USA > Pennsylvania > Lackawanna County > The Wyoming Valley, upper waters of the Susquehanna, and the Lackawanna coal-region : including views of the natural scenery of northern Pennsylvania : from the Indian occupancy to the year 1875 > Part 5
USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Susquehanna > The Wyoming Valley, upper waters of the Susquehanna, and the Lackawanna coal-region : including views of the natural scenery of northern Pennsylvania : from the Indian occupancy to the year 1875 > Part 5
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Butler does not say how many scalps were taken, nor would it be in the province of him as commander to inquire.
The commanding officer of a body of men, does not enter into a knowledge of matters that are considered ordinary, much less would Butler, or any educated representative of the profession, ask concerning every scalp that was hung upon the poles of the red-skined allies for the night. His statement as to having arrived at Wyoming was a general one, for both Lackawanna, and the Wyoming valley were included in that term, and in many military writings a goodly portion of the country up the Susquehanna as far as Meshop- pen was designated by that name.
Then the scalps and the eight prisoners must have come from another quarter than Exeter.
John Butler is not honest in his report as to the number that encamped with him after the march. He says, "500 Rangers and Indians."
Dr. Peck, in a note subjoined to Butler's re-
port, says, "it has always been believed in Wy- oming that the members of Butler's army were between 700 and 1000. A scout went up to the place of debarkation the day before the battle. and from the number of their boats they estimat- ed their force at over 1000."
If the allegations of a scout are to be taken as supreme, the method of settling disputed battles as to the force engaged, would bewilder the best genius of the world. Scouting reports have oc- casioned more smiles at headquarter tents, than any other idea which can be singled.
Stone puts the white force at three hundred. and adds, that they consisted "in part of regular troops, but mostly of refugee Loyalists." As a general assertion the latter clause might have weight, but when the minimum number of Brit- ish troops was ordinarily kept up, and especially would that proportion be full on the outstarting of an important campaign, it is here believed, that from the number of line officers which ac- companied the expedition, the regular troops numbered over two hundred and fifty, and that the accession of Tories, on the descent of the Sus- quchanna, more than . doubled that number, be- fore Campbell's Ledge was reached, and before Wintermoot's vomited its force to still further in- crease Butler's strength.
The report of the scout is a trifle comical as to the time "he went up,"-"the day before the battle." Does he mean the skirmish which oc- curred immediately after the debarkation, or the battle the fourth day after ?
In the report of the British officer, following the matter already given, occurs the following : "Two Loyalists who came into my camp, in- formed me that the rebels could muster about eight hundred men, who were all assembled in. their forts."
سد جيب
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CHAPTER VI.
THE RETREAT AND PURSUIT DOWN THE VALLEY-OFFICIAL REPORTS FROM BOTH COMMANDERS.
"Yet neither of them would disparage By uttering of his mind his courage."
-Butler.
"Ha! thou hast rous'd - The lion in his den : he stalks abroad, And the wide forest trembles at his roar. I find the danger now."
-- Oroonoke Act III. Sc. 2.
With Butler's lines resting on the river on the night of the 30th of June, every soldier will agree that all of the loyalists, including the Winter- moots, had full communication with the British forees, how ingenious and apt is the report of Butler, as to "two Loyalists." That every oeeu- pant of Wintermoot's should be listened to was not necessary, and therefore, Butler was truthful in his military report in alleging that 'two' talked with him. They were the representative two, however, and the knowledge of that ambiguous couple satisfied all Tory ends.
Dr. Peek, in a note, has subjoined, "probably the Wintermoots." It is hard for any writer to prove that any person bearing the name was at . the fort'at the time.
Colonel Stone states in a note, not in his text, that Wintermoot "was aetive in bringing destrue- tion upon the valley, and after doing all the mis- chief he could to the settlement, removed to Canada." When he removed, and what was the nature of the "misehief he eould do," is buried with many a record which warriors never allow to leak. Wintermoot was in the valley in the spring,-even that is indefinite, but there is no evidence that he was in the fort when Butler took possession of the river. It is easy to surmise where he might have been, and a farther supposition might involve a protracted contro- versy. The information conveyed by the two loyalists, had more to do with what followed than
history records, therefore additional proof is of- fered as to subsequent transactions.
