USA > Wyoming > Wyoming; its history, stirring incidents, and romantic adventures > Part 3
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An altercation taking place between Colonel St.
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Leger and Sir John Johnson, each accusing the other of remissness in duty, in the midst of the feud two cunning sachems set up a shout, "They are coming ! they are coming !" when the two colonels closed their angry dispute and took to flight. Their men were equally quick on foot; throwing away their guns and knapsacks, they ran for their lives.
Honyost Schuyler ran with the British and Indians until an opportunity occurred for him to escape, when he returned to Fort Schuyler, and gave Colonel Gan- sevoort his first information of General Arnold's ap- proach, and of the flight of the besiegers. Gansevoort pursued the retreating army, and took prisoners and a large amount of spoil. Such was the panic of the royal army that they left their tents standing; their provisions, artillery, ammunition, and all their camp equipage were left to the Yankee forces. The Indians, in the mean time, enraged with disappointment, robbed the officers, plundered several boats on Wood Creek, and actually murdered stragglers belonging to the royal army for the sake of plundering their persons. A just retribution this for employing those heartless savages in a war upon the people of the frontier settle- ments .- See Campbell's History of Tryon County, and Stone's Border Wars.
We will here leave the history of the war upon the northern border, and return to the events of the period in Wyoming. We shall have occasion to refer to the narrative which we have here given as we proceed with the progress of events upon the Susquehanna, and as we give sketches of characters which figured in the predatory wars which were waged by the British pro- vincial troops and her savage allies, the Six Nations, both in Tryon County, New York, and in Wyoming, upon the Susquehanna.
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On the 29th or 30th of June, 1778, Colonel John Butler, with about four hundred British provincials, partly made up of Tories, together with six or seven hundred Indians, entered the head of the valley, and took possession of Fort Wintermoot without opposition. On that morning eight men and a boy, who had gone from Fort Jenkins to their work with their arms, three miles above, fell into the hands of the enemy ; five of the men were killed, and three taken prisoners, the boy escaping by throwing himself into the river, and hiding in a clump of willows.
Colonel Zebulon Butler, who was a Continental offi- cer, knowing the perilous condition of the people, and desirous to give his personal aid in any way possible, had obtained leave to visit the valley, and now, by common consent, assumed the command of the little army. The whole consisted of "two hundred and thirty enrolled men, and seventy old people, boys, civil magistrates, and other volunteers," the whole embrac- ing six companies, which were mustered at Forty Fort, where the families of the settlers on the east side of the river had taken refuge. " Indian Butler," as he was called, summoned the Connecticut people to sur- render Forty Fort and the valley. A council of war was called on the 3d of July, and though it was the opinion of Colonel Butler, Colonel Denison, and Lieu- tenant Colonel Dorrance, and others, that "a little de- lay would be best," in hopes of the arrival of re-enforce- ments, which it was thought might be on their way, yet a large majority were for marching at once upon the enemy and giving them battle. Colonel Butler mounted his horse, saying, "I tell you we go into great danger, but I can go as far as any of you," and " the column, consisting of about three hundred men, old
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men, and boys, marched from the fort," at about three o'clock in the afternoon, with drums beating and colors flying. The devoted little band marched up the plain, with the river on the right and a marsh upon the left, until they reached Fort Wintermoot, which was on fire -fired to make the impression upon the minds of the patriots that the enemy was retiring from the valley.
