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My people fought well. My loss is about twenty-six killed, and eight or ten severely wounded. Inclosed is a list of the prisoners; which has been sent out to me by
General Lacey.
1
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INDIAN CAPTIVITY.
{MAY
a person who took their names, just after they were put into the jail. My scouts, who were ordered to leave the camp between two and three o'clock, the night before the alarm, never left it till near day. One party of the enemy that came in my rear, had passed the cross-roads, where one part of the scout was ordered, before they got to it. Another part of the scout met the enemy near two miles from the camp; yet never gave the alarm, as they were ordered to do, by firing their guns; but sent one of their number to tell us the enemy were coming. The man never came; or did not arrive till it was too late. This officer, Lieut. N-, I have since tried by a Court Martial, and he has been cashiered .- The officer who commanded the scout, before it was divided, whose duty it was to see they went out at the appointed hour, somewhere fell in with the enemy, and was killed, I believe, on his way into camp, after he heard the firing.
Many of the unfortunate, who fell into the merciless hands of the British, were most cruelly and inhumanly butchered. Some were set on fire with buckwheat straw; and others had their clothes burnt on their backs. Some of the surviving sufferers say they saw the enemy set fire to the wounded, while yet alive; who struggled to put it out, but were too weak, and expired under this torture. I saw those laying in the buckwheat straw -- they made a most melancholy appearance. Others I saw, who, after being wounded with a ball, had receiv- ed near a dozen wounds with cutlasses and bayonets. I can find as many witnesses to the proof of these cruel- ties as there were people on the spot; and that was no small number, who came as spectators.
I am, with much respect, dear General, Your most obt.
Gen. ARMSTRONG. J. LACEY.
( To be continued. )
CAPTIVITY OF BENJAMIN GILBERT AND HIS FAMILY.
Continued from page 324, vol. 3d.
We shall new proceed to relate. how Joseph Gilbert, the eldest son of the deceased, fared amongst the In- dians: he, with Thomas Peart, Benjamin Gilbert, Jun. and Jesse Gilbert's wife Sarah, were taken along the westward path, as before related; after some short con- tinnance in this path, Thomas Peart and Joseph Gilbert were taken from the other two, and by a different route through many difficulties, they were brought to Caraca- dera, where they received the insults of the women and children, wnose husbands or parents had fallen in their hostile excursions.
Joseph Gilbert was separated from his companion, and removed to an Indian villa, called Nundow, about seven miles from Caracadera; his residence was for sev- eral weeks, in the king's family, whose hamlet was su- perior to the other small buts. The king himself brought him some hommony, and treated him with great civility, intending his adoption into the family, in the place of one of his sons, who was slain when General Sullivan drove them from their habitations. As Nundow was not to be the place of liis abode, his quarters were soon changed, and he was taken back to Caracadera; but his weakness of body was so great, that he was two days accomplishing this journey, which was only seven miles, and not able to procure any other food than roots and herbs, the Indian economy leaving [them without any provisions to subsist on. Here they adopted him into the family of one of the king's sons, informing him, that if he would marry amongst them, he should enjoy the privileges which they enjoyed; but this proposal he was not disposed to comply with, and as he was not . over anxious to conceal his dislike to them, the suffer- ings he underwent were not alleviated. The Manner of his life differing so much from what he had before been accustomed to, having to eat the wild roots and herbs
before mentioned, and as he had been lame from a child, and subject to frequent indispositions, it was requisite for him to pay more attention to his weak habits of body than his captors were willing he should. When the master of the family was at home, the respect he shew- ed to Joseph, and his kindness to him, rendered his sit- uation more tolerable than in his absence. Frequently suffering with hunger, the privilege of a plenteous table, appeared to him as an inestimable blessing, which claimed the warmest devotion of gratitude: In such a distressed situation, the hours rolled over with a tedios- ness almost insupportable, as he had no agreeable em- ploy to relieve his mind from the reflections of his sor- rowful captivity: This manner of life continued about three months, and when they could no longer pro- cure a supply by their hunting, necessity compelled them to go to Niagara Fort for provision. The greater number of the Indians belonging to Caracadera attend- ed on this journey, in order to obtain a supply of pro- visions; their [want of economy being so [great, as to have consumed so early as the eighth month, all they had raisen the last year, and the present crops unfit to gather: their profuse manner of using their scant pit- tance of Provision, generally introducing a famine, after a short time of feasting. They compute the distance from Caracadera, to Niagara Fort, to be of 130 miles; on this journey they were upwards of five days, taking some venison in their route, and feasting with great greediness, as they had been a long time without meat.
