USA > Pennsylvania > Adams County > The history and topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, and Perry counties [Pennsylvania] > Part 9
USA > Pennsylvania > Bedford County > The history and topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, and Perry counties [Pennsylvania] > Part 9
USA > Pennsylvania > Cumberland County > The history and topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, and Perry counties [Pennsylvania] > Part 9
USA > Pennsylvania > Dauphin County > The history and topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, and Perry counties [Pennsylvania] > Part 9
USA > Pennsylvania > Franklin County > The history and topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, and Perry counties [Pennsylvania] > Part 9
USA > Pennsylvania > Perry County > The history and topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams, and Perry counties [Pennsylvania] > Part 9
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Indians frequently said they resolved to kill all the white folks except a few, with whom they would afterwards make a peace; that they made an example of one Paul Broadly, whom they, agreeable to their usual cruelty, beat for half an hour with clubs and tomahawks, and afterwards fastening him to a post, cropt his ears close to his head ; and chopped his fingers-that they called together all the prisoners to wit- ness the scene of their inhuman barbarity.
He further said, that about the beginning of March, he was taken by three Indians to Diahoga, where he found about fifty warriors belonging to the Delaware, Mohiccon and Munsey tribes, and about twenty German prisoners ; that while he was there, the Indians frequently went in parties of twelve, to destroy the inhabitants, and as often returned with their scalps, but no prisoners; that their whole conversation was continually filled with expressions of vengenance against the English, and resolutions to kill them, and lay waste their country. That in May all the Indians moved from Diahoga about twenty miles higher up the river to plant corn, where most of them have since lived.
That they, with the prisoners, during the whole summer have been in a starving condition, having very little venison and corn, and reduced to the necessity of living upon dog flesh and the few roots and berries they could collect in the woods; that several of the prisoners had died for the want of food.
That on the 9th of August he left Diahoga and came down the river in a canoe with Makomsey to Gnahay, to get some corn that was left under ground, and that in the morn- ing after he arrived there, the Indians having gone out to hunt, he made his escape on the 14th of August (last) and came to Fort Augusta at six o'clock in the evening.
It is stated, in the Provincial Records, "the poor boy was extremely reduced, had dangerous swellings on his body, and was in a sickly condition ; the goveruor therefore ordered him lodging and the attendance of a doctor."
On the 20th Feb. 1756, says Gordon, Captain Patterson with a scouting party, fell in with some Indians at Middle creek, in Cumberland county (now Union), one of whom they scalped,* and put the others to flight, having one of his own
* The Indian whom they scalped was probably Shecalemy's sister's son, as will appear from the following letter from Thomas McKee, da-
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men wounded. He reported the woods, from the Juniata to Shamokin, to be filled with Indians, seeking plunder and scalps, and burning all the houses, and destroying the grain in that vicinity.
" February 1756, a party of Indians from Shamokin came to Juniata. They first came to Hugh Mitcheltrees, being on the river, who had gone to Carlisle, and had got a young man, named Edward Nicholass to stay with his wife until he would return-the Indians killed them both. The same party of Indians went up the river where the Luken's now live-William Wilcox lived on the opposite side of the river, whose wife and eldest son had come over the river on some business-the Indians came while they were there and killed Eold dward Nicholass and his wife, and took Joseph, Thomas and Catharine Nicholass, John Wilcox, James Armstrong's wife and two children prisoners.
" An Indian named Cotties, who wished to be Captain of this party, when they did not choose him, he would not go with them, He and a boy went to Shearman's creek, and killed William Sheridan and his family, thirteen in number .--- They then went down the creek to where three old persons lived, two men and a woman, called French, whom they kill- ed; of which they often boasted afterwards, that he and the boy took more scalps than the whole party.
" On Sunday, February 29, 1756, two boys, at a small distance from David David's, in the Little Cove, Cumberland county, were fired upon by some Indians. One of them es-
ted " Fort at Hunter's mill, (six or seven miles above Harrisburg,) April 5, 1756," and addressed to Ed. Shippen, Esq., at Lancaster.
I desire to let you know that John Shecalemy, Indian, is come here in the afternoon, and gives me an account that there is great confusion amongst the Indians up the North Branch of Susquehannah ; the Del- awares are moving all from thence to Ohio, and want to persuade the Shanoies along with them, but they decline going with them that course as they still incline to join with us. The Shanoies are going up to the town called Teaoga (Diahoga) where there is a body of the Six Na- tions, and there they intend to remain. He has brought two more men, some women and some children along with him, and says that he in- tends to live and die with us, and insist upon my conducting him down to where his sister and children are at Canestogo, and I am loath to leave my post as his Honor was offended at the last time I did, but can't help it. He desires me to acquaint you that his sister's son was killed at Penn's creek in the scrimage with Capt. Patterson. This with due respect from yours, &c.
