USA > Pennsylvania > Adams County > The history and topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, and Perry counties [Pennsylvania] > Part 56
USA > Pennsylvania > Bedford County > The history and topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, and Perry counties [Pennsylvania] > Part 56
USA > Pennsylvania > Cumberland County > The history and topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, and Perry counties [Pennsylvania] > Part 56
USA > Pennsylvania > Dauphin County > The history and topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, and Perry counties [Pennsylvania] > Part 56
USA > Pennsylvania > Franklin County > The history and topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, and Perry counties [Pennsylvania] > Part 56
USA > Pennsylvania > Perry County > The history and topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, and Perry counties [Pennsylvania] > Part 56
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The scheme was managed in Pennsylvania by James Hamilton, William Allen, Richard Peters, Benjamin Franklin, Conrad Weiser, Esqrs., and Rev. William Smith, Trustees General ; and Rev. Michael Schlatter, Visitor General.
C. p. 78 .- A proposition for the better securing the province of Pennsylvania from the inroads of the Indians, and finding them em- ployment at home in their own country, to prevent them from coming abroad to seek it; with some few reasons why our present situation can never be a defenceable one, against such an enemy.
As the province of Pennsylvania has at present (1757) 1300 sol- diers in their pay, viz : Col. Clapham s regiment of 400 ; Lieut. Col. Armstrong's battalion 400; Lieut, Col. Weiser's battalion 500.
Suppose the western battalion should garrison Fort Littleton (now Bedford county) and that, that fort should have always stores of all kinds sufficient, or rather more than sufficient, for 400 men for six months, that the western battalion should have three field officers, 100 men under the command of one of the field officers should always be in the fort, and the other 300 with the field officers should be perpetn- ally employed against the enemy in their own country, as the Colonel of the said battalion should order.
It would be necessary, that there should be a constant and regular correspondence, between Col. Clapham, Lieut. Col. Armstrong and Lieut. Col. Weiser, and that they should endeavor, as far as in their power, for good intelligence.
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Each of these Colonel's should have it in his power to employ, from time to time, and as often as they thought necessary, persons properly qualified to go into the enemy's country, in quest of intelligence, who should have equivalent rewards regularly paid, in proportion to the service they do, and the risk they run in obtaining their intelligence. (even tho' soldiers in the service) as such encouragement will cer- tainly produce good effeets-which intelligence being communicated from time to time, by each to the other, there would be a great proba- bility of their judgment being right at all times, where to strike a blow to advantage.
Col. Clapham's regiment should garrison Fort Augusta, (now Nor- thumberland county ) and that 300 men of said regiment should remain in that fort, with one field officer. I mention 300 at this place, because it is a large fort, and a place of more importance than Fort Littleton. That Col. Clapham's regiment should be augmented by drafts from the eastern battalion to 500 men, on account of 300 being left to garri- son Fort Augusta, and should have three field officers. That the re- maining 200 of this regiment, and two of the field officers, should be employed in the same manner as the western battalion. At Augusta there should always be stores for 6 months at least for 500 men.
A strong fort should be built at Easton, (Northampton county) where Lieut. Col. Weiser's battalion should be stationed, with six months stores in said fort for 400 men ; this battalion should likewise have three field officers. One hundred men and one field officer should be always in the fort at Easton, and the remaining 300 men, and two field officers of that battalion should be employed as that of Colonels Clapham and Lieut. Col. Armstrong.
If these were disposed of in this manner, the two battalions would be at the extremities of the present inhabited frontiers of this province, and the regiment in the centre, at pretty nigh equal distances from each other, and were they assiduous in the noble cause in which they are engaged, they might give seasonable intelligence to each other, which might enable one or other of them to distress the enemy; and as each of these colonels is supposed to have full power to strike the en- emy where they best can, each of the Lieut. Colonel's would have 300 men, two field officers to conduct any enterprize they thought proper to undertake, and Col. Clapham 200 men, and, if at any time they judged it most for the benefit of the service, they might unite two, or all their bodies, in which case they would have a little army of of 5 or 600 men, and four field officers; or 800 men and six field officers, which would be sufficient to find the Indians employment enough, and perhaps more than enough, in their own country, and prevent them from the fatigue of marching into this province in quest of English, to fight.
I would presumc to offer a few reasons why the same number of troops (as they are at present disposed of) cannot be of the like ser- vice in defending this province.
The troops, at present, are divided into small bodies, at a consider- able distance from one another, and seemingly independent of each other-they have no intercourse or connection, one with another ; as for giving intelligence to each other, (which is a most material thing) it never has, as yet, I believe, been thought of; or at least, I may say with safety, it has rarely been practiced.
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The troops being disposed in companies of 50 men, each company to garrison a fort, which forts if at any time attacked their garrisons are barely sufficient to defend them, for which reason they can be of no service to the country around them, as they cannot come to the as- sistance of the people, their garrisons being so small without exposing their fort, and if they should attempt to make a sally, and not meet with success, the consequence might be, the fort falling a prey to the enemy.
But suppose all these forts should continue in possession of the English, it would be only defending so much ground as each fort stood upon, as there is none of them that defend rivers, roads or passes, by which we could be greatly annoyed by a regular army (except Fort Augusta and Fort Littleton ) as to Indians, every place is a pass to them, and we cannot pretend to stop their marches bv guarding passes.
The advantages I would propose from the Fort at Easton, it would guard the river Delaware, preserve Easton from being destroyed and serve for a place of retreat to the eastern battalion, and where they could at all times be supplied with every necessary.
As our soldiers are not equal to Indians in the woods, I think it would be a great assistance to them, were they supplied with a green shirt, a green jacket, a green blanket and a green cloth cap, as the summer is the chief time of action, at which season of the year, the woods being very thick of green leaves, the Indians can conceal them- selves in time of action much better than we can; but our being dressed in green, would be a great service to us, and would prevent, in some measure our parties from being discovered upon a march. which would likewise be of use.
Were the disposition and clothing &c., of the troops of this province as before mentioned, they would in some measure have the same ad- vantage over the Indians, that they have all along over us ; they could go to places where they would be certain of finding them, and in their turn lay the same snares to trapan them, that they now do for us in our country-When the Indians come to attack us in this province, it has been their general practice to proceed as follows.
They come within a little way of that part of the inhabitants they intend to strike, and encamp in the most remote place they can find, to be quite free from discovery ; the next day, they send one, or some- times two (and so in proportion to their parts) of the nimble young fellows down into the inhabitants to different places, to view the situ- ation of the towns, the number of people at each house, the places the people most frequent, and to observe at each house, whether there are most men or women. To accomplish this they will lie about a house some days and nights, watching like a wolf, and seldom return to the party without carrying very particular intelligence ; then as soon as all their spies return, it is determined to march in the night in small parties of 2, 3, 4, or 5 in a party, each party having a house allotted to them to attack-the strength of the party being calculated more than sufficient for the purpose intended-they arrive at their different desti- nations long before day, and knowing exactly the situation of the fam- ily and the number they have to engage, they make their attack about break of day, in the morning to the best advantage, and seldom fail to kill, and make prisoners the whole family. As the people know noth- ing of the matter until they are thus labrynthed, it is agreed that the
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moment each party has executed their part, they retreat with their prisoners and scalps to the remote place of rendezvous, they left the night before ; by this means they are instantly assembled by different roads, marching in a body from thence, directly for the Ohio all that day, and perhaps the next night before they halt, if they are under any apprehensions of being discovered or pursued. Perhaps at some of these houses, thus attacked, some of the people may be fortunale enough to escape ; the Indians not discovering them by some accident or other, as soon as the Indiaus are gone, they alarm the forts, and country around, then a detachment from the fort with a body of the country, proposes to pursue the enemy ; all, or at least chief part of the day, is spent in assembling, and counselling, and at last it is con- cluded to pursue ; but the Indians having eight or ten hours start of them, they return much fatigued, finding it impracticable to overtake the enemy and are obliged to put up with their loss.