Colonel John Butler follows in the next sen- tence to explain what course of proceedings were had on his part on July 1st, when he elaims to have taken Fort Wintermoot. The taking was a mild one on the field, but creditable on paper.
The other lines need a consideration, for it is the purpose of this work to report fully on each days proceedings and thereby avoid confusion.
The firing at the skirmish on the evening of June 30th, was not a signal for a panic, by any means. In those days men were accustomed to be ready, and willing to enter into whatsoever cause summoned them.
The shots reverberating along the valley, and bounding against the hills, till echo answered echo, had awakened many a bluff settler, who eared neither for red-skin or red-eoat. It was all the same in gun-powder days,-there was to be. a fight.
Stone says that "the inhabitants, on receiving intelligence of the approach of the invaders, as- sembled within a fortifieation four miles below, ealled Fort Forty. *
* Colonel Zebulon Butler * *
* was in command of about sixty regu- lar troops, and he now made every exertion to muster the militia of the settlements."
Dr. Peck gives his own authority in the space of eleven lines, as to the skirmish in Exeter, which he says occurred "three miles above'-of
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منى ج.كيو.
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THE RETREAT AND PURSUIT DOWN THE VALLEY.
course meaning the fort. The theory herein ad- vanced is, that whether three miles above, or more, and the better authority favors the latter idea, that in retreating, the farmers deceived the Indians as to the direet route to the fort, hence in traeking the course of the skirmish fight, a longer distauce was traveled in the retreat in or- der to delude the attacking party. It will not do to allege that the early foresters were depriv- ed of the first rudiments of warfare, however much they may have been ignorant of the sci- enee of arms and its glory, as Virgil intends to convey in the first line of the Ænied.
Colonel Stone records that "the inhabitants, on receiving intelligence of the approach of the invaders, assembled within a fortifieation four miles below, called Forty Fort." As attention has been ealled to this fact before, it is necessary to reeur to it again. Stone writes the history of all the Border Wars. He pays but little atten- tion to detailed events in any one location, heuce this general way of expressing himself.
The remainder of the report of the British But- ler is here given, in order to lay the ground up- on which further reasoning is based :
"July the 1st I marehed to the distance of half a mile of Wintermoot's Fort, and sent in Lieutenant Turney with a flag to demand imme- diate possession of it, which was soon agreed to. A flag was then sent to Jeukins's Fort, which surrendered on nearly the same eonditions as Wintermoot's, both of which are inelosed. I next summoned Forty Fort, the commandant of which refused the conditions I sent him. July 3d, parties were sent ont to collect cattle, who informed me that the rebels were preparing to attaek me. This pleased the Indians highly, who observed they should be on equal footing with them in the woods. At two o'clock we observed the rebels upon their march, in number about four or five hundred. Between four and five o'clock they were advaneed within a mile of us. Finding them determined, I ordered the fort to be set on fire, which deceived the enemy into an opinion that we had retreated. We tien posted ourselves in a fine open wood, and, for our greater safety, lay flat upon the ground, wait- ing their approach. When they were within two hundred yards of as, they began firing. We still
continued upon the ground, without returning their fire, until they had fired three volleys. By this time they had advanced within one hundred yards of us, and being quite near euough, Gucin- gerachton ordered his Indians, who were upon the right, to begin the attack upon our part, which was immediately well seconded by the Rangers upon the left. Our fire was so elose and well directed that the affair was soon over, not lasting a half an hour, from the time they gave us their first fire, to their flight. In this action were taken 257 sealps and only five prisoners. The Indians were so exasperated with their loss last year near Fort Stanwix that it was with the greatest difficulty I could save the lives of these few. Colonel Dennison, who came in next day with a minister and two others to treat for the remainder of the settlement of Westmoreland, as- sured us that they lost one colonel, two majors, seven captains, thirteen lieutenants, eleven en- signs, two hundred and sixty-eight privates. On our side were killed one Indian, two Rangers, and eight Indians were wounded. In this incur- sion we have taken eight palisades, (six) forts, and burned about one thousand dwelling-houses, all their mills, ete. We have also killed and drove off about one thousand head of horned eat- tle, and sheep and swine in great numbers. But what gives me the sincerest satisfaction is that I ean with great truth assure you that in the de- truetion of this settlement not a single person has been hurt of the inhabitants but such as were in arms ; to these, indeed, the Indians gave no quar- ter.
