USA > Pennsylvania > Carbon County > History of the counties of Lehigh and Carbon, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Pt. 2 > Part 41
USA > Pennsylvania > Lehigh County > History of the counties of Lehigh and Carbon, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Pt. 2 > Part 41
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578
HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
one hundred and twenty-five feet long, fifty feet wide, the stoekades most of them a foot thick. They are three feet in the ground and twelve feet out, pointed at the top. This is an account of our week's work, which I thought might give you some satisfaction. Foulk is gone to build another between this and Schuylkill fort, which I hope will be finished (as Trexler is to join him) in a week or ten days. As soon as Hays returns I shall dispatch another party to erect another at Surfas's, which I hope may be finished in the same time, and then I purpose to end my campaign, God willing, and do myself the pleasure of seeing you in my return. I can now add no more than that I am with great esteem and affection your friend. Yours affectionately,
"B. FRANKLIN."
In his autobiography Franklin thus describes Fort Allen :
"The next morning our fort was planned and marked out, the circumference measuring four hun- dred and fifty-five feet, which would require as many palisades to be made, one with another, of a foot diam- eter each. Our axes, of which we had seventy, were immediately set to work to eut down trees, and our men being dexterons in the use of them, great dispatch was made. Each pine made three palisades of eighteen feet long, pointed at one end. While these were pre- paring our other men dug a trench all round of three feet deep, in which the palisades were to be planted, and, the bodies being taken off our wagons, and the fore and hind wheels separated by taking out the pin which united the two parts of the perch, we had ten carriages, with two horses each, to bring the palisades from the woods to the spot. When they were set up, our carpenters built a platform of boards all round within, about six feet high, for the men to stand on when to fire through the loop-holes. We had one swivel-gun, which we mounted on one of the angles, and fired it as soon as fixed, to let the Indians know, if any were within hearing, that we had such pieces ; and thus our fort, if that name may be given to so miserable a stockade, was finished in a week, though it rained so hard every other day that the men could not work. This gave me occasion to observe that when men are employed they are best contented, for on the days they worked they were good-natured and cheerful, and, with the consciousness of having done a good day's work, they spent the evening jollily ; but on our idle days they were mutinous and quarrelsome, finding fault with the pork, the bread, etc., and were continually in bad humor, which put me in mind of a sea-captain, whose rule it was to keep his men con- stantly at work, and when his mate once told him that they had done everything, and there was nothing further to employ them about, 'N-,' said he, 'make them seour the anchor.' This kind of fort, however contemptible, is a sufficient defense against Indians,
securely, and having a place to retreat to on occasion, we ventured out in parties to scour the adjacent coun- try. We met with no Indians, but we found the places on the neighboring hills where they had lain to watch our proceedings.
"There was an art in the contrivance of those places that seems worth mentioning. It being winter a fire was necessary for them, but a common fire on the surface of the ground would, by its light, have discovered their position at a distance; they had, there- fore, dug holes in the ground about three feet in diam- eter and somewhat deeper; we found where they had, with their hatchets, cut off the charcoal from the sides of burnt logs lying in the woods. With these coals they had made small fires in the bottom of the holes, and we observed among the weeds and grass the prints of their bodies, made by their laying all around, with their legs hanging down in the holes to keep their feet warm, which with them is an essential point. This fire so managed could not discover them, either by its light, flames, sparks, or even smoke. It ap- peared that the number was not great, and it seems they saw we were too many to be attacked by them with prospects of advantage. . . .
" I had hardly finished this business and got my fort well stored with provisions, when I received a letter from the Governor, acquainting me that he had called the Assembly, and wished my attendance there, if the posture of affairs on the frontiers was such that my remaining there was no longer necessary. My friends, too, of the Assembly, pressing me by their letters to be if possible at the meeting, and my three intended forts being now completed, and the inhab- itants contented to remain on their farms under that protection, I resolved to return ; the more willingly as a New England officer, Col. Clapham, experienced in Indian war, being on a visit to our establishment, consented to accept the command. I gave him a com- mission, and, parading the garrison, had it read before them, and introduced him to them as an officer who, from his skill in military affairs, was much more fit to command them than myself; and, giving them a little exportation, took my leave. I was escorted as far as Bethlehem, where I rested a few days to recover from the fatigue I had undergone. The first night, lying in a good bed, I could hardly sleep, it was so different from my hard lodging on the floor of a hut at Gnaden- Huetten, with only a blanket or two."