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caped and alarmed the fort. The Indians to the number of twenty, immediately came up and took possession of the barn, and fired repeatedly on the fort, in which there were eight or ten men. The fire was briskly and effectively returned .- Failing in this attempt, the enemy divided their force into two parties, and proceeded to the commission of the usual ravages. But the inhabitants of Peters' township collected in small parties, between three and four o'clock in the after- noon, marched to the fort, and on the next morning set out in pursuit of the savages. They came in sight of six on horseback, who, being closely pursued, abandoned their horses and fled into the woods, leaving behind them a woman they had taken the day before, near the Potomac.
" Another party under Mr. Potter, discovered the trail of two companions of the enemy, whom they followed, until baffled in the pursuit by the falling snow. These compan- ions belonged to Shingas and Jacobs. In this affray they killed four whites, and made prisoners of a like number.
" In the evening of the same day, a party of Indians was discovered by one Alexander, near the house of Thomas Barr, in Peters' township. Alexander was pursued, but es- caped, and alarmed the fort at McDowell's mill; and notice of the presence of the enemy was speedily given to the town- ship. Early on Monday morning, a party, composed of four- teen men of Capt. Croghan's company, who were at the mill, and about twelve other young men, set off to watch the mo- tions of the enemy. Within a quarter of a mile of Barr's they fell in with fifty, and sent back for a re-inforcement from the fort. The young lads proceeded by a circuit to take the enemy in the rear, whilst the soldiers should attack them in front. But the impetuosity of the soldiers defeated their plan. For getting within gun shot, they immediately engaged the Indians, who were standing around the fire, and slew several of them at the first discharge. The Indians briskly returned the fire, killing one of the soldiers, and compelled the rest to retreat. The party of young men, hearing the report of fire arms, hastened up, and finding the Indians on the ground which the soldiers had occupied, deliv- ered their fire with effect, but, concluding that the soldiers had fled, or were slain, they also retreated. One of their number, Barr's son, was wounded, and would have fallen by the tomahawk of an Indian, had not the savage been killed
9*
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by a shot from one Armstrong, who saw him running upon the lad. Soon after, the soldiers and young men being joined by a re-inforcement from the mill, again sought the enemy, who, eluding their pursuit, crossed the creek near William Clark's, and attempted to surprise the fort; but their design was discovered by two Dutch lads, coming from foddering their master's cattle. One of the lads was slain, but the other reached the fort, which was immediately surrounded by the Indians, who, from a thicket fired many shots at the men in the garrison, who appeared above the wall, and re- turned the fire as often as they obtained sight of the enemy. At this time, two men crossing to the mill fell into the mid- dle of the assailants, but made their escape into the fort, though fired at three times. The party at Barr's now came up, and drove the Indians through the thicket; in their re- treat they met five men from Mr. Hoops', riding to the mill ; they killed one of these, and wounded another severely. The sergeant at the fort, having lost two of his men, declined to follow the enemy, until his commander, Mr. Crawford, who was at Hoops' should return, and, the snow falling thick, they had time to burn Barr's house, and in it they consumed their dead. In the morning of the second of March, M. Crawford, with fifty men, went in quest of the enemy, but was unsuccessful in his search .- Gordon's His. Pa. 616, '17.
Every where along the frontier did the Indians commit the most horrid murders. Their implacable cruelty was stimu- lated by the promise of reward for scalps on the part of the French ; beside the promise of restoring them their lands.
In a letter dated March 8, 1756, Hanover township, Lan- caster (now Dauphin) county, it is said that the morning be- fore, namely, the 7th of March, Andrew Lycan, who lived over the mountain, had been attacked by the Indians.