"I have also the pleasure to inform you that the officers and Rangers behaved during this short action highly to my satisfaction, and have always supported themselves through hunger and fatigue with great eheerfulness.
"I have this day sent a party of men to the Delaware to destroy a small settlement there, and to bring off prisoners. In two or three days I shall send out other parties for the same purpose, if I ean supply myself with provisions. I shall harrass the adjacent country, and prevent them from getting in their harvest.
"The settlement of Scohary or Minisinks will be my next objeet, both of which abound in eorn and eattle, the destruction of which eannot fail of
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THE WYOMING VALLEY.
..
greatly distressing the rebels. I have not yet been able to hear anything of the cxpresses I sent to the Generals Howe and Clinton ; but as I sent them by ten different routes, I am in hopes that some of them will be able to make their way to them and return.
"In a few days I will do myself the honor of writing to you more fully, and send you a jour- nal of my proceedings sinee I left Niagara .!
"I am, sir, with respect, your most obedient and very humble servant,
(Signed),
"JOHN BUTLER."
Two days after the report of the British But- ler, Colonel Zebulon Butler forwarded his report of the battle, to the Board of War. The follow- ing is a transcript, which will enable it to be better understood, following elose upon the read- ing of the report of the other side. It is dated, "Guadenhutten, Penn Township, July 10th, י'. 1778
"On my arrival at Westmoreland, which was only four days after I left Yorktown, I found there was a large body of the enemy advaneing on that settlement. On the Ist of July we mus- tered the militia, and marelied toward them by the river above the settlement-found and killed two Indians at a plaec where, the day before, they had murdered nine men engaged in hoeing eorn. We found some canoes, ete., bus, finding no men above their main body, it was judged prudent to return ; and as every man had to go to his own house for his provisions, we could not muster again till the 3d of July. In the mean time the enemy had got possession of two forts, .
one of which we had reason to believe was de- signed for them, though they burned them both. The inhabitants had some forts for the security of their women and children, extending about ten miles on the river, and too many men would stay in them to take eare of them ; but, after eol- lecting about three hundred of the most spiritcd of them, including Captain Hewitt's company, I. held a couneil with the officers, who all agreed that it was best to attack the enemy before they got any farther. Wc accordingly marehcd, found their situation, formed a front of the same extension of the enemy's, and attacked from right to left at the same time. Our men stood the fire well for three or four shots, till some part of the
enemy gave way; but, unfortunately for us, through some mistake, the word retreat was un- derstood from some officer on the left, which took so quiek that it was not in the power of the officers to form them again, though I believe, that if they had stood three minutes longer, the ene- my would have been beaten. The utmost pains were taken by the officers who mostly fell. A lieutenant colonel, a major, and five captains, who were in commission in the militia, all fell. Col- onel Durkee, and Captains Hewitt and Ransom, were likewise killed. In the whole, about two hundred men lost their lives in the action on our side. What number of the enemy were killed is as yet uneertain, though I believe a very consid- erable number. The loss of these men so intim- idated the inhabitants that they gave up the matter of fighting. Great numbers ran off, and others would comply with the terms which I had refused. The enemy sent flags frequently ; the terms you will see in the inelosed letter. They repeatedly said they had nothing to do with any but the inhabitants, and did not want to treat with me. Colonel Dennison, by desire of the in- habitants, went and complied, which made it necessary for me and the little remains of Cap. tain Hewitt's company to leave the place. In- deed, it was determined by the enemy to spare the inhabitants after the agreement, and that my- self and the few Continental soldiers should be delivered up to the savages'; upon which I left the plaec, and came away, scareely able to move, as I have had no rest since I left Yorktown. It has not been in my power to find a horse or man to wait upon the Board till now. I must sub- mit to the Board what must be the next step. The little remains of Hewitt's company, which are about fifteen, are gone to Shamokin, and Cap- tain Spaulding's company, I have heard, are on the Delaware. Several hundred of the inhabi- tants are strolling in the country destitute of provisions, who have large fields of grain, and other necessaries of life at Westmoreland. In short, if the inhabitants can go back, there may yet be secured double the quantity of provisions to support themselves, otherwise they must be beggars, and a burden to the world.