Upon this the chief part of the remaining inhabitants, most adjacent to the place where this affair happens, fly and leave their habitations, and all they have to depend upon for support for their families, and some few perhaps determine to stay by their living, choosing rather to take the chance of dying by the hand of the enemy than starve with hunger by leaving their all behind ; those must be constantly on the watch, and cannot apply themselves to any industry, but live as long as they can upon what they have already got. The Indians avoid coming nigh that place for some time, and will make their next attack in the same manner at a considerable distance from thence, where the people are secure, and not thinking much about danger ; by and by, the people that fled from the first place attacked, hearing of no en- croachments in that quarter, and being obliged through necessity, will return to their habitations again, and live in their former security, as if nothing had happened ; and then it will be time, and the Indians will give them the second stroke, with as much success as the first ; and in this manner have we, of the province of Pennsylvania, been embarrassed and had our limbs lopped off, and our flourishing country greatly laid waste.
I introduce the method the Indians have taken to destroy us, to prove the advantage that would accrue to this province and the cause in ge- neral, of our marching into the Indian country as here proposed ; but let it be observed, it would not be prudent in us to march into their country in the same manner as they do into ours ; that is, we should never begin a march without good intelligence, for these reasons : the Indians know our country well ; I mean, the Delawares, Shawanese, Mingoes, Munceys and Nanticokes ; we know nothing of all theirs ; we are thickly settled, and continue at our settlements, and therefore more difficult to find them, and quite uncertain, but by fresh intelli- gence ; they are more hardy and can suffer more fatigue, and provide themselves better in the woods with provisions than we can ; this inay proceed from nature, or custom, or perhaps both ; if from nature sole- ly, we shall never attain these necessary qualifications for Indian fighting ; but if from custom, it is to be hoped in time we shall be- come good soldiers in this way, and prove a check to this barbarous banditti.
It may be thought that we can proceed, as we are at preesnt situa- ted, to destroy their towns in the same manner that Lieut. Col. Arm -
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strong did the Kittaning. This was a noble undertaking, and judici- ously executed; but to this I would answer, that this glorious enter- prize of Lieut. Armstrong's was quite an unexpected thing to the In- dians ; and as they are a very cunning, indefatigable people, it will put them more upon their guard for the future ; and by our troops be- ing constantly employed amongst them at different places, at the same time, if we should be sometimes discovered, (as we undoubtedly will) and fail of an intention in one quarter, it will produce some good ef- fects in another, and by this means, they never could know where to provide against us, which is a parallel case with us at present, and will remain so, unless we can remove the seat of war, by carrying it into the Indian country, which cannot be done by one body, unless it is a powerful one, as we will be discovered in our march four times in five, and if discovered, and a small body, they will so counteract us, that we shall neither be able to execute our design nor retreat; and if there should be a succession of this bad fortune, it would be of very bad consequence ; it would render it a difficult matter to persuade troops with success in that country.
It is presumed that all the troops in the pay of the province of Penn- sylvania (to answer this purpose) are to be enlisted for life, as all king's troops are, otherwise this end can never be attained, as they will be continually, once a year, composed of new recruits.
Another bad tendency enlisting soldiers for a short time will have, that much time will be lost in recruiting, and in the interim between their being free and replacing them again by recruits (which are always esteemed inferior to old soldiers)-I say, in this interim, the province will be left quite defenceless, being entirely left without sol- diers, and should the enemy take the advantage of this, they might overrun the province without opposition, as we have no militia.
When the troops are filled up again with recruits, before they pro- perly know themselves to be soldiers, the time for which they enlisted is nigh expiring, and they grow indifferent whether they do their duty or not, if they can deceive their officers and escape punishment, their freedom engrossing more of their mind, than their duty.
I hope these few thoughts will be accepted of as coming from a per- son who has nothing so much at heart as the welfare of the province of Pennsylvania. If they are of any service, it is well ; if not, let the author's zeal apologize for the attempt, and pardon his presumption.
D. p. 109 .- John McCullough was a native of Newcastle county, Del. When he was 5 years old his father moved to Cumberland (now Franklin co.) owing to the hostile incursions of the Indians, his father retired with his family into York co. till 1756, when he again ventured to Cumberland. Some time in July, John McCulloch, then a young lad, was taken by the Indians, and was among them for some time.
E. p. 109 .- The documents referred to being too long, are omitted in this place.
F. p. 178 .- (Omitting some 40 pages of Mss. such as letters, &c., the following is all that can be given here) : " Messrs. Hall and Sell- ers-As the affair of Frederick appears, at present, a very interesting subject, and I have not yet seen any proper account of it in any paper, I beg, therefore, you will allow the following relation of that matter, from the beginning, a place in your next, which will oblige many, as well as, gentlemen, your humble servant .- D.
