USA > Pennsylvania > Adams County > The history and topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, and Perry counties [Pennsylvania] > Part 13
USA > Pennsylvania > Bedford County > The history and topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, and Perry counties [Pennsylvania] > Part 13
USA > Pennsylvania > Cumberland County > The history and topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, and Perry counties [Pennsylvania] > Part 13
USA > Pennsylvania > Dauphin County > The history and topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, and Perry counties [Pennsylvania] > Part 13
USA > Pennsylvania > Franklin County > The history and topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, and Perry counties [Pennsylvania] > Part 13
USA > Pennsylvania > Perry County > The history and topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, and Perry counties [Pennsylvania] > Part 13
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The upper part of Cumberland was overrun by the sava-
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ges, in 1763, who set fire to houses, barns, corn, hay and ev- ery thing that was combustible; the inhabitants were sur- prised and murdered with the utmost cruelty and barbarity. Those who could, escaped-some to Bedford, where Captain Ourry commanded a garrison at the same time, some went to Shippensburg, others to Carlisle, where houses and stables were crowded. Many of them sought shelter in Lancaster county, some in York, in the woods, with their families and their cattle. Some staid with their relatives, and never re- turned to the place from which they had fled.
A gentleman in writing from Carlisle, July 5, 1763, to Secretary Peters, says:
On the morning of yesterday, horsemen were seen rapidly passing through Carlisle. One man rather fatigued, who stopped to get some water, hastily replied to the questions, What news ? " Bad enough, Presque Ish, Le Beuf and Ve- nango had been captured, their garrisons massacred, with the exception of one officer and seven men, who fortunately made their escape from Le Beuf. Fort Pitt was briskly attacked on the 22d of June, but succeeded in repelling the assailants," thus saying, put spurs to his horse and was soon out of sight. From others I have accounts that the Bedford militia have succeeded in saving fort Ligonier. Nothing could exceed the terror which prevailed from house to house, from town to town. The road was nearly covered with women and children flying to Lancaster and Philadelphia.
The Revd. Thomson, Pastor of the Episcopal church, went at the head of his congregation, to protect and encour- age them on the way. A few retired to the Breastworks for safety. The alarm once given could not be appeased .- We have done all that men can do to prevent disorder. All our hopes are turned upon Bouquet.
Though, as the letter writer says, all their hopes were turned upon Bouquet, the affrighted inhabitants, were so panic struck, that they had not prepared a convoy of provi- sion, when the Colonel arrived at Carlisle, to enable him to march westward. At the time a great number of the plan- tations and mills were destroyed, and notwithstanding the province had endeavored to save the harvest by raising seven hundren men to guard the frontiers, in many places the full ripe wheat and rye crops stood waving in the field, soliciting the hand of the reaper. The inhabitants in the greatest part
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of the county of Cumberland, through what Bouquet had to pass with his army, was deserted, and the roads were cov- ered with families destitute of the necessaries of life, flying from their homes. The supplies of provisions, horses and carriages, had become precarious, whilst the commander was required by humanity to apportion his own stock to relieve the sufferers. But after eight days' active exertion on the part of himself and agents, provisions and carriages were procured, with assistance from the interior part of the country.
The Colonel then proceeded with about five hundred men, his first object was to relieve fort Ligonier-and then pro- ceeded further westward.
The following extracts of letters, written at the time, and published in the Pennsylvania Gazette, in the month of July, 1763, gives detailed accounts of the incursions and depreda- tions of the savage enemy :
CARLISLE, July 12, 1763.
I embrace this first leisure, since yesterday morning, to transmit you a brief account of our present state of affairs here, which indeed is very distressing ; every day almost affording some fresh object to awaken the compassion, alarm the fears, or kindle into resentment and ven- geance, every sensible breast, while flying families, obliged to abandon house and possession, to save their lives by a hasty escape ; mourning widows, bewailing their husbands surprised and massacred by savage rage ; tender parents, lamenting the fruit of their own bodies, cropt in the very bloom of life by a barbarous hand; with relations and acquain- tance pouring out sorrow for murdered neighbors and friends, present a varied scene of mingled distress.
