History of the County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 7

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The authorities, encouraged by the settlers, had given their assistance in the erection of a number of these block-houses and forts. In July of 1755 prep- arations were made to erect a fort at Shippensburg, called thus after Edward Shippen, one of the Council. This was completed in the fall. Previous to this time a line of forts had been erected along the Kittatinny hills from the Delaware to Maryland, guarding the principal passes, and each garrisoned by from ten to thirty men. West of the Susquehanna were Fort . of the Tuscarora Valley, and those of Northampton Louther, at Carlisle; Fort Franklin, at Shippensburg ; ! County, as well as those of Franklin, killed and car- ried off many persons and destroyed much property, - so that whole settlements were deserted, and with the general results as before stated. Fort Shirley, on the creek which empties into the Juniata; Fort Littleton; Fort Loudon, on the Cono- cocheague, now Franklin County. Fort Shirley was on the Indian path from the West to Fort Augusta, on the Susquehanna. There were many block-houses, some without garrisons, to which the inhabitants might flee on timely notice.

At a time when, on account of the massacres which were horrible beyond description, the despair of the frontier colonists was at the highest and their fear the greatest, a successful expedition was planned and executed. There were on the west side of the Sus- quehanna eight companies of the First Pennsylvania Regiment, called the Second Battalion, under com- mand of Col. John Armstrong. Two chiefs, Shingass1 and Jacobs, were considered the instigators of these incursions. Jacobs, with his warriors, had his home at the Delaware Indian town of Kittanning, and here sometimes Shingass abided. Here they had great quantities of ammunition, received from the French, and from here they sallied out on their war-trips.

Hither the English prisoners captured about that time (1755) on the frontiers of Pennsylvania and

the sudden invasion of New York by Montcalm, the leader of the French in Canada, at the head of a for- midable force, the whole attention of Gen. Shirley was directed to resist their farther advance in that direction. Hence during the fall of 1755 and the year 1756 the whole frontier of Pennsylvania was overrun by scalping-parties of Indians assisted by the French. The unexpected change in affairs affected no colony so much as ours.' King Shingass with his warriors and sub-confederates fell upon the settlers

About the middle of August, 1756, Col. John Arm- strong, who was a militia officer of the Province, and who with the Second Battalion of the provincial militia was about that time stationed on the west side of the Susquehanna, conceiving the idea of suddenly surprising and defeating them on their own ground, made preparations for an expedition against Kittan- ning. He proposed passing up the Juniata and down the Kiskiminetas, along the path upon which these depredators came out on their excursions On the 30th of August, 1756, with a force of three hun- dred and seven men, he left Fort Shirley."

After a laborious march, and by the exercise of the utmost precaution and vigilance, Armstrong reached the town without having been discovered. His last march was thirty miles, and made at night, so that he might attack the place before his men or his movements were discovered. The attack began as the light of day made objects distinguishable in the cornfield lying outside the town, in which many of the warriors elept beside fires built to keep off the gnats, which along the river bottoms were extremely annoying. Captain Jacobs was in the town, and when he discovered the presence of the whites, which was

1 Shingaes (sometimes written Shingast) is described as a small man in stature, but of the utmost activity, prowess, and physical endurance. He, with his mutual friend and neighbor, Captain Jacobs, helped, mord than any other of the Western Indiana, to devastate the settlements of Unnococheagur, Great Cuve, Sherman's Valley, and the other settle- ments then along the frontier. Jacobs, an Indian chief, known by the name applied to him by the English-Americans, had his wigwam be- times along the Yough and Jacobs Creek. after whom this stream was called. A large tract of land in East Huntingdon township, not far from Ruff's Station on the Southwest Railway, is designated in old warrants as " Jacobs' Swamp," the best part of that land, now very valuable, having been reclaimed from marsh.

" Statement of George Crogan at the council at Carlisle, Jan. 13-19, 1756.

& Governor Morris' meeenge, July 24, 1755.

4 The best account of this expedition, which account is very interent- ing in details, is the " Report" of Col. Armstrong himself, which for do- tuils is referred to.

