USA > Pennsylvania > Westmoreland County > Hempfield > History of old Zion Evangelical Lutheran church in Hempfield Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. Near Harrold's > Part 5
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17
Another incident not generally known is the presence of German troops at Yorktown, both with the Americans and with the French. Under Rochambeau served the Royal Ger- man Regiment of Zweibruecken, a battalion of grenadiers of Kur-Trier of the Regiment Saar. Several divisions of Alsa- tians and Lotharingians, and the "Independent Horse" legion.
Nelson's company of Westmoreland riflemen fought at Germantown, Brandywine, Monmouth, Stony Point, and Yorktown, with General Wayne. This Second Pennsylvania Regiment fought with St. Clair in Canada. The Third Penn- sylvania Regiment was with Wayne at Yorktown. At the siege of Yorktown, Baron Steuben was the only American officer who had ever been present at a siege. He had served under Frederick the Great and gave up a lucrative position in order to volunteer his services to Congress. He became the organizer, drill-master, and Inspector-General of Washing- ton's army, and his tactics and discipline saved Washington's army at Monmouth, where the familiar voice of Steuben ral- lied General Lee's retreating division. His discipline saved Lafayette's army in Virgina. He literally created an army for General Greene in the South. Steuben was in command in the trenches when the British raised the white flag at York- town. Steuben's brigade consisted of Wayne's Pennsylvania Regiment, Muehlenberg's Virginians, and Gist's Marylanders, the brigade being at least one-half German.17
The last principal British redoubt was stormed by Prince Wilhelm von Zweibruecken and his grenadiers and yagers. This redoubt was defended by the Hessians, and it is reliably reported that "commands were given in the German language
16Faust, Vol. I, page 299.
17Faust, Vol. I, page 348.
57
LUTHERAN CHURCH, GREENSBURG, PA.
on either side when the redoubt was captured."18 "After Steuben had received the first overture of peace from Corn- wallis, Lafayette requested that he be permitted to supersede Steuben, but the latter, knowing that by the etiquette of military custom he was entitled to the place until the surren. der, referred the matter to Washington. Washington decided in favor of Steuben. The latter was not impelled by personal vanity, nor did the Prussian feel antagonistic to the French- man, but he possessed a large measure of pride in his Ameri- cans. He wanted the American Soldiery, his pupils in military tactics and discipline, to be honored as the recipients of the enemy's suit of surrender." In our cemeteries lie the mortal remains of brave men who saw the British raise the white flag at Yorktown and who rejoiced in the honor that fell to Steuben's American brigade.
18Faust, Vol. I, page 347, 348.
58
HISTORY OF OLD ZION EVANGELICAL
CHAPTER VI The Red Revolutionary War
While the Americans and British were fighting in a more or less civilized fashion along the seaboard, the red allies of the British, and the British themselves, were fighting a savage war on the frontiers.
"During the summer of 1777 occurred the violent and atrocious outbreak of the savages, instigated by the British in order to harass the frontiers and to divert the attention of these people from the contest of the east to the defense of their own hearths, and from now on to the close of the war this frontier knew no peace."1
"Gov. Hamilton, at Detroit, to whom the entire manage- ment of frontier affairs had been entrusted, was ordered by Guy Carleton, October 6th, 1776, to enlist the Indians and have them ready for spring. The purpose of this attack on the frontier was to weaken the main army of the 'Rebels' and facilitate the operations of Howe and Burgoyne. Hamilton was fully aware of the importance of his part and played it well. He soon asquired the hatred of the 'buckskins,' who held him in abhorence, and nicknamed him the 'hair-buyer' general. That he deserved this name is disputed; but scalps were bought and paid for at Detroit. There is an account of an Indian, who, by dividing a large scalp into two, got $50.00 for each half at Detroit."2 "Franklin in his list of twenty- six British atrocities, gives the 10th and 14th as-
1Frontier Forts.
2Border Warfare, page 68.
59
LUTHERAN CHURCH, GREENSBURG, PA.
'The King of England, giving audience to his Secretary of War, who presents him a schedule entitled Account of Scalps; which he receives very graciously.'
'The commanding officer at Niagara, sitting in state, a table before him, his soldiers and savages bring him scalps of the Wyoming families and presenting them. Money on the table with which he pays for them.'
The following is an inventory of scalps taken by the Seneca Indians, which accidentally fell into American hands. Lot 1-forty-three scalps of soldiers of Congress killed in battle, also sixty-two scalps, of farmers who had been killed in their houses.