He had with him a son, John Lycan, a negro man, and a boy and two of his neighbors, John Revolt and Ludwig Shut. That Andrew Lycan and John Revolt went out early that morning to fodder their creatures, when two guns were fired at them, but did not hurt them: upon which they ran into the house and prepared themselves for an engagement. That then the Indians got under cover of a hog-house near the dwelling house, John Lycan, Revolt, and Shut, crept out of the house, in order to get a shot at them, but were fired at by the Indi- ans, and all wounded, and Shut in the abdomen. That An-
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drew Lycan saw one of the Indians over the hog-house, and got a little distance from it ; and also saw two white men run out of the hog-house and get a little distance from it. That upon this, our people endeavored to escape, but were pursued by the Indians to the number of sixteen or upwards, and John Lycan and Revolt being badly wounded, were able to do nothing, and so went off with the negro, and left Andrew Lycan, Shut and the boy, engaged with the Indians. That the enemy pursued so closely, that one of them came up to the boy and was going to strike his tomahawk into him, when Shut turned and shot him dead, and Lycan shot another, and he is positive that he killed him-saw a third fall, and thinks they wounded some more of them. That they being now both ill wounded, and almost spent, they sat down on a log to rest themselves, and the Indians stood a little way off look- ing at them.
That one of the said Indians killed was Bill Davis, and two others they knew to be Tom Hickman and Tom Hayes, all Delawares, and well known in these parts. « That all our men got into Hanover township, and under the care of a doctor, and are likely to do well, but have lost all they are worth. And that the people of that township were raising a number of men to go after the enemy. The above people lived twen- ty-five miles below Shamokin, at or near Wiskinisco creek.
There were many singular and dangerous encounters be- tween the English and Indians, which seem to startle the reader. But among the many achievements, says Loudon, against the Indians in our wars with them, few exceed that performed by Samuel Bell, formerly owner of the noted farm on the Stony Ridge, five miles below Carlisle, which was as follows :
Some time after General Braddock's defeat, he and his brother, James Bell, agreed to go into Shearman's valley to hunt for deer, and were to meet at Croghan's, now Sterret's Gap, on the Blue Mountain, by some means or other they did not meet, and Samuel slept all night in a cabin belonging to Mr. Patton on Shearman's creek : in the morning he had not travelled far before he spied three Indians, who at the same time saw him, they all fired at each other ; he wounded one of the Indians, but received no damage, except through his clothes by the balls ; several shots were fired on both sides, for each took a tree; he took out his tomahawk and stuck it
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into the tree behind which he stood, so that should they ap- proach he might be prepared ; the tree was grazed with the Indian's balls, and he had thoughts of making his escape by flight, but on reflection had doubts of his being able to out- run them. After some time the two Indians took the wound- ed one and put him over a fence, and one took one course and the other another, taking a compass so that Bell could no longer secure himself by the tree, but by trying to ensnare him they had to expose themselves, by which means he had the good fortune to shoot one of them dead, the other ran and took the dead Indian on his back, one leg over each shoulder : by this time Bell's gun was again loaded; he then ran after the Indian until he came within about four yards from him, fired, and shot through the dead Indian, and lodged his ball in the other, who dropped the dead man and ran off; on his return, coming past the fence where the wounded In- dian was, he despatched him, but did not know he had killed the third Indian until his bones were found afterwards.
About the 4th April, 1756, McCord's fort in Conoco- cheague, was burned by the Indians, and twenty-seven per- sons were killed or captured ; the Indians escaped the pur- suit of two parties of inhabitants of the vicinity, who had divided themselves into three parties to seek them. Several other forts along the frontier line were watched by outlying parties of savages, and every straggler was made a prisoner or shot down. The third party came up with the enemy at Sidling hill, with whom they had a smart engagement for two hours, during which they fired twenty-four rounds, but were overpowered by numbers, the Indians having been suc- ceeded by a force under Shingas. Each side sustained a loss of about twenty killed and as many wounded.
In a letter dated, at Shippensburg, April 12, 1756, a list of the killed and wounded, in the above named engagement with the Indians, is given.
KILLED of the company under the command of Captain Culbertson : Alexander Culbertson, captain ; John Reynolds, ensign of Capt. Cham- bers' company ; William Kerr, James Blair, John Layson, William Denny, Francis Scott, William Boyd, Jacob Paynter, Jacob Jones, Ru- bert Kerr and William Chambers.
WOUNDED, Abraham Jones, Francis Campbell, William Reynolds, John Barnet, Benjamin Blyth, John McDonald and Isaac Miller.
KILLED of Captain Hamilton's men under the command of Ensign Jamieson, Daniel McCoy, James Robinson, James Peace, John Blair, Henry Jones, John McCarty and John Kelly.
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WOUNDED, Ensign Jamieson, James Robinson, William Hunter, Ma- thias Ganshorn, Wm. Swailes, and James Lowder (since dead).
[Letter from Hance Hamilton to Capt. Potter.] FORT LITTLETON, April 4, 1756, 8 o'clock, P. M.
Sir-These come to inform you of the melancholy news of what oc- curred between the Indians that have taken many captives from Mc- Cord's Fort, and a party of men under the command of Capt. Alexander Culbertson, and nineteen of our men, the whole amounting to about fifty with the captives, and had a sore engagement, many of both par- ties killed and many wounded; the number unknown; those wounded want a surgeon, and those killed require your assistance as soon as possible to bury them. We have sent an express to Fort Shirley for Doctor Mercer, supposing Dr. Jamison is killed, or mortally wounded in the expedition, he being not returned; therefore desire you will send an express immediately for Dr. Prentice to Carlisle, we imagin- ing Dr. Mercer cannot leave the Fort under the circumstances the Fort is under. Our Indian Isaac has brought in Capt. Jacob's Scalp (!) [Not quite certain.]
Sir, please to exert yourself in this affair, I am sir, &c. HANCE HAMILTON.
PETERS' TOWNSHIP, in Cumberland county, April 11th, 1756.
May it please your Honor, (Gov. Morris,)
Upon my return to Cumberland county, I applied immediately to Captain Burd and Captain Patterson, for the draughts out of their com- panies, according to your Honor's instructions ; but the time for which most of their men was enlisted, is expired, they could not fulfil your Honor's orders. Most of the Forts had not received their full com- plement of guns. But we are in a great measure supplied by the arms the young men had brought with them. Capt. Patterson had received but thirty three fire arms ; Capt. Mercer has not so many, but is supplied by Mr. Croghan's arms; and Capt. Hamilton has lost a considerable number of his at the late skirmish beyond Sideling Hill.
As I can neither have the men, arms, nor blankets, I am obliged to apply to your honor for them; the necessity of our circumstances has obliged me to muster before two magistrates the one-half of my company whom l enlisted, and am obliged to borrow yours. I pray that with all possible expedition, fifty-four fire arms, and as many blankets, and a quantity of flints may be sent me; for since McCord's Fort has been taken, and the men defeated that pursued, our country is in the utmost confusion.
Great numbers have left the county, and many are preparing to follow. May it please your Honor to allow me an Ensign, for I find that a sergeant's pay will not prevail with men to enlist in whom much confidence is to be reposed. I beg leave to recommend Arch· ibald Erwin to your honor for this purpose. As Mr. Hoops can give your honor a particular account of the late incursions of the enemy, I need not trouble your honor with any account of mine.
I am your Honor's most obliged, humble servant, JOHN STEEL.
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Lancaster, 24th of April, 1756.
To Hon. R. H. Morris, Gov.
Honored Sir :
The enclosed is a copy of a paper which Mr. George Sanderson of ! this town brought here yesterday from Carlisle, said to have been : found in Mr. McDowell's pocket who was lately killed at the head off a party of Indians from Fort Du Quesne, by the Virginia militia on Polowmack.
I see by the newspapers, it was supposed that Captain Culbert -. son's men, who went in pursuit of the Indians that took McCord's Fort, had killed fifteen of the enemy, among whom they were confident ! Capt. Jacobs is one (?). If Mr. Francis Campbell, of Shippensburg, wrote that account, as he was one of the party, I suppose it was rea -. dily believed, he being known by some gentlemen in Philadelphia to be a person of credit and sense; but his relation of that transaction differs widely from the following story, as to the number of Indians killed, which was told to me two days ago by Mr. Benjamin Blythe, living near Shippensburg, who was also in the battle; he says our men gave the first fire, but without any success ; that then the Indians ran from their fire places with their arms and ammunition, and in less than ten minutes our men found themselves surrounded, which they did not discover before the Indians fired upon them, that notwithstand- ing our men were so exposed to the enemy's fire and dropping every now and then, they fought about two hours and a half by his watch, and then perceiving a reinforcement from Shingas' party, they unani- mously agreed to endeavor to break the enemies circle, as he called it, in order to make them retreat, in which they luckily succeeded. He says they killed but three of the Indians, to the best of his knowledge, and that he doubts whether Capt. Jacobs was one of them; he rather thinks the man taken to b'e him, was a great warrior in his company. This Blythe is an intelligent, sensible man, of good reputation ; he had the misfortune to be shot through the arm. He says that where they broke the circle, three stout Indians, who had just discharged their pieces, rose off the ground from behind a thicket of grubs and ran off ; that he drew his trigger at them, but his gun only burnt priming.
The Indians make use of rifled guns for the most part, and there is such a difference between these sort of guns, and smooth bored, that if I was in an engagement with the savages, I would sooner stand my chance with one of the former sort, which might require a minute to clean load and discharge, than be possessed with a smooth, broad gun, which could discharge three times in the same space ; for at 150 yards distance with the one, I can seldom or ever hit the board of two feet wide and six feet long.
I cannot say I have been pleased with the sight of any of the guns which have been carried through this borough for the service of the Province. I don't mention this as a reflection on the Commission- ers, who have done for the best in that respect, but still it is unfortu- nate for us. Yet, I beg your Honor not inform them of this remark. I am, your Honor's, &c. EDWARD SHIPPEN.
" In the year 1756, captain Jacobs, an Indian chief and
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forty warriors, came upon the Coves, in Cumberland county, burned and destroyed that little settlement, killed many and took a number of prisoners. One Hugh McSwine was abroad at the time, when he camne home, he followed after, and overtook them at Tussey's Narrows; Jacobs took him for a spy and made him prisoner; there was with this party of Indians, one Jackson a white man, who had joined the Indians, and was more industrious and revengeful than the native Indians ; next morning captain Jacobs sent McSwine and another pri- soner, under the care of Jackson and one warrior, by whom he also sent his horse and a silver mounted gun, while they went in quest of some more of the poor unhappy inhabitants ; the Indian and Jackson, with the two prisoners, travelled un- til night came on, when they took up their lodging in a waste cabin, and sent McSwine to cut rails to make a fire, but when he got the axe, he began to think how he could manage to kill both Indian and white man, and immediately put his plan into execution; he went in with his axe, split down the Indian, but before he had time to strike another blow, Jack- son was on his feet, and they instantly got in gripes with each other ; they were both very strong men, and after a long time, McSwine began to fail, and was still calling on the other man to assist him, but he stood trembling, and could do nothing; at length McSwine had the good fortune to get one of the guns in his hand, knocked down his antagonist, and so put an end to him; he scalped both the Indian and Jackson; and next evening arrived at fort Cumberland,* with captain Jocob's horse and gun, Col. Washington sent him to Winchester, (Virginia,) where he got paid for the scalps, horse and gun, and received a lieutenant's commission. " About this time there was a party of Cherokees, seventy in number, who came to the assistance of the people of Penn- sylvania ; they went in pursuit of a party of Indians as far as the west side of sideling hill, when they despaired of com- ing up with them and returned. There was some white men along with these Cherokees, among whom was Hugh Mc-
* We have been informed, that the reason of McSwine's going so quickly to fort Cumberland was, Capt. Jacobs with his party, intended to attack the fort the day after McSwine arrived there, but by his giv- ing information to Col. Washington, he was prepared for them, and they were disappointed in their plans, the fort was not taken .- A. Lou- DON, EDITOR.
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Swine ; this party in their return fell in with another party of Indians coming into the settlements to murder, and a skirmish ensued, but by some means McSwine was parted from his company, and pursued by these Indians, his gun being load- ed, he turned round and shot the one nearest to him, and then ran on, and charging again, shot another, upon which the third gave a yell and turned back ; the Cherokees shortly af- ter brought in four scalps and two prisoners of the enemy, one of which was a squaw, who had been twelve times at war. About this time some Cherokees and white men went to reconnoitre fort Duquesne, and in returning home the white men was not able to keep up with the Indians, and so were left behind in the wilderness, and some of them got home in a very distressing condition. Hugh McSwine, after many dangerous enterprises, and much toil and fatigue, many bat- tles and skirmishes with the Indians, in defence of his coun- try, fell by them in a battle near Ligonier.
"William Mitchel, an inhabitant of Conococheague, had col- lected a number of reapers to cut down his grain ; having gone out to the field, the reapers all laid down their guns at the fence, and set in to reap, the Indians suffered them to reap on for some time till they got out into the open field, they then secured their guns, killed and captured them every man.
" At another time there came a party of Indians into Conococheague and took a number of scalps and prisoners, for at that time the inhabitants were never secure, no sooner had one party finished their work of destruction and retreat- ed, than another commenced their deprivations; however a large company of men was quickly collected and pursued those Indians, overtook them at Sidling hill and surprised them in their camp; upon which the Indians ran off with the greatest precipitation and left their guns behind, but the white men neglected to secure them, the Indians taking a circuitous course, procured their guns, came upon them and defeated them ; but whether the prisoners were released or not, we do not remember of hearing."*
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