When they reached the Fort, they procured cloath- ing from the king's stores for Joseph Gilbert, such as the Indians usually ware themselves, a match-coat, leg- gings, &c. His indisposition confined him at Col. John- son's for several days, during which time, the British of- ficers endeavoured to agree with the Indians for his re- leasement, but they would not consent. The afflicting account of the death of his father, which was here com- municated to him, spread an additional gloom on his mind. After continuing at the fort about four weeks, the Indians ordered him back with them; this was a sore stroke, to leave a degree of Ease and plenty, and re- sume the hardships of an indian life: with this uncom- fortable prospect before him, added to his lameness, the journey was toilsome and painful. They were five days in their return, and when they arrived, their corn was ripe for use; this, with the advantage of hunting, as the game was in its greatest perfection, furnished a. present comfortable subsistance.
Joseph had permission to visit his fellow captive, Thomas Pcart, who was at a small town of the Indians, about seven miles, distance, called Nundow, to whom he communicated the sorrowful intelligence of their mother's widowed situation.
At the first approach of spring, Joseph Gilbert and his adopted brother employed themselves in procuring rails, and repairing the fence about the lot of ground they intended to plant with corn; as this part of preser- ving the grain was allotted to them, the planting and culture was assigned to the women, their husbandry being altogether performed by the hoe.
The Indian manner of life was by no means agreeable to Joseph Gilbert; their irregularity in their meals was hard for him to bear; when they had provisions in plen- ty, they observed no plan of domestic economy, but ina- dulged their voracious appetites, which soon consumed their stock, and a famine succeeded.
In the early part of the sixth month, 1781, their corn was spent, and they were obliged to have recourse again to the wild herbage and roots, and were so redu- ced for want of provision, that the Indians having found the carcase of a dead horse, they took the meat and roasted it.
An officer from the fort came down to inquire into the situation of the Indians, upon observing the low condi- tion Joseph was in, not being likely to continue long without some relief, which the officer privately afford- ed, he being permitted to frequent his house, he advi-
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INDIAN CAPTIVITY.
845
sed him by flight, to endeavor an escape from the Indi- ans, informing him that he had no other expedient for his release; this confirmed him in a resolution he had for some time been contemplating, but his lameness and weak habit, for want of proper sustenance, rendered it impracticable to make such an attempt at that time, and it would require much care and attention to his own health and strength, to gather sufficient for such an un- dertaking; he therefore made use of the liberty allow- ed him to visit the officer, and partake of his kindness and assistance, that he might be prepared for the jour- ney.
Embracing a favourable opportunity, when the men were generally from home, some in their war expedi- tions, and some out hunting, he left them one night_ whilst the family slept, and made the best of his way to wards Niagara Fort, following the path, as he had once before gone along it. Having a small piece of bread which he took from the hut, he made a hasty repast, travelling day and night, in order to escape from the further distresses of captivity. As he neither took any sleep, or other food by the way than the piece of bread mentioned, for the two days and nights he pursued his journey, he was much fatigued when he reached the Fort, and he experienced the effects for several days .- Upon his applying to Col. Johnson, he was hospitably entertained, and the next day saw three of the Indians whom he had left at the town when he set off.
After a few days stay here, as most of the family were discharged from captivity, and waiting for a passage to Montreal, a vessel was fitted to take them on board, in- order to proceed down the lake.