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ARMSTRONG'S EXPEDITION, 1756-BOUQUET AT LIGONIER, 1758.

made known from the noise of their attack, he gave the war-whoop, and at the same time ordered the squaws and children into the woods. In this singular battle the Indians for the greater part kept to their houses, and fired upon the whites to good advantage from the port-holes and crevices in the walls. From these advantages some of the whites were killed and many were wounded. Seeing that firing upon the houses was ineffectual, Armstrong ordered the houses nearest of access to be set on fire. In doing so many more were wounded, and among them was Armstrong, who received a ball in his shoulder. However, the fire once started burnt with effect, and speedily reached the principal house, in which were Jacobs and the more desperate of his followers. As those in it attempted to escape they were shot down, and Jacobs himself, as Armstrong reported, was killed. He says he was identified by some of the soldiers by his boots, which he had gotten from a French officer, and by his scalp, which they secured, as he dressed his hair in a peculiar manner.1

The destruction of this town and the death and scatterment of those who inhabited there was a severe 'blow to the savages. Henceforth they were afraid to leave their villages in any great number together, because they might expect an attack from their ene- mies as sudden, as unexpected, and as disastrous as this one had been. They had hitherto regarded themselves as safe in their camps and wigwams from any attack by the English on the western side of the mountains. The victory was indeed singularly event- ful, because it was a single victory during a time of defeat, disaster, and gloom. Such of the Indians as belonged to Kittanning and had escaped the dis- aster that had befallen their brethren refused to settle again to the east of Fort Duquesne, and wisely resolved to place that fort and the French garrisons between them and the colonists.2

But the relief expected after this victory was a temporary relief only. The disasters of 1755, 1756, and 1757 were not confined to Pennsylvania. The French and Indian power was everywhere in the ascendant. By the British ministry affairs at home and abroad were conducted illy. The people in Eng- land demanded a new ministry, and in June of 1757 William Pitt was created premier. By this change new life was restored to the body politic. His appeals

in the interest of the colonies and against their old enemy, the French, were listened to as they had never been listened to before. To the colonies he promised his assistance, and they responded to his requests. Pennsylvania came up promptly. She voted £100,000, put the roads in repair, raised troops, and prepared quarters for others.

In the spring of 1758 came Admiral Boscawan with twelve thousand British soldiers. These, with the other British, the Royal Americans and provincials, made a force of fifty thousand, all employed in the service of the colonies. The campaign of 1758, as that of 1755, embraced three expeditions :- the first against Louisburg, an island in the St. Lawrence; the second against Ticonderoga, a strong fortress be- tween Lake George and Lake Champlain, Northern New York ; and the third against Fort Duquesne.

The new expedition against Duquesne was under command of Brigadier John Forbes, a young man and a good soldier, by birth a Scot.3 Philadelphia was made his headquarters. Which was the more available route from here to the West was a matter of debate. Washington advised that the army proceed on the old Braddock road, and Forbes for a long time had not made up his mind. The route through Pennsylvania westward was urged by the provincial authorities with good reasons, but the Virginians objected to it. The authorities of Virginia wanted to cover their frontier by active operations in that portion, and perhaps wanted to make more perfect their claim to the disputed territory. But Bouquet, the chief officer upon whom Forbes depended, who was a soldier of fortune in the service of England, advocated a new route, and prevailed upon Forbes to choose it ; and on the 1st of August, 1758, seventeen hundred men were at work west of Bedford in open-

1 They said they knew his eqnaw's scalp also by a particular " bob" in the hair, and by the same token identified a young Indian by the name of " King's Son." It has been questioned whether Jacobs was killed here or not. There is mention of a " Captain Jacobs" (as he signs his name) iu "Col. Henry Bouquet's Journal, etc .. " in 1764, a chief of the Delawares, but others my this was a son of the former. It at best, at this day, is not worth while to contradict the report or get up argument, for as the report was generally believed at that day it served all purposes for good, and whether the "old original Jacobs" was killed there and then or elsewhere and afterwards, he is now dead enongh.

" Gordon's " History of Pennsylvania."-Before the town was destroyed there were about thirty houses in it. . . . Col. Armstrong's loss was seventeen killed, thirteen wounded, and nineteen missing. . . . Arm- strong County was named in his honor, very deservingly.