Lot 2-Ninety-eight scalps of farmers killed in their houses, surprised by day, not by night as the first lot. The red color applied to the hoops of wood, which were used to stretch the scalp, indicated the difference.
Lot 3-Contained ninety-seven scalps of farmers killed in their fields, different colors denoting whether killed by toma- hawk or rifle ball.
Lot 4-Contained one hundred and two scalps of farmers, most of them young men.
Lot 5-Contained eighty-eight scalps of women, those with blue hoops cut from the heads of mothers.
Lot 6-Contained one hundred and ninety-three scalps of boys of different ages killed with clubs or hatchets, some with knives or bullets.
Lot 7-Contained two hundred and eleven scalps of girls, large and small, and
Lot 8-One hundred and twenty-two scalps of various kinds, among them twenty-nine babes's scalps, carefully stretched on small white hoops.
3 Border Warfare, page 69.
60
HISTORY OF OLD ZION EVANGELICAL
The entire bundle including the total of 1,062 scalps, fell into the hands of a New England expedition against the In- dians, and a prayer was found, addressed to the British gover- nor (Haldimond)-"Father, we wish that you send these scalps to the Great King that he may look at them and be refreshed at their sight, recognize our fidelity, and be con- vinced that his presents have not been bestowed upon a thank- less people."4
The Senecas were one of the tribes of the Six Nations. It is thought that Kiashuta, a head chief of the Senecas, led the Indian attack at Hanna'stown. He was also in Pontiac's conspiracy.
The Senecas occupied Western New York and the upper Allegheny region.
The British Government took the initiative in offering pre- miums for scalps, for it was not until 1780 that Pennsylvania offered $1,000.00 for every Indian scalp. This was to en- courage scouts, rangers, and militia to invade the Indian terri- tory and thus relieve the frontier. This was a dangerous plan, as is seen in the case of Williamson and his gang when they murdered the Christian Indians in Ohio to obtain the bounty for their scalps in 1782.
The bounty frequently led to the slaughter of friendly Indians, thus the "roughnecks" of the border frequently brought shame and counter-attacks upon the honest settlers of the frontier. "On this question, Colonel Broadhead, in a let- ter to President Reed, (of Pennsylvania) says that about forty friendly Delaware Indians had come to assist the white settlers in the frontier war, and that a party of about forty white men from the region of Hanna's town attempted to destroy them, and were only prevented from doing so by his soldiers. He says in the same letter that he could have gotten one hundred Indians to join him, had it not been for
4Faust, Vol. I, page 316.
61
LUTHERAN CHURCH, GREENSBURG, PA.
such open enmity as was evinced by these men from Hanna's town. Among the Hanna's town party were Captains Irwin and Jack, Lieutenant Brownlee, and Ensign Guthrie." This enmity was the cause of Brownlee's death, when captured at Fort Miller. When inadvertently, his name was men- tioned by a fellow captive, the Indians immediately toma- hawked him. "Judge Wilkinson, in the American Pioneer, says the scalp bounty law was brought into disrepute by killing friendly Indians to sell their scalps."" Another factor that
increased the sufferings of the settlers in Westmoreland Coun- ty in those revolutionary days was the constant bickering, contention, and playing politics among the military com- manders at Fort Pitt and the counties surrounding. "Presi- dent Reed in a letter to Lochry, says, 'It is with much concern that we hear that when troops are raised for your protection, they are permitted to loiter away their time in taverns or straggling about the country.'6 There were charges of misappropriation of supplies, and rather frequent changes in commanders. President Reed disapproved of re- taining the troops at Hannastown and asked that they be sent where they could be of more service. Lieutenant Lochry built a magazine and blockhouse on his own farm in Unity Town- ship to keep the army stores and ammunition. He either did not fully trust the garrisons with its right use, or was provid- ing for his own safety. President Reed disapproved of his plan and directed that the stores and munitions should be kept in the garrisons.
In November, 1777, Archibald Lochry, county Lieutenant of Westmoreland, writes to President Wharton as follows: "The distressed situation of our country is such, that we have no prospect but desolation and destruction. The whole country on the north side of the road (Forbes road) from the Alle-
5Boucher, Vol. I, page 147.
6 Boucher, Vol. I, page 149.
History of Westmoreland County.