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Carlisle Feb. 16, 1768.
On the 18th and 19th of January, the first notice arrived here of Frederick Stump, and his men, having murdered a number of Indians within this county, and that William Blyth was gone down to inform the governor. This account came not by any express, but by a pri- vate gentleman on business of his own. It was the beginning of our court week. The magistrates in town immediately met, to consult on measures to be taken. Had the sheriff then gone, it would have great- ly impeded the public business depending at court: And as all ends might be equally answered by the coroner, with the additional service of holding an inquest on the bodies, it was concluded to send him, and a message accordingly was immediately dispatched to him. As he lives some distance from town, and the place where he was to go ly- ing remote, so that some little preparation was requisite, it was Thurs- day before he could get off. His directions were, to take a posse with him from beyond the hills, and try to take Stump and his men, hold an inquest on the bodies, and bury the dead. On the 23d in the after- noon, the Governor's orders came up, very near the same in substance with the above, and directing the sheriff also to go, and the Chief Jus- tice's warrant, ordering the prisoners, when taken, to be sent down to Philadelphia, to be examined and dealt with as the law directs. The Sheriff, and some of the magistrates, were preparing to set off, accord- ing to the Governor's orders, but about 8 or 9 in the evening the pris- oners were brought in by Capt. Patterson, and a party, from Juniata. Next day (being Sabbath) the weather very disagreeable, a guard to be provided, and some necessary preparation to be made, rendered it impracticable for the Sheriff to set off with the prisoners before Monday ; nor had any body at this time, the least apprehension of any design to rescue them. The clause in the warrant, ordering thefn down to Philadelphia, began to be a topic of much conversation in the town. The more general, nay, almost universal sentiment was, that if they went down, they would undoubtedly be tried there, some not properly distinguishing between examination and trial ; but the grea- ter part apprehensive that an act might be made for that purpose .- On Monday morning, when the Sheriff was now nigh ready to set off, a number of respectable inhabitants of the town, with some from the country, went to Colonel Armstrong's, and warmly remonstrated against the prisoners being sent down, until the Governor's and Chief Justice's pleasures should farther be made known, and whether they insisted upon it, strenuously alledging, it was yielding up a most val-
uable privilege, and setting a precedent, that might hereafter be of pernicious consequence. They were then told, as were sundry others, on the same subject, at different times, that the Chief Justice's war- rant must be obeyed ; that he had an undoubted right to call any per- sons, in such case, before him, from any part of the Province; that there was a wide difference between examination and trial; that it was uncharitable to suspect any of the people below, while nothing illegal was yet done, of attempting to deprive us of so valuable a privilege ; tha, it was at most but bare suspicion, and ought not to
prevent from present duty, but all was overbalanced by the above too tender jealousy of privilege, and apprehensions of a particular law being made. It was also pleaded, it was not usual to have prisoners sent out of their proper county ; and would not be insisted on by those
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in authority, on a representation of matters being given, and the con- fessions of the prisoners being sent down. The weather, at the same time, was very bad ; creeks broke up, and waters high; the Susque- hanna apprehended to be dangerous, and most probable impassable ; and to have had the prisoners lying by the way, would have been dis- agreeable, and might have been running some hazard. Upon the whole, therefore, it was thought most advisable, that the Sheriff should not, as yet, set off with the prisoners (tho' no determination was form- ed that they shoud not all be sent.) As the prisoners were, in conse- quence of the above result, to remain yet some time longer in this jail, the sheriff and prison-keeper requested a commitment, and were told it was not necessary, but this being farther insisted on, it was given, not before the above remonstrating and reasoning on the case, but after it, on Monday afternoon, with a necessary clause, "until re- moved by superior authority." It was also thought expedient, by the magistrates in town, at this critical junction, to have the assistance of as many of their brethren from the county as could conveniently be had, in an affair so embarrassed, through the above mentioned gener- ally prevailing mistake ; snd notices were aceordingly 'sent them on Tuesday and their attendance requested the next day. The hasty ap- prehension of the prisoners being ordered to Philadelphia for trial, had spread almost beyond credibility, like an electric shock, over all the county and into adjacent counties and governments ; and, unex- pectedly to all here, had oceasioned a very general alarm. On the Wednesday, when the magistrates were met, an anonymous letter, that had been dropt in a porch and found by the sheriff, was brought to them, containing information, that several parties were formed and forming, to rescue the prisoners, if attempted to be sent out of the county, and shortly a party of 40 or 50 armed men were discovered on their way to town ; but by the influence of several who met them, they were happily prevented, and prevailed on to disperse.