3 JOHN FORRES .*- Forbes was a native of Scotland, born in Peutrief, Fifeshire. Like Arthur St Clair, he was bred to the profes-ion of medi- cine. While young he entered into the military service, and ruse to the rank of lieutenant-colonel in Scott's Gray Dragoons. He won by faithful services the approval of his military superiors,-the Earl of Stair, Lord Ligonier, and other great soldiers with whom he was connected. He was a staff-officer to some of these generals, and was quartermaster-general of the army under the Duke of Bedford. He was about forty-seven or forty-eight when he was appointed to the command in which he distin- guished himself. From his indomitable will and tenacious, purpose he was called the Head of Iron, or by his followers moro commonly "Old Iron-hend." As n gallant soldier "seeking the bubble reputation even at the cannon's month," he was given to cursing, a vice considered a virtue among the European soldiery of his age,-" a vice which they brought with them from Flanders." During the whole campaign he suffered from accumulated infirmities and a general debility, and on his return from Fort Duquesne to Philadelphia was carried the whole way by horses and by men in a litter. More than once, it is reported, he got out of his litter and made things lively. On his return to the city, weakened and broken down with disorders, he died, March 13, 1759, aged forty-nine years. He is buried in the chancel of Christ Church, Philadelphia.

Ilis character has been thus described : As a man, he was just and with- out prejudices, brave without ostentition, uncommonly warm in his friendship, and incapable of flattery ; acquainted with the world and mankind, he was well bred, but absolutely impatient of formulity and Affectation.

* The Scotch pronounce his name in

to syllables, the English in one syllable.

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HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

ing out a road across the mountains of Western Penn- sylvania.

Forbes' forces in all amounted to about seven thousand men.' There were twelve hundred High- landers, three hundred and fifty Royal Americans, twenty-seven hundred Pennsylvania Provincials, six- teen hundred from Virginia, about one thousand wagoners and laborers, and the rest were from Dela- ware, Maryland, and North Carolina. The Virginia, | a surprise, and chiefly to collect such information as North Carolina, and Maryland contingent was to assemble at Winchester under Washington, and the Pennsylvania forces at Raystown, that is Bedford, under Bouquet. Bouquet, the gallant Swiss, brought the regular vanguard of the command to this point in advance of Forbes, who was detained at Philadel- phia by sickness. Bedford, as we shall call Raystown, was the most westerly point to which supplies could be sent. A road had been opened from Fort Louden past here to Fort Cumberland in 1755, on which the Pennsylvania supplies were forwarded to Braddock.

By slow moves Forbes in September, 1758, reached Bedford. By this time the brave Bouquet with twenty- five hundred troops and pioneers had crossed on over Laurel Hill and made his camp on the bank of the Loyalhanna. Making it secure, he here waited until the main body should come up. He made his communication with the post at Bedford and the headquarters of the army secure. He was fifty miles from Duquesne, and he did not choose to advance till the general with the other part of the forces ar- rived. He remembered Braddock. He, however, was vigilant in all things pertaining to the safety of the men and the success of the expedition. To get in- formation and as a matter of precaution he from here sent out a portion of his command to recon- noitre in the enemy's country.

CHAPTER V. FORBES' EXPEDITION, 175S.

Maj. Grant is sent ont from Fort Ligonier to reconnoltre about Fort Duquesne-Number of Men under Grant, and their Route-Their En- campment on the Nine-Mile Run-Their Trail the first Road of the English-speaking People through Westmoreland from Laurel Hill to the Oldo-Grant arrives at the Hill overlooking Fort Duquesne- Is Surrounded and Defeated-Capt. Bullet carries the Remains of the Command back to the Stockade of Ligonier-The French and Indians fill the Woods about Ligonier, and with their united forces attack Bonquet-The Battle lasts nearly all Day, when the Enemy flee off through the Woods-The whole Army under Forbes at Ligonier- He proposes to advance towards Fort Duquesne-Washington Icads the way, and cuts the Old Military or Forbes' Road-Duquesne de- sorted by the French, and first occupied by the British aud Ameri- cans-Fort Pitt erected.

THIS expedition which Bouquet sent out was under Maj. Grant. His command consisted of thirty-seven officers and eight hundred and five privates. Grant

himself was major and the senior officer in the High- land regiment, which was divided into four com- panies, two of which he now took with him, and be was supported by Maj. Lewis, of the famous Lewis family of Virginia, with above two hundred Royal Americans, and a body of about fifty Virginia pro- vincials under Capt. Bullet. His instructions were to approach as near the fort as practicable, to avoid