We come next to Benjamin Peart, who remained the first night after his arriving at the Indian huts, with his wife and child, but was separated from them the next day, and taken about a mile and an half, and presented to one of the families of the Seneca Nation, and after- wards introduced to one of their Chiefs, who made a Jong harrangue which Benjamin did not understand .- The Indians then gave him to a squaw, in order to be received as her adopted child, who ordered him to a private hut, where the women wept over him in remem- brance of the relation in whose stead he was received. After this, he went with his mother (by adoption) to Ni- agara river, about two miles below the great Falls, and staid here several days, then went to the- Fort on their way to the Genessee river, where he had the pleasure of conversing with his mother, and received informa- tion concerning his wife and child; but even this satis- faction was short lived, for he neither could obtain per- mission to visit his wife, nor was he allowed to converse freely with his mother, as the Indians hurried him on board their bark canoes, where having placed their pro- visions, they proceeded with expedition down the lake to the mouth of the Genessee river; the computed dis- tance from the small village to the mouth of the river, being one hundred miles, and from thence up the Gen- essee to the place of their destination, thirty miles; in their passage up the river they were about five days, and as the Falls in this river near its entrance into Lake Ontario, has made a carrying-place of about two miles, they dragged their canoe this distance to the place of boating above the Falls. There were nine Indians of the party with them. They frequently caught fish by the way.
When the party arrived at the place of their designed settlement, they soon erected a small hut or wigwam, and the ground being jich and level, they began with their plantation of Indian corn. Twe white men who had been taken prisoners, the one from Susquehanna, and the other from Minisinks, both in Pennsylvania, liv- ed near this new settlement, and were allowed by the Indians to use the horses and plant for themselves .- These men lightened the toil of Benjamin Peart's servi- tude, as he was frequently in their company, and he had the liberty of doing something for himself, though with- out much success.
Voz. III. 44
His new habitation, as it was not very healthy, intro- duced fresh difficulties, for be had not continued here long, before he was afflicted with sickness, which prey- ed upon him near three months, the Indians repeatedly endeavoring to relieve him by their knowledge in sim- ples, but their endeavours proved ineffectual; the ap- proach of the winter season afforded the relief sought for. Their provision was not very tempting to a weak- ly constitution, having nothing else than hommony, and but short allowance even of that, insomuch that when bis appetite increased, he could not procure food suffi- cient to recruit his strength. The company of his broth- er Thomas Peart who visited him, was a great comfort, and as the town he lived at was but the distance of eigh- teen miles, they had frequent opportunities of condo- ling with each other in their distress.
The Indian men being absent on one of their war ex- cursions, and the women employed in gathering the corn, left Benjamin Peart much leisure to reflect in solitude ..
Towards the beginning of the winter season the men returned, and built themselves a log house for a grana- ry, and then removed about twenty miles from their set- tlement into the hunting country, and procured a great variety of game, which they usually eat without bread or salt. As he had been with the Indians for several months, their language became more familiar to him.
Hunting and feasting after their manner being their only employ, they soon cleared the place where they settled of the game, which made a second removal ne- cessary, and they are so accustomed to this wandering life, that it becomes their choice.
They fixed up a log house in this seond hunting- place, and continued until the second month, when they returned to their first settlement, though their stay was but a few days, and then back again to their log hut.
A heavy rain falling melted some of the snow which had covered the ground about two feet deep.
The whole family concluded upon a journey to Niag- ara Fort by land, which was completed in seven days. At the fort he had the satisfaction of conversing with "his brother, Thomas Peart; and the same day his wife also came from Buffaloe creek. with the Senccas to the Fort; this happy meeting, after an absence of ten months, drew tears of joy from them. The Indians not approving of their conversing much together, as they imagined they would remember their former situation; and become less contented with their present manner of life, they separated them again the same day, and took Benjamin's wife about four miles distance; but the party with whom he came, permitted him to stay here several nights, and when the Indians had completed their purpose of traffic they returned, taking him some miles back with them to one of their towns; but upon his telling them he was desirous of returning to the Fort to procure something he had before forgot, in order for his journey, he was permitted. As he' staid the night, his adopted brother the Indian came for him, but upon his complaining that he was so lame as to prevent his travelling with them, they suffered him to remain be- hind.
He continued at the Fort about two months before the Indians came back again, and as he labored for the white people, he had an opportunity of procuring salt provision from the King's stores, which had been for a long time a dainty to him.
When one of the Indians (a second adopted brother) came for him, Benjamin went with him to Capt. Powel, who with earnest solicitations and some presents pre- vailed upon the Indian to suffer him to stay until he re- turned from his war expedition; but this was the last he ever made, as he lost his life on the frontiers of New- York.
After this another captain (a third adopted brother) came to the Fort, and when Benjamin Peart saw him, he applied to Adjutant General Wilkinson to intercede for
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his release, who accordingly waited upon Col. Johnson and other officers, to prevail with them to exert them- selves on his behalf; they concluded to hold a Council with the Indians for this purpose, who after some delib- eration surrendered him up to Col Johnson, for which he gave them a valuable compensation.
Benjamin Peart after his release was employed in Col. Johnson's service, and continued with him for several months. His child had been released for some time, and his wife by earnest entreaty and plea of sickness, had prevailed with the Indians to permit her stay at the Fort, which proved a great consolation and comfort af- ter so long a separation.
About the middle of the eighth month, there was preparation made for their proceeding to Montreal, as by this time there were six of the prisoners ready to go in a ship which lay in Lake Ontario, whose names were Joseph Gilbert, Benjamin Peart, his wife and child, Ab- ner Gilbert and Elizabeth Gilbert the younger. These went on board the vessel to Charlton island, which is as far as the large vessels they use in the lake can proceed; the remainder of the way (on account of the frequent shoals) they are obliged to go in smaller boats.
The commanding officer at Niagara procured a suita- ble supply of provision, and furnished them with orders to draw more at the several garrisons, as occasion re- quired.
In two days they arrived at the upper end of CharIton island, and went to the commander-in-chief to shew their pass, and obtain what they were in need of. Af- terwards they continued on to the garrison of Oswagot- chy by the side of the river St. Lawrence, in an open boat rowed by four Frenchmen, this class of people be- ing chiefly employed in laborious-services.
The stream was so rapid and full of rocks, that the prisoners were too much alarmed to remain in the boat, and concluded to go on shore until they passed the danger; but the Frenchmen, who had been accustomed to these wild and violent rapids, (the longest of which is known by the name of the long Sou) kept on board, This surprising scene continued for the distance of six miles, and they viewed it with a degree of horror, their heads becoming almost giddy with the prospect. When the boat had shot the falls, they again went on board and continued down the river to Cour de Lac. No great distance below this they anchored, and landed at the place where their father was interred, shedding many tears of filial affection to his memory. They afterwards applied to the commanding officer of the garrison for provisions and other necessaries; they then bid adieu to this solemn spot of sorrow, and proceeded to Lasheen, which they reached the twenty-fourth day of the eighth month, having been eight days on their voyage.
After refreshing themselves at this garrison, they set forward on foot for Montreal, which they reached the same day. They went to the Brigadier General and shewed him their passport, and as soon as at liberty wait- ed on their mother at Adam Scott's, as has been already related.
The situation of Elizabeth Peart, wife of Benjamin, and her child, is next to be related:
After she and the child were parted from her hus- band, Abigail Dodson and the child were taker. several miles in the night to a little hut, where they staid till morning, and the day following were taken within eight miles of Niagara, where she was adopted into one of the families of Senecas; the ceremony of adoption to her was tedious and distressing; they obliged her to sit down with a young man an Indian, and the eldlest chief- tain of the family repeated a jargon of words to her un- intelligible, but which she considered as some form of marriage, and this apprehension introduced the most violent agitations, as she was determined, at all events, to oppose any step of this nature ; but after the old Indi- an concluded his speech she was relieved from the dreadful embarrassment she had been under, as she was led away by another Indian.