It now began to appear, by various accounts, that were the prisoners to be taken either by the direct road to Lancaster county, or by the way of York, or had they even been taken sooner, there was the high- est probability of a rescue, by parties secretly formed for that purpose, as soon as it was known the prisoners were to be sent to Philadelphia. The magistrates therefore fully convinced of the imminent danger at- tending the prisoners going, thought the most safe and prudent, that they should not be removed until the Governor and Chief Justice were first informed how matters stood, which was accordingly done. And as there was not the least apprehension of any design against the jail save what appeared in the above party, and they had goue away per- fectly satisfied, no one suspected any further disturbance or danger, while the prisoners were there. But on the Friday following, January 30 (?) a party of about 60 or 70, said to be chiefly beyond the North mountain, came on the same wicked design. They sent in two of their number a little before the body, who, going into the room of the jail, called for a dram, and got it. The jailor discovering some arms on them, immediately ran to the door and shut it, but was met by three more, who bolted in armed, seized him, carried him to a different room, set a guard on him, and threatened him severely, if he should stir. Instantly after these came the whole party, who having entered the town, till then undiscovered, had, with the most violent precipita-
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tion, hastened to the jail, placed a guard on the door, and on all within, whom they thought might molest them; they then constrained a girl to get them the keys, lighted a candle, went down to the dungeon (tho' without crow bar, axe, or any such instruments) opened the door and brought out the prisoners. While this was transacting, the sheriff came, Colonel Armstrong, Messiuers Miller and Lyon, magistrates ; the Rev. Mr. Steel, and some others of the inhabitants, had attempted to bring these infatuated people to reason, urging a conference, and that they should be satisfied in any reasonable demand. The sheriff and magistrates got in as far as the door, and some of them declared they would die before the prisoners should be taken out, not knowing what was transacting within, for in an instant the prisoners were at the door, and a cry made to clear the way. The sheriff attempted to lay hold of Stump, but was pushed off, and both he and the magis- trates were jostled or borne away into the street, and the prisoners carried off. The whole transaction was but a few minutes. At the extremity of the town, going out, they compelled a smith to cut off their hand cuffs. At the instance of the sheriff and magistrates, who alledged that night, at that juncture, have more influence on this peo- ple than they could, the Rev. Messieurs Steel and Boucher, (the only clergy then in town) with some others, went after them, and overtook a few of the hindmost about a mile out of town (the body, with the prisoners, being gone off) these said that they, for their part, would agree to the prisoners being restored, on condition they were assured they should not be sent to Philadelphia. When this message was brought back, the sheriff, Col. Armstrong and Lyon, went after them, but came up with none, they having all proceeded as fast as they could on their way over the hill. On Sabbath it was agreed to raise the posse, and cross the hill, to attempt regaining the prisoners; this was accordingly done. In the temper those people were in, violent mea- sures would have instantly occasioned the shedding of blood ; the milder steps of reasoning and opening consequences were therefore pursued ; and assurances given them, that the trial of the prisoners would undoubtedly be in their proper county. This was the grand point; and I doubt not the prisoners would have been returned the next day, had not a mischievous report been carried to them just after the sheriff and his posse came away, that a party of soldiers were ready to take the prisoners to Philadelphia, as soon as delivered .- When the Governor's letter came up, in answer to one informing him of the rescue, Col. Armstrong and some others with him, went over again, and had a number of them together. They all declared their willingness to return the prisoners, but desired opportunity to con- sult others of their number, and had unluckily permitted Stump to go to see his family, on his promise of returning in a few days, tho' some alledged he was still in custody somewhere among them. Those pre- sent promised to use their best endeavors to have both the prisoners returned.
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