would be of consequence. He left the camp at the Loyalhanna on the 11th of September, the command not being encumbered with baggage or provisions, and having no cannon. Marching from the Loyalhanna camp he the first day passed through a gap of the Chestnut Ridge, and traversing most probably the southeastern part of now Derry township came to the Loyalhanna, which he crossed about half a mile below the Shelving Rocks. He inade his camp on the oppo- site side of Nine-Mile Run, so called from being nine miles from the fort at Ligonier. The site was well chosen, it having on the east the run at the base of a steep bank of twenty feet, on the south a deep ravine. The plateau above was covered with heavy timber. On this plateau where he rested he threw up an eurthen wall facing the west and north, running in an angle from one side to the other. The wall was of the height of a man. The ditch from which the earth was cast was on the outside of the wall, and the camp proper was within this triangle so formed by nature and art. We have an exact description of this en- campment and the road upon which Grant, follow- ing the old Indian path, went. This is in the journal of Christian Post. Post, a childlike missionary, full of the ancient fuith, and a man fully competent to conciliate the natives, was sent from his home in Berks County by Governor Denny on two important missions. On his second journey he came in the route of the army of Forbes, and in November of 1758, two months after Grant's march, came to the Loyalhanna, where, leaving Forbes, he traversed the path which Grant had taken thus far. He gives also an exact description of the camping-places of the main army afterwards, having on his return from his mission followed their road. But Post, leaving the camp described, proceeded down along the trading path, as he calls it, five miles below this site. Here the trail divided; Grant followed the western branch, near to which was afterwards the old Hannastown road, while Post passed on down the path which led alongside the Loyalhanna and on to the old Kittan- ning towns. This particular place was known to the last generation as the Breastwork Hills, and till within a few years musket-balls, flints, old bayonets, and occasionally buckles and rusty sabres were unearthed. Thirty years ago the breastwork might have been traced, but now it is all leveled and the place culti- vated.2

.1 The return on the 25th September, 1758, two months before the taking of the fort, was, on count, five thousand nine hundred and eighty in all, with detachments on the road and stationed ou the frontiers of eleren hundred and eighty -seven in addition.

? When the writer was a mere boy he heard famous stories to sleep on about cannous filled with bright gold pieces having been buried along

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Henry Bouquet

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FORBES' EXPEDITION, 1758.

The second day Grant proceeded twenty-five miles farther, or to within about fifteen miles of the fort. Although the Indians and French were being con-

the first roads, and pleasing versions by old superstitions persoun, who averred they had heard other persons say that they themselves heard by night the sound of drums and fifes coming from the Breastwork Hills. He recollects of seeing, because it was a part of the field not worked, the last visible remains of the encampment; and it puzzled him exceedingly to know who made it, as this was apparently away from any of the main military roads. The impossibility of getting accurate information from the "oldest people," who are just two generations too late, and the dis- tressiug lack iu knowledge of such an interesting suliject as that of the early roads, have impelled him to compile a chapter on that onlyject. By noticing attentively he has come to a knowledge who built this earth- work, and unhesitatingly pronounces this to have been the route of the English detachment under Grant, and the first route through the wil- dernees this side of Laurel Hill after Braddock's. All doubts are dis- pelled by a comparison of dates, and the taking of Post's Journal for the 9th of November, 1758, while Forbes was lying at Liguuler stockade. Wo insert part of the diary here.

From the second journal of Christian Frederick Post, 1758, on a mes- sage from the Governor of Pennsylvania to the Indians on the Oblo, iu the latter part of the same year :

Nov. 7, 1758 .- " We rose early and made all haste we could on our Journey ; we crossed the large creek, Rokempaliu, near Lawysl hill. Upon this bill we overtook the artillery ; and came, before sunset, tu Loyal Hauuiug. We were gladly received in the camp by the general, and most of the people. We made our fire near the other Indian camps, which pleased our people. . ..

8th .- " At eleven o'clock the general called the Indians together, the Cherokees and Catawbas being present ; he spoke to them in a kind and loving manuer, and bid them heartily welcome to his camp. . . . After that he drank the king's health, and all that wished well to the English nation; then he drank King Beaver's, Shingas', and all the warriors' healths, and recommended us (the messengers) to their care, aud desired them to give credit to what we should my. . . . Our Indians parted in love and well sutisfied. And we made all necessary preparations for our Journey.