Abigail Dodson was given the same day to one of the families of the Cayuga nation, so that Elizabeth Peart saw her no more.
'The man who led Elizabeth from the company took her into the family for whom they adopted her, and in- trodueed her to her parents, brothers and sisters in the Indian style, who received her very kindly, and made a grievous lamentation over her according to custom. Af- ter she had been with them two days, the whole family left their habitation and went about two miles to Fort Slusher, where they staid several days. This Fort is about one mile above Niagara Falls.
As she was much indisposed, the Indians were detain- ed several days for her; but as they cared little for her, she was obliged to lie on the damp ground, which pre- vented her speedy recovery. As soon as her disorder abated of its violence, they set off in a bark canoe which they had provided, Intending for Buffaloe creek; and as they went slowly, they had an opportunity of taking some fish.
When they arrived at the place of their intended set- tlement, they went on shore and built an house.
A few days after they came to this new settlement, they returned with Elizabeth to Fort Slusher, when she was told her child must be taken away from her; this was truly afflicting, but all remonstrances were in vain.
From Fort Slusher she travelled on foot, carrying her child to Niagara, it being eighteen miles, and in sultry weather, rendered it a painful addition to to the thoughts of parting with her tender offspring. The intent of their journey was to obtain provisions, and their stay at the Fort was of several days continuance. Capt. Powel af- forded her an asylum in his house.
The Indians took the child from her, and went with it across the river to adopt it into the family they had as- signed for it, notwithstanding Capt. Powel, at his wife's request; interceded that it might not be removed from its mother; but as it was so young, they returned it to the mother after its adoption, until it should be conve- nient to send it to the family under whose protection it was to be placed.
Obtaining the provision and other necessaries they came to Niagara to trade for, they returned to Fort Slusher on foot, from whence they embarked in their canoes. It being near the time of planting, they used much expedition in this journey.
The labor and drudgery in a family falling to the share of the women, Elizabeth had to assist the squaw in pre- paring the ground and planting corn.
Their provision being scant they suffered much, and as their dependence for a sufficient supply until the gathering their crop, was on what they should receive from the Fort, they were under the necessity of making a second journey thither.
They were two days on the road at this time. A small distance before they came to the Fort, they took her child from her, and sent it to its destined family, and it was several months before she had an opportunity of seeing it again. After being taken from her husband, to lose her darling infant was a severe stroke. She la- mented her condition and wept sorely, for which one of the Indians inhumanly struck her. Her Indian father seemed a little moved to behold her so distressed; and in order to console her, assured her they would bring it back again, but she saw it not until the spring following.
After they had disposed oftheir peltries, they return- ed to their habitation by the same route which they had come.
With a heart oppressed with sorrow, Elizabeth trod back lier steps, mourning for her lost infant, for this idea presented itself continually to her mind; but as she experienced how fruitless, nay how dangerous, solici- tations in behalf of her child were, she dried up her tears and pined in secret.
Soon after they reached their own habitation, Eliza- beth Peart was again afflicted with sickness. At the first they shewed some attention to her complaints; but
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as she did not speedily recover so as to be able to work, they discontinued every attention, and built a small hut by the side of the corn-field, placing her in it to mind the corn. In this lonely condition she saw a white man, who had been made prisoner among the In- dians. He informed her that her child was released and with the white people; this information revived her drooping spirits, and a short time after she recover- ed of her indisposition, but her employment still con- tinued of attending the corn until it was ripe for gath- ering, which she assisted in. When the harvest was over, they permitted her to return and Ilve with them.
A time of plenty commenced, and they lived as if they had sufficient to last the year through, faring plen- teously every day.
A drunken Indian came to the cabin one day, and the old Indian woman complaining to him of Elizabeth, his behaviour exceedingly terrified her; he stormed like a fury, and at length struck her a violent blow which laid her on the ground; he then began to pull her about and abuse her much, when another of the women inter- posed, and rescued her from further suffering. Such is the shocking effect of spirtuons liquor on these peo- ple, it totally deprives them both of sense and humanity.
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