62
HISTORY OF OLD ZION EVANGELICAL
ยท gheny Mts. to the river is all kept close in forts; and can get no subsistance from their plantations ; they have made applica- tion to us requesting to be put under pay and receive rations, and as we could see no other way to keep the people from flying and letting the country be evacuated, we were obliged to adopt these measures (requesting your Excellency to give the neces- sary orders to enable us to put them in execution)-if these very measures are not adopted, I see no other method that can secure the people from giving up the country. These people, while they support these frontiers, are certainly serving the public, and certainly cannot continue long so to do unless sup- ported by the public."7
In 1778 an attack was made upon Hannastown at which time Eve Ourry (Uhrig) saved the fort. "Eve Oury was granted a special pension of forty dollars per year by Act of April 1, 1846. The act itself recites that it was granted for heroic bravery and risking her life in defense of the garrison of Hannastown Fort in 1778, when it was attacked by a large number of Indians, and that by her fortitude, she performed efficient service in driving away the Indians, and thus saved the inmates from a horrid butchery by the merciless and savage foe."8 She was a daughter of Francis Oury (Uhrig) and died at Shieldsburg, in 1848, and is buried at Congruity.
"Colonel Lochry writes to President Reed, May 1, 1779, that not less than forty people had been killed, wounded, and captured that spring, and that the enemy had killed people within three hundred yards of Hanna's town."
"It was on March 28, 1778, that Alexander McKee, Matthew Elliott, and Simon Girty fled from the vicinity of Fort Pitt to the enemy and incited the Indians against the settlers. These three renegades afterwards proved themselves
7Frontier Forts.
8 Boucher, Vol. I, page 170.
9Border Warfare, page 104.
63
LUTHERAN CHURCH, GREENSBURG, PA.
active servants of the British Government, bringing untold misery to the frontiers, not only while the Revolution con- tinued, but throughout the Indian War which followed that struggle."10
Under date of June 25th, 1779, Col. Broadhead reports that "Captain Brady with twenty white men and one young Delaware Chief (all well painted) set out toward the Seneca country and some of the Indian warriors came in to the in- habitants. They killed a soldier between Forts Crawford and Hand, and proceeded towards the Sewickley settlement where they killed a woman and four children and took two children prisoners."11
This is doubtless the official account of the Henry Massacre.
The Henry Massacre
The attack on the Henry (Heinrich) home has often been rehearsed in our hearing. The scene of the tragedy was within sight of the author's boyhood home. The little cemetery on the hillside on the John G. Miller farm contains the earthly remains of the Henry family. We can still trace the sight of the burned cabin upon the freshly ploughed land. The story is as follows:
Frederick Henry (Heinrich), of Northampton, Burlington County, New Jersey, settled, shortly after 1770, in the Herold settlement, about two miles north of the schoolhouse (now the John G. Miller farm; the A. M. Zundel farm and Solomon Bender farm were parts of the original tract). In time, the new settlers cleared some land and erected a house and stables. Four children cheered this lonely settlement. During the Spring of 1779, when the husband, Frederick Henry, was com- pelled to leave home to take some grist to a distant mill, a
10Frontier Forts.
11Frontier Forts, page 338 and Border Warfare, page 108.
64
HISTORY OF OLD ZION EVANGELICAL
band of Indians, perhaps Senecas, descended upon the helpless home.
As was their custom, the Indians sneaked up to the house to ascertain if the men were home and on guard. Now, the Henry's had a large cock that frequently came to the door of the home to be fed. Mrs. Henry, seeing some feathers moving near the door, sent one of the children to shoo away the big rooster, whereupon the Indians, decked out in the feathers of their war head-gear, burst in upon the helpless family. Mrs. Henry bravely attempted to defend her little ones, whereupon she was "tomahawked" and scalped in the presence of her small children.
One child, seeing the Indians coming at the door, fled into the corn field and hid among the corn, and thus escaped, the Indians being in a hurry, fearing the wrath of the settlers.
The Indians now took the three children captive, and after firing the buildings, started on their journey toward the Indian country. It soon developed that the youngest child, a mere infant, would be too much bother to the Indians, so when it began to cry, a big Indian took it by its feet and dashed its brains out against a maple tree on the Solomon Bender farm, now owned by William Henry.
This tree was held sacred by the pioneers and it stood until recent times (about 1900).
The other two children were carried away.
Immediately upon the return of Henry, a posse of settlers started out in pursuit of the Indians. One account relates that the Indians were in their camp above Pittsburgh on the Alle- gheny, and after a lively skirmish, the children were re- captured, and the murderer of the wife and child identified ; tied to a tree, and despatched by the daughter, Anna Margaret, then about nine years old.12
12The eldest child recorded in Baptismal record of Frederick Hinrich and Catherine his wife was Sarah, born October 24, 1777.
65
LUTHERAN CHURCH, GREENSBURG, PA.
Anna Margaret Henry married Adam Steiner in 1793 and her daughter, Sarah, became the wife of George Eisenmann.
Another account agrees with the report of Col. Broadhead, that Captain Brady, with twenty white men and a Delaware Chief, effected the capture. We may surmise that when the neighbors of the Henry and Haines families assembled, (for the Haines homestead had been attacked the same time and two children slain. The neighborhood pathway leading from the Haines home to the Henry home, guiding the savages to unprotected Henry home) they followed the savages trail to the Allegheny river and there was joined by Brady and the Delaware Chief. Since the invasion of the Indian country was hazardous, the whole party disguised as Indians, followed the trail, and slew the Indians and captured the children.
The Indians were sometimes more merciful than their savage white allies. The commander of Detroit offered bounty for scalps, but none for "fresh meat," i. e. live captives ; hence, the Indians would march their captives, carrying the plunder, to the vicinity of Detroit and then kill the captives and take their scalps to the commander for bounty. The English paid $50.00 per scalp.
Ofttimes the prisoners were taken to the Indian villages where they became the slaves of the village, unless adopted by some Indian. When adopted, the captives were treated well.
When Bouquet made his campaign to the Muskingum in 1764 he secured the release of many captives.
"Mccullough, one of the captives, in his narrative, says that Rhoda Boyd and Elizabeth Studibaker escaped from the whites and went back to the Indians. Mary Jemison, who had married among them, fled with her half-breed children and hid until the troops left the country. One of the Virginia volun-
Margaretta Elizabeth was born August 13, 1778. Catherine, daughter of Frederick Hinrich and Margaretta his wife was born February 6, 1789.
Grbg. 3
66
HISTORY OF OLD ZION EVANGELICAL
teers had lost his wife and a child two years old, in an Indian foray in to the settlement six months before. What transports filled their hearts when he met her with a babe three months old at her breast! Quickly, he took her to his tent, and fur- nished suitable clothing for her and her babe. But, what had become of the two-year-old darling captured with its mother? She could not tell, except that it had been separated from her and taken elsewhere after their captivity. A few days later, a child was brought in which was supposed to be the one in question. The mother was sent for, and at first was not certain that it was her child, but after carefully scrutinizing it, she recognized its features, and was so overcome with joy that she dropped her young babe and, catching up the newly found child, she clasped it to her heart, and with a flood of tears, carried it off. The father, picking up the child that she had let fall, fol- lowed his overjoyed wife and thus again the family circle was unbroken. The rough soldiers, and even the stolid savages were moved to feelings of sympathetic tenderness by such touches of human nature, which make the whole world of man- kind akin."13
The captives that were unidentified and claimed at Pitts- burgh, were taken by the volunteer soldiery to Carlisle.
To Carlisle came Frau Hartmann, who had lost a child, a little daughter nine years before; after scrutinizing the captives carefully, she recognized a girl as her long lost child. But the child had long since, in her servile captivity, forgotten even the face of her mother. Although the mother begged and entreated with all the eloquence of a mother's heart, she could not arouse any recognition within the maiden. The sorrowful plight of the mother soon came to the ears of Bouquet whose sympathy was aroused, and seeking her, he spoke to her kindly and offered his help. The mother opened her heart and lamented
13Cort.
67
LUTHERAN CHURCH, GREENSBURG, PA.
that the child she had so often sung to sleep would not recog- nize her and had forgoten her.
Bouquet asked the mother if she could recall some melody that she had sung to the girl in her childhood. Frau Hartmann sang the old church hymn "Allein und doch nicht ganz alleine Bin ich in meiner Einsamkeit." The child listening intently, and when the words were uttered,-"G'nug, dasz bei mir, wann ich allein, Gott und viel tausend Engel sein," the girl remembered them and with a cry of recognition, she rushed into the arms of her devoted mother.
The hymn, with a translation by Rev. Samuel R. Fisher, D.D., is as follows :14
Allein und doch nicht ganz alleine Bin ich in meiner Einsamkeit, Denn wann ich ganz verlassen scheine, Vertreibt mir Jesu selbst die Zeit. Ich bin bei Ihm, und Er bei mir, So kommt mir gar nicht einsam fuer.
Alone and yet not all alone Am I, in solitude though drear, For when no one seems me to own My Jesus will himself be near. I am with Him and He with me, I, therefore, cannot lonely be.
Komm ich zur Welt; man redt von Sachen, So nur Eitelkeit gericht; Da muss sich lassen das verlachen, Der etwas von den Himmel spricht. Drum wuensch ich lieber ganz allein, Als bei der Welt ohn Gott zu sein.
14Cort, page 71.
68
HISTORY OF OLD ZION EVANGELICAL
Seek I the world? Of things they speak, Which are on vanity intent ; Here he is scorned and spurned as weak, Whose mind on heavenly things is bent, I rather would my lone way plod, Than share the world without my God.
Verkehrte koennen leicht verkehren, Wer greifet Pech ohn kleben an? Wie solt ich dann dahin begehren, Wo man Gott bald vergessen kann? Gesellschaft, die verdaechtig scheint, Wird oefters nach dein fall beweint.
With ease do perverts perverts make ; Who handles pitch his hands will soil ; Why then, should I with those partake, Who of His honor God despoil? Society which we suspect, We often afterwards reject.
Wer wollte denn nun recht erkennen, Dass ich stets in Gesellschaft bin ?. Und will die Welt mich einsam nennen, So thu' sie es nur immerhin. G'nug, dass bei mir, wann ich allein, Gott und viel tausend Engel sein.
Who will not then with candor own, I have companions all I crave? And will the world still deem me lone? Then let it thus forever rave. Enough! I've God and angel's host, Whose number can its thousands boast.
69
LUTHERAN CHURCH, GREENSBURG, PA.
The women of the border were no less heroic than the men.
Maria Ludwig was the daughter of John George Ludwig and, as a maiden, served as a maid in Dr. William Irvine's family in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and was generally called "Molly." About the outbreak of the Revolution, she married William Hays. Her husband became a gunner in an artillery company and Molly returned, after a time, to serve in Gen. Irvine's family. She received news that her husband had been severely wounded, wherefore she started out to find him. She nursed him and after that, for seven years, she accompanied him from battlefield to battlefield. She was utterly fearless brought water and food to the soldiers, and helped to carry away the wounded and care for them. "Here comes Molly with her pitcher" was a refreshing sound in the heat of battle, that made her known throughout the army as Moll Pitcher. At the battle of Monmouth, when her husband was wounded and there was no assistance available for serving the cannon, she herself set about putting the piece in position and loading it, while those about her were in doubt whether to stand or to retreat. Rallied by her example, they continued the battle un- til reinforcements arrived."15
Another incident shows the heroic character of the fron- tier woman.
Ebenezer Zane (Zahn) had established the first permanent foothold on the Ohio River in 1769, building a blockhouse on the present site of Wheeling. The fort was attacked in 1782 by a band of forty British soldiers and one hundred and eighty- six Indians. The particular hero of the siege was Elizabeth Zane, sister of Ebenezer. The latter at the time lived about forty yards distant, in a house which was used as a magazine for the fort, which was left in command of Silas Zane. The
15Faust, Vol. I, page 341.
70
HISTORY OF OLD ZION EVANGELICAL
ammunition of the fort being exhausted, it was proposed that one of the swiftest runners get a new supply from the maga- zine. Elizabeth Zane insisted on being allowed to go instead. "You have not one man to spare," she said, "a woman will not be missed in the defense of the fort."
She rushed out when an opportunity presented itself, and reached the house. There Colonel Ebenezer Zane fastened a tablecloth about her waist, into which he emptied a keg of powder; then, with her precious burden, she succeeded in safely returning to the fort amid a shower of bullets, several of which passed through her clothes."16
"Among the numerous stories of heroism on the frontier there is none more memorable than that told of Johann Chris- tian Schell. He lived with his wife and six sons about three miles to the northeast of Fort Dayton (German Flats, N.Y.) in what was called Schell's Bush. It was in August, 1781, when most settlers had retreated for safety to the forts, or to more easterly settlements. He decided to breast the storm relying upon his sure eye and strong arm. Schell's blockhouse was strong, well built, and well adapted for defense against ordin- ary attacks. His house was stored with weapons and ammuni- tion. He was at work in the field with his sons one day when the enemy appeared. The two youngest sons, twins eight years of age, could not follow their father and elder brothers fast enough, and were taken captive and dragged off to Canada. It was two o'clock in the afternoon when about forty-eight Indians and sixteen Tories attacked the house. Their leader was Donald MacDonald. While Schell and his four sons shot off their rifles, his wife reloaded them. Almost every shot hit its mark, but the enemy were so numerous as not to feel their losses. Finally MacDonald himself succeeded in reaching the door, which he tried to pry open with a lever. During the at-
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.