9th .- "Some of the colonels and chief commanders wondered how I came through so many difficulties, and how I could rule and bring these people to reason, making no use of gun or sword. I told them it is done by no other means thau faith. Then they asked me if I lind faith to venture myself to come safe through with my companions? I told them it was in my heart to pray for them ; 'you know that the Lord has given many promises to his servants, aud what he promises, you may depend upon, he will perform.' Then he wished us goud success. We waited till almost noon for the writing of the general. We were escorted by au hundred meu, rank and file, commanded by Capt. Haslet.

" We passed through = tract of good land, about six miles on the old trading path, and came to the creek again, where there is a large fine bottoni, well thubered; from thence we came upon a hill, to an advanced breastwork, about ten miles from the caup, well situated for strength, facing a small branch of the aforesaid creek; the hill is steep down, perpeilicular about twenty feet, on the south side, which is a great de- fense; and on the west side the breastwork, about seven feet high, where we eucamped that night."

Our Indian companions heard that we were to part in the morning, and that twelve meu were to be seut with us, and the others, part of the company, to go towards Fort Duquesne. Our Indians desired that the captain would send twenty men fustend of twelve, that if any accident should happen they could be more able to defend thenmelves iu return- ing back. . . . It began to rain. Within five miles from the breastwork we departed from Capt. Haslet; he kept the old trading path to the Ohio. Lieut. Hays was ordered to accompany us to the Allegheny River with fourteen men. We went along the path which leads along the Loyal Hauning Creek, where there is a rich flue bottom land, well timbered, good springs, and small creeks. At four o'clock we were alarmed by three men in Indian dress, and preparation was made on both sides for defense. Isaac Still showed a white token, and Pisquetomen gave an Indian halloo, after which they threw down their bundles and ran away as fast as they could. We afterwards took up their bundles, and found that It was a small party of our men that had been long out. We were sorry that we had scared them, for they lost their bundles with all their food."

These men, no doubt, were soldiers scattered from Grant's command.

stantly informed of Forbes and Bouquet from the time Bouquet left Bedford, yet Grant succeeded in coming within sight of the fort without being detected. It was nearing dark when he was only a few miles from that spot for which two mighty nations were in contest. Two miles back he had left his bag- gage and horses under Capt. Bullett with fifty men. In the dusk he approached the fort. In the early part of the night two officers with fifty men were ordered to approach the fort, and if the outposts were not too strong to capture them. They were met by no enemy. They set fire to a store-house, but the fire was seen and put out. In the morning Grant, desirous of securing the victory for himself, sent Maj. Lewis with most of the ammunition and two hundred men half a mile back to secure, he said, the baggage. Believing that the garrison was small he posted his main body, about four hundred men, in a line on the face of the hill, and then sent out a company of fifty, with drums and bagpipes playing, to draw, or rather to drum, the enemy out. And it had the desired effect, for they came out in a hurry. By the noise of martial music the French were aroused from sleep. They knew the ground better than Grant did. Sepa- rating their forces into three divisions, two of these skulked out, one along the inner bank of each of the rivers, to surround the British, while the third posted itself in front till the others took up their positions. Securing their vantage-ground, they came in over- whelming numbers and surrounded the Highlanders and provincials on all sides. Hearing the noise of arms, Major Lewis hastened with his force to the res- cue. The Indians fought with the tomahawk and scalping-knife, and hastened to closely embrace their old enemies. As they darted out from their coverts they filled the air with their terrific war screams, a sound to which the foreign Scots were unused. The two chief officers, Grant and Lewis, fell into the hands of the French. When many had fallen a retreat com- menced. Then it was that the fifty men under the brave Bullet saved from utter annihilation the re- mains of the detachment. This officer, discovering the rout of the troops in front, dispatched with great prudence the most necessary part of the baggage on strong horses, and with the remainder of his men se- cured an advantageous position along the road. He had his men well screened, and by a well-directed fire they stopped the violence of the pursuit and thus somewhat checked the tumult of the men. With great coolness he blinded them by a successful strat- agem. Seeing that his number was few compared with that of the enemy, he ordered his men, from a previous agreement, to march up to the Indians with arms reversed as if they sued for quarter. The In- dians with a treacherous design themselves fell into the snare. When near enough Bullet gave the word ; a dreadful volley was discharged into the midst of the wretches, and a charge with the bayonet following, the assailants were effectual) , discomfited. The re-

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History of the County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 7

Author: George Dallas Albert, editor Publication date: Publisher: Number of Pages:

Author: George Dallas Albert, editor
Publication date:
Publisher:
Number of Pages: