursuing party, Robert and Benjamin Hanna and William Sanders, came up with them about the time they halted. They erept eautiously close to them and just as one of the savages was kneeling and about to strike fire with a flint and steel, they fired. Two of the Indians fell and the third sprang away like a startled decr into the fastnesses of the swamp. Courtright jumped to his fect and ran towards his deliverers exelaiming " Thank God, I am a free man !" The Indian who was running for his own freedom turned quickly, however, and fired at Courtright, the ball breaking his thigh. Reseuers and reseued remained near by during the night and on the following day the wounded man was carried home on a blanket suspended between the two horses which had been re- covered. The place of this oeeurrenee, about three miles south of the High Knob, in Pike County, is known as the " Big Indian Swamp." Courtright finally died from his wound.

A family named Shoemaker, residing near Jacob Nyce's place, above Bushkill, was at- tacked, the father and son were killed, and the daughter, " Yonachy," then seven years of age, taken prisoner. In the exchange of prisoners she was returned and afterwards married a Mr. Cortright.

Such incidents as the foregoing werc of frequent occurrenec, and the whole country was kept in a state of continual terror.

The provincial authorities were in constant communication with the local officers, Colonel Stroud, of Fort Penn, and others, and always manifested sympathy, while they furnished all of the aid in their power.

President Reed, of the Executive Couneil, writing to Colonel Stroud, under date of Aug- ust 3, 1779, says,-

"The distress of your County by the late Incur- sions of the Indians has given us very great Concern, and the more so as we understand the militia, having got into some Coufusion, do not render the services that might be expected. We are sorry to find that some mistaken opinions you have formed on the mode of their being called out & of the Appointments of the Lieutenauts have had a great share in this Evil. As you are now most probably experiencing the sad Effects of such Mistakes, we shall not add to your Pain by dwelling upon them, but desire you to con- sider the Effects & Consequences, which cannot be other than the Ruin of your outer settlements & im- poverishment of the County itself. As you . . . possess a good share of the Esteem & Confidence of the People, I shall hope and do recommend it to you as the best Service you can perform to your Bleeding country to do away as far as possible the Effects of former Opinions & strive, by a general Concurrence with the other Gentlemen in the militia, to give them vigour & Efficacy, encouraging and promoting a spirit of Fidelity & Obedience to the Laws as calcu- lated to afford the best Relief and Security against the dreadful calamity." 1

On April 7, 1780, the Council received letters from Colonel Stroud, Depui, Van Campen and others, representing the condition of distress north of the mountains, in Northampton Coun- ty, the need of ammunition, etc.

President Reed wrote to Col. Jacob Stroud, April 11, 1780, telling him that he had received his favor by Mr. Kortright and expressing sym- pathy with him in his distress. "We have," he says, "as the first step of relief, delivered Mr. Kortright two hundred pounds of powder, eight hundred lead and five hundred flints, which will be delivered by him to Mr. Kack- lin, lieutenant of the eounty, to be forwarded to the places most wanted. We have also directed Colonel Kacklin to order out

1 Penn, Archives, Vol. VII. p. 613.

LACKAWAXEN AND RAYMONDSKILL.

a class of the militia on tour of duty, to march up to your township with as little delay as possible." He expressed but little faith in the efficacy of such measures, however, and urged the encour- agement of the young men to form parties "to strike the enemy near home and give them the alarnı for their own safety," saying, " we would gladly support and promote such a measure and have therefore authorized the lieutenant of the county to offer fifteen hundred dollars for every Indian or Tory prisoner taken in arms against us and one thousand dollars for every Indian scalp."1 Colonel Stroud thanked the President for the aid and encouragement extended in a letter dated " April ye 17."

It was not from actual Indian hostilities alone that the people suffered. The asperities of life in small ways were very great. The inhabitants of the regions remote from trade centres suffered from absence of many of the commonest neces- saries of life. Heavy demands were made upon the country for supplies for the army. The cattle were all driven away to Bethlehem, Philadelphia and other points, and so the people had little or no meat but such as the frontiersman's rifle could procure.

Tallow was, as a matter of course, equally scarce, and the people in many instances had recourse to a bush called the candleberry-bush to obtain the material for candles. The stems and twigs of this bush, cut in small fragments, were boiled in a kettle, when a peculiar wax or grease arose to the surface, which was carefully skimmed off, and, when a sufficient amount was procured, formed into candles by dipping or molding. The candles were of a delicate green color and gave a pale, but clear light. This serves as a fair illustration of the expedients to which the people were driven to provide the commonest necessities.

An extreme scarcity of salt was a more seri- ous deprivation during Revolutionary times than would at first be imagined. It brought from eight to twenty dollars per bushel and oftentimes was not to be had for any price. A plant, of the fern species, was used by many families as a substitute, but poorly answered

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History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania, Part 18

Author: Mathews, Alfred, 1852-1904. 4n Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Philadelphia : R.T. Peck & Co. Number of Pages: 1438

Author: Mathews, Alfred, 1852-1904. 4n
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : R.T. Peck & Co.
Number of Pages: 1438