Thus, after nineteen days' absence from Bethlehem, closed the military services of a man destined to achieve vastly greater renown in civil life. He had no experience in actual warfare, but in the provisions which he made for the protection of the frontier, in- cluding the building of the line of forts or stockades, of which Fort Allen was one, he exercised the same strong common sense and varied ingenuity which in other fields did much to make his fame.
James Young, commissary-general, who visited the who have no eannon. Finding ourselves now posted > fort in June, 1756, coming through Allemängel ( Lym
579
SETTLEMENT BY MORAVIANS IN CARBON COUNTY.
township, Lehigh Co.), from which it was distant about fifteen miles, says in his diary, " The first seven miles of this road is very hilly, barren, and swampy ; no plantations. The other part of the road is for the most part through a rich valley, chiefly meadow ground; several settlements, but all the houses burned and deserted. At noon we came to the fort. . . . This stands on the river Leahy ( Lehigh), in this pass through the very high hills, is, in my opinion, a very important place, and may be of great service if the officer does his duty. It is very well stockaded, with four good bastions. On one is a swivel-gun. The works are clear all around it for a considerable way, and is very defensible. Within are three good barracks and a guard-room. I found here fifteen men without any officer or commander. They told me Lieut. Jacob Mier and two men from the fort were gone this morning, with two gentlemen from Bethle- hem and four Indians, fifteen miles up the country, to bring down some friendly Indians, and that the sergeant with three men were gone to Capt. Foulk's, late commander here, to receive the pay that is due them. . . . I was informed that a captain with a new company was expected there in a day or two to take post at this fort."! Young also speaks of finding "a farm-house with a small stockade around it" at Le- high Gap. A sergeant and eight men, a detachment of Capt. Wetherholt's company, were stationed here. The captain with twelve men was at this time at an- other farm-house south of the gap.
Either because they were sated with blood, or be- cause the thoroughness of Franklin's plans of border defense had shown them the futility of making further inroads upon the whites, the Indians desisted from hostilities. Settlers returned to their homes, and the usual avocations were resumed. But, although the scattered pioneer farmers breathed more freely, they did not for many succeeding years enjoy a feeling of absolute security. Even as late as 1780, as we shall presently show, the Indians made a hostile raid into that portion of Northampton County which is now Carbon.
Fort Allen' was garrisoned for five years (1756-) 61), and after the expiration of that period was occasionally ocenpied by soldiers. During the time that regular garrisons were maintained at this fort (and also at Forts Norris and Hamilton) large quan- tities of provisions were of course needed. These were furnished in part by Adam Deshler, the noted pioneer of Lehigh County.3
Governor Morris made efforts to establish peace by treaty in July, 1756, when a council was held at
Easton, but without success. The council was ad- journed after much ineffective talking on the part of the government officials and the chiefs and sachems of the Indian tribes. Another meeting was held in 1757, but it was as futile as the first, and it was not until Oct. 26, 1758, that a general treaty of peace was entered into. And this was ruthlessly broken by the red warriors, by the perpetration of murders in Lehigh County and elsewhere in 1763.4
Captivity of the Gilbert Family in 1780 .- The hegira of the inhabitants following the Gnadenhütten massacre and other Indian atroeities left the trans- montane region a desolate solitude, but as years passed on in comparative tranquillity the few who had been settled in what is now Carbon County returned, and were reinforced by others, who opened farms in the fertile valleys. Among the latter class was Benjamin Gilbert, who, in 1775, located on Mahoning Creek, and built a mill a few miles from where Fort Allen was erected. He was an old man, married to his second wife, who was the widow of Bryan Peart, and had been, like himself, a resident of Byberry, fifteen miles from Philadelphia. Their united families of children made a large household.5 In this same neighborhood lived the Dodsons and a number of other families.