When, for some time, after striking at Bedford, the Indians appeared quiet, nor struck any other part of our frontiers, it became the prevailing opinion, that our forts and communication, were so peculiarly the ob- ject of their attention, that, till at least after harvest, there was little prospect of danger to our inhabitants over the hills; and to dissent from this generally received sentiment, was political heresy, and attrib- uted to timidity rather than judgment, till too early conviction has de- cided the point in the following manner :
"On Sunday morning, the 10th inst., about nine or ten o'clock, at the house of one William White, on Juniata, between thirty and forty miles hence, there being in said house four men, and a lad, the Indians came rushing upon them, and shot White at the door, just stepping out to see what the noise meant. Our people then pulled in White, and shut the door ; but observing through a window, the Indians setting fire to the house, they attempted to force their way out at the door; but the first that stept out being shot down, they drew him in, and again shut the door ; after which one attempting an escape out of a window on the loft, was shot through the head, and the lad wounded in the arm. The
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only one now remaining, William Riddle, broke a hole through the roof of the house, and an Indian who saw him looking out, alleged he was about to fire on him, withdrew, which afforded Riddle an opportunity to make his escape. The house with the other four in it was burned down, as one McMachen informs, who was coming to it, not suspect- ing Indians, and was by them fired at and shot through the shoulder, but made his escape.
The same day about dinner time, at about a mile and a half from said White's, at the house of Robert Campbell, six men being in the house, as they were dining, three Indians rushed in at the door, and after firing among them, and wounding some, they tomahawked in an instant, one of the men ; whereupon one George Dodd's, one of the company, sprang back into the room, took down a rifle, shot an Indian through the body, who was just presenting his piece to shoot him. The Indian being mortally wounded staggered, and letting his gun fall, was carried off by three more. Dodd's, with one or two more, getting upon the loft, broke the roof, in order to escape, and looking out, saw one of the com- pany, Stephen Jeffries, running, but very slowly, by reason of a wound in the breast, and an Indian pursuing ; and it is thought he could not escape, nor have we heard of him since, so that it is past dispute, he also is murdered. The first that attempted getting out of the loft was fired at and drew back ; another attempting was shot dead; and of the six, Dodd's the only one made his escape. The same day about?dusk, about six or seven miles up Tuscarora, and about twenty-eight or thirty miles hence, they murdered one William Anderson, together with a boy and girl all in one house. At White's were seen at least five, some say eight or ten Indians, and at Campbell's about the same number. On Monday, the 11th, a party of about twenty-four went over from the up- per part of Shearman's valley, to see how matters were. Another party of twelve or thirteen went over from the upper part of said val- ley ; and Colonel John Armstrong, with Thomas Wilson, Esq., and a party of between thirty and forty from this town, to reconnoitre and as- sist in bringing the dead.
Of the first and third parties we have heard nothing yet ; but of the party of twelve, six are come in, and inform that they passed through the several places in Tuscarora, and saw the houses in flames, or buint entirely down. That the grain that had been reaped the Indians burnt in shocks, and had set the fences on fire where the grain was unreap- ed ; that the hogs had fallen upon and mangled several of the dead bo- dies ; that the said company of twelve, suspecting danger, durst not stay to bury the dead ; that after they had returned over the Tuscarora mountain, about one or two miles on this side of it, and about eighteen or twenty from hence, they were fired on by a large party of Indians, supposed about thirty, and were obliged to fly ; that two, viz : William Robinson and John Graham, are certainly killed, and four more are missing, who it is thought, have fallen into the hands of the enemy, as they appeared slow in flight, most probably wounded, and the savages pursued with violence. What farther mischief has been done, we have not heard, but expect every day and hour, some more messages of me- lancholy news.
In hearing of the above defeat, we sent out another party of thirty or upwards, commanded by our high sheriff, Mr. Dunning, and Mr. Wil- liam Lyon, to go in quest of the enemy, or fall in with and reinforce
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our other parties. There are also a number gone out from about three miles below this, so that we now have over the hills upwards of eighty or ninety volunteers scouring the woods. The inhabitants of Shear- man's valley, Tuscarora, &c. are all come over, and the people of this valley, near the mountain, are beginning to move in, so that in a few days there will be scarcely a house inhabited north of Carlisle. Many of our people are greatly distressed, through want of arms and ammn- nition ; and numbers of those beat off their places ; have hardly money enough to purchase a pound of powder !
Our women and children, I suppose must move downwards, if the enemy proceed. To-day a British vengeance begins to rise in the breasts of our men-One of them, that fell from among the twelve, as he was just expiring, said to one of his fellows, " Here take my gun, and kill the first Indian you see, and all shall be well !"
Extract of another letter from Carlisle July 13, 1763.