"I have heard from men that came from the place since the people gave up, that the Indians
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سيف + مكيجــ
29
THE RETREAT AND PURSUIT DOWN THE VALLEY.
have killed no persons sinee, but have burned most of the buildings, and are collecting all the horses they can, and are moving up the river. They likewise say the enemy were eight hun- dred, one half white men. I should be glad that if possible, there might be a sufficient guard sent for the defense of the place, which will be the means of . saving thousands from poverty, but must submit to the wisdom of Congress. I de- sire further orders from the honorable Board of War with respect to myself and the soldiers un- der my direction.
"I have the honor to be your honor's most obedient humble servant, ZEBULON BUTLER."
It will be seen by referring back to Colonel John Butler's report, that he did not take formal possession of Jenkins and Wintermoot until the day after his arrival, although his lives almost touched them through the night, neither did he send in a flag asking surrender until July 1st, the day upon which he oeeupied them. His report jumps from early morning, July Ist, to the sum- moning of Forty Fort. It is strange that he does not notice a force moving toward him under the American Butler, who says that he fell in with a
seout of Indians "of whom we killed two. These savages had just murdered nine men engaged at work in a corn field." The previous account makes it eight. Was not Zebulon Butler, the Ameriean officer, a trifle late ? The British But- ler was the best military officer, why should it not be taken for granted. Zebulon Butler was late enough to swell the number to nine, which looks badly in a thoroughly strict report. Now, here comes a state of facts which it is hard for posterity to understand. The proof is given here that Marey shot the boy who swam the river. under cover of the twilight. Then that was June 30th, as this work elaims. Yet, notwithstanding the attack, which we elaim was unexpectedly sudden, Colonel Zebulon Butler colleets, on the spur of the moment, "three hundred of the mili- tia," (although he was in command of but sixty regular troops which we are willing to inelude), leaving two hundred and forty militia, and these were raised in the first alarm, when John Butler struek the valley. Any soldier who will exam- ine the history of the valley, and notice how small were the villages, and how scattered the farms, will have some little food for thought.
CHAPTER VII.
INCIDENTS OF TORY CRUELTY-THE CAPITULATION AT WYOMING.
"Let others flatter crime where it sits throned In brief omnipotence; secure are they : For Justice, when triumphant, will weep down Pity, not punishment, on her own wrongs, Too much avenged by those who err."
-Prometheus Unbound.
The American Butler, not being supplied with provisions, was obliged to fall back upon Fort Forty. They mustered again on the 3d, and a council of war was convened. The cause of this muster is explained by the American Butler on this wise : "As every man had to go to his own house for his provisions, we could not muster again till the 3d of July." Did he lack military knowledge in disposing of his men for a morrent, or did he consider himself safe in his position ? If he did not know what the British Butler in- tended to do, and if he was a thorough soldier, he should have acted upon a military principle which is adopted by the grandest minds-that of giving credit to an enemy for all that he is able to do. But herein comes a point which is stronger than all-"messengers were dispatched to the headquarters of General Washington for assistance immediately after the enemy's move- ments were known at Wyoming"-so says Col- Stone. If he had not said it, or if no one had given evidence of the fact, here is the proof as to the time which was consumed.
It is well known that the day before the bat- tle a council was held, and that much debating was had, as to what was judicious in future ac- tion, and Colonel Stone says, "the messengers had already been gone so long, that it was supposed they had been cut off, and consequently that General Washington was ignorant of their situa- tion. In that case no reinforcements could reach them in season to save their valley from being ravaged ; and as the enemy's forces were daily
increasing, it was held to be the part of wisdom to attack him at once.
Attention is called here, not so much to the determination of a weak force to attack a stronger one, as to the fact of the enemy's force increasing. Not by soldiers did: they increase, but by the Tories, who could be gathered in less time, and with better facilities in those days, than the American farmers.
Again, here is another point,-while the ques- tion as to the to-morrow's battle was pending, five officers arrived from the Continental army, who, on hearing the tidings of the meditated in- vasion, had thrown up their commissions and hastened home to protect their families. They had heard nothing of the messengers, and inti- mated that there was no "prospect of speedy as- sistance," so says Chapman.