" On the 25th of' April, 1780, the Gilberts were sur- prised by a party of eleven Indians, whose appear- ance struck them with terror; to attempt an escape was death" (says the writer of an elaborate narrative of this incident of pioneer times)," " and a portion of distress not easy to be supported the certain attend- ant on the most potent and submissive conduct. The Indians who made this ineursion were of different tribes or nations, who had abandoned their country on the approach of Gen. Sullivan's army and fled within command of the British forts in Canada, pro- miscuously settling within their neighborhood, and, according to Indian customs of carrying on war, fre- quently invading the frontier settlements, taking cap- tive the weak and defenseless.
" The names of these Indians, with their respective tribes, are as follows :
" Rowland Monteur, first captain ; John Monteur, seeond in command, who was also styled captain,- these two were Mohawks, descended of a French- woman ; Samuel Harras, a Cayuga Indian ; John Huston and his son, John Huston, Jr., Cayugas; John Fox, of the Delaware nation. The other five were Senecas.
" At this place they made captives of the following persons: Benjamin Gilbert, aged sixty-nine years; Elizabeth, his wife, fifty-three years; Joseph Gilbert,
1 Col. James Burd, who visited Fort Allen in 1758, says, " This is u very poor slockade. . . . There is scarce roomu here for forty men."
2 The only relic of the old fort which remains at the present day is the well, which can be seen in the yard of the Fort Allen House at Weissport.
3 Adam Deshler, as commissary, und Deshler and Balliet, and Levan and Deshler, were paid at various times during 1756-58 sums varying from £17 118. 2d. lo .C1351 4s. 4d.
A See chapter ou Indian raid in the Lehigh County department of this work.
6 See chapter on Mahoning lowuship.
" The necount here given of the captivity of the Gilbert family is taken from Huzard's Register of May, 1829, in which the narrative, written a few years after the occurrence, was republished.
580
HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
his son, forty-one years; Jesse Gilbert, another son, aged nineteen years; Sarah Gilbert, wife to Jesse, aged nineteen years; Rebceca Gilbert, a daughter, aged sixteen years; Abner Gilbert, a son, aged four- teen years ; Elizabeth Gilbert, a daughter, aged twelve years; Thomas Peart, son to Benjamin Gilbert's wife, aged twenty-three years; Benjamin Gilbert, a son of John Gilbert, of Philadelphia, aged eleven years; Andrew Harrigar, of German descent, hired by Ben- jamin Gilbert, aged twenty-six years; Abigail Dodson (daughter of Samuel Dodson, who lived on a farm near one mile distant from the mill), who came that morning with grist, aged fourteen years. They then proceeded to Benjamin Peart's dwelling, about half a mile farther, and brought himself and family, viz. : Benjamin Peart, son to Benjamin Gilbert's wife, aged twenty-seven years; Elizabeth Peart, his wife, aged twenty years ; their child, about nine months old.
"The prisoners were bound with cords, which the Indians brought with them, and in this melancholy condition left under a guard for the space of half an hour, during which time the rest of the captors em- ployed themselves in plundering the house and pack- ing up such goods as they chose to carry off, until they had got together a sufficient loading for their horses, which they took, besides compelling the dis- tressed prisoners to carry part of their plunder. When they had finished plundering, they began their retreat, two of their number being detached to fire the buildings, which they did without any exception of those belonging to the unhappy sufferers, thereby aggravating their distresses, as they could observe the flames and the falling of the roofs from an adjoining eminence ealled Summer Hill. They cast a monrn- ful look towards their dwellings, but were not per- mitted to stop until they had reached the farther side of the hill, where the party sat down to make a short repast, but grief prevented the prisoners from sharing with them.
" The Indians speedily put forward from this place, as they apprehended they were not so far removed from settlements as to be secure from pursuit. Not much further was a large hill called Mochunk, which they fixed upon for a place of rendezvous. Here they halted near an hour, and prepared shoes and sandals, which they ealled mockasons, for some of the children. Considering themselves in some degree re- lieved from danger, their fear abated so that they could enjoy their meal at leisure, which they ate very heartily. At their removal from this hill they told the prisoners that Col. Butler was no great distance from them, in the woods, and that they were going to him.
" Near the foot of the hill flows a stream of water, called Mochunk Creek, which was erossed, and the second mountain passed, the steep and difficult as- cent of which appeared very great to the much-en-
feebled and affrighted captives. They were permitted to rest themselves for some minutes, and then pressed onward to the broad mountain, at the foot of which runs Nescaconnah2 Creek.
"Doubly distressed by a recollection of past hap- piness and a dread of the miseries they had now to endure, they began the ascent of this mountain with great anguish, both of mind and body. Benjamin Gilbert's wife, dispirited with the increasing difficul- ties, did not expect she was able to pass this mountain on foot, but being threatened with death by the In- dians if she did not perform it, with many a heavy step she at length succeeded. The broad mountain is said to be seven miles over in this place, and about ten miles distant from Benjamin Gilbert's settlements. Here they halted an hour, and then struck into the Neskapack " path, the unevenness and ruggedness of which rendered it exceedingly toilsome, and obliged them to move forward slowly. Quackac' Creek runs across the Neskapeck path, which leads over Pismire hill. At this last place they stopped to refresh them- selves, and then pursued their march along the same path, through Moravian Pine Swamp, to Mahoninah Mountain, where they lodged, being the first night of their captivity.
"It may furnish information to some to mention the method the Indians generally use to secure their pris- oners: they cut down a sapling as large as a man's thigh, and therein cut notches in which they fix their legs, and over this they place a pole, crossing the pole on each side with stakes drove in the ground, and in the erotchet of the stakes they place other poles or riders, effectually confining the prisoners on their backs; be- sides which they put a strap round their neeks, which they fasten to a tree ; in this manner the night passed. Their beds were hemloek branches strewed on the ground, and blankets for a covering (which was an indulgence scarcely to have been expected from sav- ages). It may reasonably be expected that in this melancholy situation sleep was a stranger to their eyelids.
" Benjamin Peart having fainted in the evening, occasioned by the sufferings he endured, was threat- ened to be tomahawked by Rowland Monteur.
" 26th. Early this morning they continued their route, near the waters of Teropin Ponds. The Indians thought it most eligible to separate the prisoners in companies of two by two, each company under the command of a particular Indian, spreading them to a considerable distance, in order to render a pursuit as impracticable as possible. The old people, overcome with fatigue, could not make as much expedition as their severe taskmasters thought proper, but failed in their journey, and were therefore threatened with death by the Indian under whose direction they were placed ; thus circumstaneed, they resigned themselve- to their unhappy lot with as much fortitude as possible.
1 Mauch Chunk.
2 Nesquehoning. 3 Neskopeck.
+ Quakake.
581
SETTLEMENT BY MORAVIANS IN CARBON COUNTY.
Towards evening the parties again net and encamped. Having killed a deer, they kindled a fire, each one roasting pieces of the flesh upou sharpened switches. The confinement of the captives was the same with the first night, but, as they were by this time more re- signed to the event, they were not altogether deprived of sleep.
"30/k. The negroes who were added to the com- pany the day before began cruelly to dominver and tyrannize over the prisoners, frequently whipping them for their spirit, and treating them with more severity than even the Indians themselves, having had their hearts hardened by the meanness of their
condition and long subjection to slavery. In this day's journey they passed the remains of the Indian town, Wyaloosing. The lands around these ruins have a remarkable appearance of fertility. In the evening they made a lodgment by the side of a large creek.
"5th Month 1st. After erossing a considerable hill
" 27th. After breakfast a council was held coneern- I in the morning, they came to a place where two In- ing the division of the prisoners, which being settled, they delivered each other those prisoners who fell within their several allotments, giving them direc- tions to attend to the particular Indians whose prop- erty they became. In the day's journey they passed near Fort Wyoming, on the eastern branch of the Sus- quehanna, about forty miles from their late habitation. : The Indians, naturally timid, were alarmed as they approached this garrison, and observed great caution, not suffering any noise, but stepped on the stones that lay in the path, lest any footstep should lead to a dis- covery. Not far from thence is a considerable stream of water, emptying itself into the Susquehanna, which they crossed with great difficulty, it being deep and rapid, and continued here this night. Benjamin Gilbert, being bound fast with cords, underwent great sufferings.
according to the custom among the Indians, some of . and overtook them as they were preparing for their
" 28th. This morning the prisoners were all painted them with red and black, some all red, and some with black only. Those whom they smut with black, with- out any other color, are not considered of any value, and are by this mark generally devoted to death. Although this cruel purpose may not be executed im- mediately, they are seldom preserved to reach the Indian hamlets alive. In the evening they came to the Susquehanna, having had a painful and wearisome journey through a very stony and hilly path. Here the Indians sought diligently for a private lodging- place, that they might be as secure as possible from any scouting parties of the white people. It is un- necessary to make further mention of their manner of lodging, as it still remained the same.
" 20th. They went in search of the horses which had strayed from them in the night, and after sonte time found them. They then kept the course of the river, walking along its side with difficulty. In the afternoon they came to a place where the Indians had directed four negroes to wait their return, having left them some corn for a subsistence. These negroes had ! escaped from confinement, and were on their way to Niagara when first discovered by the Indians. Being challenged by them, answered, 'they were for the king,' upon which they immediately received them into protection.
1
dians lay dead. A party of Indians had taken some white people, whom they were carrying off prisoners; they rose upon the Indians in the night, killed four of them, and then effected their escape. The women were sent forwards, and the men-prisoners com- manded to draw near and view the two dead bodies which remained (the other two being removed) ; they stayed to observe them a considerable time, and were then ordered to a place where a tree was blown down. Death appeared to be their doom ; but after remain- ing in a state of sad suspense for some time, they were ordered to dig a grave; to effect which they cut a sapling with their tomahawks and sharpened one end, with which wooden instrument one of them broke the ground, and the others cast the earth out with their hands, the negroes being permitted to beat them severely while they were thus employed. After interring the bodies, they went forward to the rest, lodging. They were not yet released from their sap- ling confinement.
" 24. Having some of their provisions with them, they made an early meal, and traveled the whole day. They crossed the East Branch of the Susquehanna to- wards evening in canoes, at the place where Gen. Sullivan's army had passed it in their expedition. Their encampment was on the western side of this branch of the river; but two Indians, who did not cross it, sent for Benjamin Gilbert, Jr., and Jesse Gilbert's wife, and as no probable cause could be as- signed why it was so, the design was considered as a very dark one, and was a grievous affliction to the others.
" 3d. The morning, however, dispelled their fears, when they had the satisfaction of seeing them again, and understood they had not received any treatment harder than their usual fare. The horses swam the Susquehanna by the side of the canoe. This day the Indians in their march found a scalp, and took it along with them, as also some old corn, of which they made a supper. They frequently killed deer, and by that means supplied the company with meat, being almost the only provision they ate, as the flour they took with them was expended.
4th. The path they traveled this morning was but little trodden, which made it difficult for those who were not acquainted with the woods to keep in it. They crossed a creek, made up a large fire to warm themselves by, and then separated into two com- panies, the one taking the westward path, with whom were Thomas Peart, Joseph Gilbert, Benjamin Gil-
582
HISTORY OF CARBON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
bert, Jr., and Jesse Gilbert's wife, Sarah ; the others went more to the north, over rich level land. When evening eame, inquiry was made concerning the four captives who were taken in the westward path, and they were told that ' these were killed and sealped, and you may expect the same fate to-night.' Au- drew Harrigar was so terrified at the threat that he resolved upon leaving them, and as soon as it was dark took a kettle, with pretense of bringing some water, and made his escape under favor of the night. He was sought after by the Indians as soon as they observed him to be missing.
"5th. In the morning the Indians returned, their search for Andrew Harrigar being, happily for him, unsuccessful.1
" The prisoners who remained were therefore treated with great severity on account of his escape, and were often accused of being privy to his design. Capt. Rowland Monteur carried his resentment so far that he threw Jesse Gilbert down and lifted his tomahawk to strike him, which the mother prevented by putting her head on his forehead, beseeching him to spare her son. This so enraged him that he turned round, kicked her over, and tied them both by their neeks to a tree, where they remained until his fury was a little abated ; he then loosed them, and not long after bid them pack up and go forwards. They passed through a large pine swamp, and about noon reached one of the Kittereen towns, which was desolated. Not far from this town, on the summit of a mountain, there issues a large spring, forming a very considerable fall, and runs very rapidly in an irregular, winding stream down the mountain's sides. They left this place and took up their lodging in a deserted wigwam covered with bark, which had formerly been part of a town of the Shipquagas.
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