Last night Colonel Armstrong returned. He left the party who pur- sued further, and found several dead, whom they buried in the best manner they could, and are now all returned in-From what appears, the Indians are travelling from one place to another, along the valley, burning the farms, and destroying all the people they meet with. This day gives an account of six more being killed in the valley, so that, since last Sunday morning, to this day, twelve o'clock, we have a pret- ty authentic account of the number slain, being twenty-five, and four or five wounded. The Colonel, Mr. Wilson and Mr. Alricks, are now on the parade, endeavoring to raise another party, to go out and succor the Sheriff and his party consisting of fifty men, which marched yes- terday, and I hope they will be able to send off immediately twenty good men. The people here, I assure you, want nothing but a good leader, and a little encouragement, to make a very good defence.
Our advices from Carlisle, says the Editor of the Pa. Gazette of July 28, are as follows, viz: That the party under the Sheriff, Mr. Dunning, mentioned in our last, fell in with the enemy, at the house of one Al- exander Logan, in Shearman's valley, supposed to be about fifteen, or upwards, who had murdered the said Logan, his son, and another man about two miles from said house, and mortally wounded a fourth, who is since dead ; and that at the time of their being discovered they were rifling the house, and shooting down the cattle, and it is thought, about to return home with the spoil they had got. That our men, on seeing them, immediately spread themselves from right to left, with a design to surround them, and engaged the savages with great courage, but from their eagerness rather too soon, as some of the party had not got up when the skirmish began ; that the enemy returned our first fire very briskly ; but our people, regardless of that, rushed upon them, when they fled, and were pursued a considerable way, till thickets se- cured their escape, four or five of them it was thought being mortally wounded ; that our parties had brought in with them what cattle they could collect, but that great numbers were killed by the Indians, and many of the horses that were in the valleys carried off; that on the 21st inst., the morning, news was brought of three Indians being seen about 10 o'clock in the morning, one Pummeroy and his wife, and the
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wife of one Johnson, were surprised in a house, between Shippensburg and the North mountain, and left there for dead ; but that one of the women when found, shewing some signs of life, was brought to Ship- pensburg, where she lived some hours in a most miserable condition, being scalped, one of her arms broken, and her scull fractured with the stroke of a tomahawk ; and that since the 10th inst., there was an ac- count of fifty-four persons being killed by the enemy !
That the Indians had set fire to houses, barns, corn, wheat and rye, hay; in short, to every thing combustible; so that the whole coun- try seemed to be in one general blaze ; that the miseries and distresses of the poor people were really shocking to humanity, and beyond the power of language to describe : that Carlisle was become the barrier, not a single inhabitant being beyond it ; that every stable and hovel in the town was crowded with miserable refugees, who were reduced to a state of beggary and despair ; their houses, cattle and harvest destroy- ed ; and from a plentiful, independent people, they were become real objects of charity and commiseration ; that it was most dismal to see the streets filled with people, in whose countenances might be discov- ered a mixture of grief, madness and despair ; and to hear, now and then, the sighs and groans of men; the disconsolate lamentations of women, and the screams of children, who had lost their nearest and dearest relatives ; and that on both sides of the Susquehanna, for sone miles, the woods were filled with poor families, and their cattle, who made fires, and lived like savages, exposed to the inclemencies of the weather.
Extract of a Letter, dated Carlisle, July 30, 1763.
On the 25th a considerable number of the inhabitants of Shearman's valley went over, with a merty of soldiers to guard them, to attempt saving as much of their g. ain as might be standing, and it is hoped a considerable quantity will yet be preserved. A party of volunteers, between twenty and thirty, went to the farther side of the valley, next to the Tuscarora mountain, to see what appearance there might be of the Indians, as it was thought they would most probably be there, if any where in the settlement; to search for, and bury the dead at Buffalo creek, and to assist the inhabitants that lived along, or near the foot of the mountain, in bringing off what they could, which ser- vices they accordingly performed, burying the remains of three per- sons ; but saw no marks of Indians having lately been there, excepting one track, supposed about two or three days old, near the narrows of Buffalo creek hill ; and heard some hallooing and firing of a gun at an- other place. A number of the inhabitants of Tuscarora valley go over the mountain to-morrow, with a party of soldiers, to endeavor to save part of the crops : five Indians were seen last Sunday, about sixteen or seventeen miles from Carlisle, up the valley, towards the North mountain ; and two the day before yesterday, above five or six miles from Shippensburg, who fired at a young man, but missed him.