" Colonel Z. Butler, on approaching the enemy, sent forward Captains Ransom and Durkee, Lieutenants Ross and Wells, as officers whose skill he most relied on, to select the spot, and mark off the ground on which to form the order of battle. On coming up, the column displayed to the left, and under those officers every company took its station, and then advanced in line to the proper position, where it halted, the right resting on the steep bank noted, the left extending across the gravel flat to a morass, thick with timber and brush, that separated the bottom-land from the mountain. Yellow and pitch-pine trees, with oak shrubs, were scattered all over the plain. On the American right was Captain Bidlack's company. Next was Captain Hewitt's, Daniel Gore being one of his lieutenants. On the extreme left was Captain Whit- tlesey's. Colonel Butler, supported by Major John Garrett, commanded the right wing. Colonel Denison, supported by Lieutenant Colonel George Dorrance, commanded the left. Such was the ground, and such the order of battle. Every thing was judiciously dis- posed, and constructed in a strictly military and pru- dent manner. Captains Durkee and Ransom, as expe- rienced officers, in whom great confidence was placed, were stationed, Durkee with Bidlack on the right wing, Ransom with Whittlesey on the left. Colonel But- ler made a very brief address just before he ordered
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the column to display. 'Men, yonder is the enemy. The fate of the Hardings tells us what we have to ex- pect if defeated. We come out to fight, not only for liberty, but for life itself, and, what is dearer, to pre- serve our homes from conflagration, our women and children from the tomahawk. Stand firm the first shock, and the Indians will give way. Every man to his duty.'
"The column had marched up the road running near the bank on which our right rested. On its dis- play, as Denison led off his men, he repeated the ex- pression of Colonel Butler, 'Be firm; every thing de- pends on resisting the first shock.'
" About four in the afternoon the battle began; · Colonel Z. Butler ordered his men to fire, and at each discharge to advance a step. Along the whole line the discharges were rapid and steady. It was evident that on the more open ground the Yankees were doing most execution. As our men advanced, pouring in their platoon fires with great vivacity, the British line gave way, in spite of all their officers' efforts to prevent it. The Indian flanking party on our right kept up from their hiding-places a galling fire. Lieutenant Daniel Gore received a ball through the left arm. 'Captain Durkee,' said he, 'look sharp for the Indians in those bushes.' Captain Durkee stepped to the bank to look, preparatory to making a charge and dislodging them, when he fell. On the British Butler's right, his Indian warriors were sharply engaged. They seemed to be divided into six bands, for a yell would be raised at one end of their line, taken up, and carried through, six distinct bodies appearing at each time to repeat the cry. As the battle waxed warmer, that fearful yell was renewed again and again with more and more spirit.
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It appeared to be at once their animating shout and their signal of communication. As several fell near Colonel Dorrance, one of his men gave way: 'Stand to your work, sir,' said he, firmly, but coolly, and the soldier resumed his place.
"For half an hour a hot fire had been given and sustained, when the vastly superior numbers of the enemy began to develop their power. The Indians had thrown into the swamp a large force, which now completely outflanked our left. It was impossible it should be otherwise: that wing was thrown into con- fusion. Colonel Denison gave orders that the com- pany of Whittlesey should wheel back, so as to form an angle with the main line, and thus present his front, instead of flank, to the enemy. The difficulty of per- forming evolutions by the bravest militia on the field under a hot fire is well known. On the attempt, the savages rushed in with horrid yells. Some had mis- taken the order to fall back as one to retreat, and that word, that fatal word, ran along the line. Utter con- fusion now prevailed on the left. Seeing the disorder, and his own men beginning to give way, Colonel Z. Butler threw himself between the fires of the opposing ranks, and rode up and down the line in the most reck- less exposure. 'Don't leave me, my children, and the victory is ours.' But it was too late.
"Every captain that led a company into action was slain, and in every instance fell on or near the line. As was said of Bidlack, so of Hewitt, Whittlesey, and the others : 'they died at the head of their men.' They fought bravely; every man and officer did his duty ; but they were overpowered by threefold their force. In point of numbers the enemy was overwhelmingly superior."-Miner's History.
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It was a dreadful hour. The few old men who were left in the fort, and the women and children, lined the bank of the river with throbbing hearts, lis- tening to the noise of the battle; and as the firing be- came more scattering, and advanced down the plain toward the fort, the fearful reality of a defeat was but too plainly indicated. "The boys are beat-they are retreating-they will be all cut to pieces !" exclaimed one who had been pacing the bank, and catching ev- ery indication borne upon the breeze from the scene of action.