That the messengers ever succeeded in the red- tape way of securing reinforcements, no one ad- mits, but that they sought the friends nearest and dearest to the settlements, must be believed.
Colonel Zebulon Butler, in his report, does not commit himself on anything that occurred from his scouting expedition to the end of the debate with his officers, when it was determined to move against the enemy.
Butler yielded to the decision of that council and set forward at the head of his command, which Stone says numbered four hundred men. It is said that, when mounting his horse, he ex- claimed, "I tell you we are in great danger, but I can go as far as any of you." This smacks of
31
TORY CRUELTY AND THE CAPITULATION.
truth, after he has been defeated in opinion in the council, and the first clause of his expression simalizes him as a man of excellent judgment, if he was not an accomplished warrior.
Before the battle, Colonel John Butler did one act which showed a thorough soldierly spirit, in that he sent of his prisoners which were eap- :ured in Excter, to the American Butler, on the morning of the battle, accompanied by both a Tory and an Indian,-mark the discretion,- whose services were to be-demanding the im- mediate surrender, not only of the fort he com- manded, but cf all others in the valley, with all the public property. As Dr. Hollister has ex- pressed it, "it can be said to his credit, that he also suggested to the commander of Forty Fort the propriety of destroying all intoxicating drinks, provided these considerate terms were rejected ; for, said the British Butler, drunken savages can't be controlled." Be it said to the praise of nearly all the Wyoming people that they ap- proved the sentiment, and the stigma which has been cast upon the Indians, although they eom- mitted crime, rests nearly wholly upon the Tories who helped the Indians to what liquor they wanted. The same author adds :
"With the colonial developement in West- moreland, had grown the love of rum. So fixed, so general, in fact, had become this pernicious and unmanning habit-so essential was whiskey regarded in its sanative and commercial aspect, that one of the first buildings of a public charae- ter ereeted in the colony, after a stockade or fort, was a still or brew-house. In a note subjoined to the above, is an extract from the Pennsylvania archives, that in 1783, the Pennsylvania troops stationed at Wyoming, were supplied with "two and a half Gill of Liquor," to one pound of bread.
The testimony of Mrs. Deborah Bedford, sub- . stantiates the fact, in accordance with the re- quest of Colonel Butler, all the liquor in the fort was rolled out, and emptied into the Susquehanna with the exception of a single barrel of whiskey, spared for medicinal purposes. The head of this was knocked in during the council of war, and as the debates arc said to have been condueted with much warmth and annimation, Dr. Hollister suggests, "it is more than possible that the in- spiring influence of this barrel contributed, to a
certain extent, toward the result of the delibera- tions."
In the language of Mrs. Bedford, who was in the fort at the time, and whose recollections were ever clear,-"A hard fight was expected up the valley, and as the drum and fife struck up an an- imating air, while the soldiers marched out of the fort one by one, a gourd-shell, floating in the inviting beverage, was filled, and passed to each comrade, and drank."
Some amount of speculation has entered into the fate of Wyoming when considering this. liquor question, but the fight showed that the- men had their senses-that it was like nearly all other battles-that it was but a plain one at that, although very destructive to the Americans, who suffered themselves to be decoyed into the jaws of the enemy.
The real intention of Colonel Zebulon Butler was to take the enemy unawares, and his march was quite rapid in the direction of the enemy, to within about two miles of Wintermoot, now Pittston, when he halted, and sent forward a scouting party, which suceeeded admirably in discovering the British in camp, perfectly at ease. Upon the return of the scouts, they fell in with a lone scout from the ever-wary Indians, who fired and gave the alarm. The 'Americans now pushed forward with vim, in the hope of being able to strike before the opposing force eould prepare for defense, but the thought, though a good one, was a trifle too late, for the enemy had formed a line directly in front of the camp. Col- onel Zebulon Butler, who had up to this time pushed on in column, deployed his force, upon catching view of the line, and opened a vigorous attack the length of his whole front. (See his report.)
And here began the battle, which in these days would be termed a skirmish, but which in the early forest warfare was considered a wou- derful combat of forees.
The right of the Americans was commanded by their own Butler, while the left of the British had the supervision of the superior in command, Colonel John Butler. The left of the Provincial side was commanded by Colonel Dennison, who was obliged to face the Indians covered by woods, a position that was all in all to them.
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