On the 25th of July, there were in Shippensburg, 1384 of our poor, distressed back inhabitants, viz : men 301, women 345, children 738 ; inany of whom were obliged to lie in barns, stables, cellars, and under old leaky sheds, the dwelling houses being all crowded.
In a letter dated Carlisle, 13th August, 1763, it is said that some In-
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dians have lately been seen in Shearman's valley, and that on the 11th the tracts of a party were found there, supposed to consist of eight or ten, coming through Shearman's valley, towards Carlisle, about twelve miles upwards. In another letter, dated Carlisle, 17th August, mention is made that one John Martin, in the Great Cove, seeing an Indian coming up to a house where he was, fired at him, upon which the In- dian raised a yell, and took a tree ; that Martin imagining there might be more Indians near him, ran to a company at work, and told what had happened, when they went to the place, found some blood and excre- ments ; from which they concluded he was shot through the bowels. They followed his track down to a bottom, where they saw the tracks of six or seven more ; but being a small party, pursued no further. In the same letter, it is also said, that a young man, at a plantation about nine miles from Carlisle, near the foot of the mountain, saw an Indian and fired at him at about fifty yards distance, but was not sure that he hit him. The Indian took a tree, and the lad went back a little way, in order to load again, but on his return could not find the Indian. He then alarmed the neighborhood ; and the soldiers being all out in par- ties, covering the people gathering in grain, upwards of twenty young men turned out immediately from Carlisle, to scour the woods.
It appears that this well matured onslaught by the Indians was equally cruel and extensive in the autumn of 1763, and drove the whites to acts of desperation, which only finds extennation from the circumstance that there were no limits to the atrocities of the savages. Wherever they went, mur- der and cruelty marked their path -~~ 1, as will appear from the sequel, even the professed friendly Indians had fallen un- der strong suspicions, as being to some extent, concerned in these foul murders.
In a letter from Jonas Seely, Esq., dated at Reading, Sep. 11, 1763, it is said-We are all in a state of alarm. Indians have destroyed dwellings, and murdered with savage bar- barity their helpless inmates ; even in the neighborhood of Reading. Where these Indians came from and were going, we know not. These are dangerous times. Send us an armed force to aid our Rangers of Lancaster and Berks.
In another, from the same gentleman, to Geo. Hamilton, dated Reading, Sep. 1763, he says-It is a matter of won- der, that Indians living among us for numbers of years, should suddenly become grum friends, or most deadly ene- mies ! Yet there is too much reason for suspicion. The Rangers sent in word, that these savages must consist of fifty, who travel in companies from five to twenty, visiting Wyalus- ing, Wichetunk, Nain, Big Island, and Conestogue, under the mark of friendly Indians. Our people have become al-
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most infuriated to madness. These Indians were not even suspected of treachery, such had been the general confidence in their fidelity. The murders recently committed are of the most aggravating description. Would it not be proper to institute an inquiry into the cause of our present distress ?- We are in want of force, and money ; we require aid.
The Senecas, there is much reason to believe, have been tampering with our Indians.
In the early part of September, in the afternoon, eight well-armed Indians came to the house of John Fincher, a Quaker, residing north of the Blue mountain, in Berks county, about twenty-four miles from Reading, and within three- quarters of a mile of a party of six men of Captain Kern's company of Rangers, commanded by ensign Scheffer. At the approach of the Indians, John Fincher, his wife, two sons and daughter, immediately went to the door and asked them to enter in and eat ; expressed their hopes that they came as friends, and entreated them to spare their lives .- The Indians were deaf to the entreaties of Fincher. Both parents and two sons were deliberately murdered ; their ho- dies were found on the spot. The daughter was missing af- ter the departure of the Indians, and it was supposed fiom the cries that we heard by the neighbors that she was also slain.
A young lad, who lived with Fincher, made his escape, and notified ensign Scheffer, who instantly went in pursuit of these heartless, cold-blooded assassins. He pursued them to the house of one Millar, where he found four children murdered: the Indians having carried two others with them. Millar and his wife being at work in the field, saved their lives by flight. Mr. Millar himself, was pursued'nearly one mile by an Indian, who fired at him twice while in hot pursuit. Scheffer and his party continued their pursuit and overtook the savages, firing upon them. The Indians returned the fire, and a sharp, but short conflict ensued,-the er emy fled, leaving behind them Millar's two children, and part of the plunder they had taken.
These barbarous Indians had scalped all the persons whom they had murdered, except an infant, about two weeks old, whose head they had dashed against the wall, where the brains with clotted blood on the wall was a witness of their
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cruelty. The consequence of this "massacre was the deser- tion of all the settlements beyond the Blue mountain.
A few days after these atrocious murders, the house of Frantz Hubler, in Bern township, eighteen miles from Read- ing, was attacked by surprise-Hubler was wounded; his wife and three of his children were carried off, and three other of his children scalped alive; two of these shortly afterwards died.
" Murder and cruelty marked the path of these Indians. From the many acts of savage ferocity committed in Berks county, may be noticed that on the 10th of September, 1763, when five of these Indians entered the house of Philip Martloff, at the base of the Blue mountain, murdered and scalped his wife, two sons and two daughters, burnt the house and barn, the stacks of hay and grain, and destroyed every thing of any value. Martloff was absent from home, and one daughter escaped at the time of the murder, by running and secreting herself in a thicket. The father and daughter were left in abject misery."*
July 6, 1763, Gov. Hamilton laid before the council a lettter received by express from Col. Bouquet.
CARLISLE, JULY 3d, 1763.
Sir :- I am sorry to acquaint you that our Posts at Presque Isle, Le Beuf and Venango are cut off, and the garrisons massacred by the savages, except one officer and seven men, who have escaped from Le Beuf. Fort Pitt was briskly attacked on 22d; (June) had only a few men killed ; and wounded and dispersed the enemy. Fort Ligonier has likewise stood a vigorous attack, by means of some men who reinfor- ced that small garrison from the militia of Bedford. The Indians ex- pect a strong reinforcement lo make new attempts on these two posts.
If the measures, I had the honor to recommend to you in my letters of yesterday, are not immediately put into execution, I foresee the ruin of the part of the Province on this side Susquehannah ; and as York county would be covered by Cumberland, I think they ought join in assisting to build some posts, and saving the harvest-It would not be less necessary to send immediately arms and ammunition to be distri- buted to the inhabitants to defend their reapers.
I have the honor to be, Sir, your most obedient, Humble servant,
HENRY BOUQUET.t
The refugees, who had resorted to Carlisle, &c., were re-
* See Votes of Assembly, vol. v. p. 285. Oct. 21, 1765. + Prov. Rec. S. p. 379.
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lieved, in part, in their distresses, by the munificence of the Episcopal churches of Philadelphia, as appears from the fol- lowing :
" July 26, 1763, the rector, (Richard Peters) representing to the Vestry, that the back inhabitants of this province are reduced to great distress and necessity, by the present inva- sion, proposed that some method be considered for collecting charity for their relief, from the congregation of Christ Church and St. Peter's, (Philadelphia,) and it was unanimously re- solved, that a preamble to a subscription paper for that pur- pose, be immediately drawn up, which was accordingly done.
"At their next meeting,the church wardens reported to the Vestry, that they had carried about a subscription paper, and made a collection from the congregations of Christ Church and St. Peter's, for the relief of the distressed frontier inhab- itants, amounting to £662, 3s. The rector and church war- dens were appointed a committee to correspond with certain persons in Cumberland county, in order to ascertain the ex- tent of the distress, that the above contributions might be judiciously distributed."
Some idea of the greatness of this calamity in the western part of Pennsylvania, brought about by Indian hostilities, inay be found from the following letter, addressed to the rec- tor and wardens of Christ Church and St. Peter's :
CARLISLE, August 24, 1763.
Gentlemen :
We take the earliest opportunity of answering your letter on the 12th inst., in which you inform us, that there is at your disposal a sum of money to be distributed amongst the poor unhappy people on our frontiers, who have been obliged to fly their habitations, and take shel- ter in this town, Shippensburg, Littletown, Bedford, &c. We assure you, that we shall now, and all other times, be ready to give you as full and true information of every thing material relating to the suffer- ers of our frontiers, as we shall be able, and we shall also be ready to give our assistance in the distribution of such sums of money, as you shall think proper to send up, from time to time, for the relief of those in distress. We have taken pains to get the number of the distressed, and upon strict inquiry, we find seven hundred and fifty families have abandoned their plantations, the greatest number of which have lost their crops, some their stock and furniture, and besides, we are inform- ed that there are about two hundred women and children coming down from Fort Pitt. We also find that the sums of money already sent up are almost expended, and that each family has not received twenty shillings upon an average ; although the greatest care has been taken to distribute it to those who appeared the greatest object of distress .- The unhappy sufferers are dispersed through every part of this coun-
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