A portion of the numerous, strange, and fearful scenes which followed are upon record, and many of them are still in the recollection of a few survivors, for which we must refer the reader to the historians. Mr. Miner says, " About one hundred and sixty of the Connecticut people were killed that day, and one hund- red and forty escaped. The loss of the enemy was never known; probably from forty to eighty fell." According to the best information which we have been able to gain, more than two hundred of the patriots fell in this fearful conflict, while about sixty of the British and Indians were slain. Many were first made prisoners, and then massacred in the most cruel and barbarous manner by the savages. Colonels Butler and Denison, being mounted, first came into Forty Fort, and confirmed the apprehensions of the poor de- fenseless people, then waiting in a most fearful state of anxiety and suspense. They sat down by a table in Thomas Bennet's cabin, and adjusted the terms of capitulation which were to be proposed to the enemy. Colonel Butler then crossed over to Wilkesbarre, and the next day, throwing a feather-bed across his horse, and seating his wife upon the animal behind him, left
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the valley. He was a brave officer, and having dis- tinguished himself in several gallant enterprises in the Revolutionary struggle, had reasons enough for not wishing to be made a prisoner of war. At nightfall the fugitives came into the fort, exhausted with the toils and terrors of the day. But oh, how many hus- bands and sons came not! The sadness of that night will never be adequately sketched.
The people in the fort at Wilkesbarre, on the east side of the river, early on the 4th commenced their flight, but in such haste as not to furnish themselves with provisions for a long and toilsome journey through the wilderness. A large number of women and chil- dren, with a few men, took the old war-path toward the Delaware, some perishing on the way through fatigue and hunger in a dense pine forest, which has ever since been called "The Shades of Death." The few regular soldiers who had escaped, knowing that they, if taken, would be doomed to exemplary punishment, made a hasty escape, under the orders of Colonel Butler.
On the evening of the fatal 3d, Captain John Frank- lin arrived at Forty Fort, with a company of militia from Huntington and Salem, which gave a little strength to the remnant which were left. On the morning of the 4th, Colonel John Butler summoned Colonel Denison to surrender Forty Fort, inviting him to his head-quarters to agrce upon the terms. After some negotiation, the following articles of capitulation were duly executed:
" Westmoreland, July 4th, 1778.
" CAPITULATION AGREEMENT - Made and com- pleted between John Butler, in behalf of his majesty King George the Third, and Colonel Nathan Denison of the United States of America :
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" ART. I. It is agreed that the settlement lay down their arms, and their garrison be demolished.
" ART. II. That the inhabitants occupy their farms peaceably, and the lives of the inhabitants be preserved entire and unhurt.
" ART. III. That the Continental stores are to be given up.
" ART. IV. That Colonel Butler will use his utmost influence that the private property of the inhabitants shall be preserved entire to them.
" ART. V. That the prisoners in Forty Fort be de- livered up.
" ART. VI. That the property taken from the peo- ple called Tories be made good; and that they remain in peaceable possession of their farms, and unmolested in a free trade throughout this settlement.
" ART. VII. That the inhabitants which Colonel Denison capitulates for, together with himself, do not take up arms during this contest.
(Signed),
" JOHN BUTLER,
" NATHAN DENISON."
Accordingly, on the 5th of July, the gates of the fort were thrown open, and Butler, at the head of his rangers, and a Seneca chief by the name of G-n, at the head of the Indians, marched in. The arms of the men were stacked, and given as a present by Butler to the Indians, with these words: "See what a present the Yankees have made you." The Indians went about sneakingly peeping into the doors of the cabins, but for that day molested no one. On the next day, however, they began to plunder the people. Colonel Denison remained in Mr. Bennet's cabin, a place for- merly occupied as a horse-shed. When Butler came
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into the fort, Colonel Denison sent for him, and re- monstrated with him upon the conduct of the Indians, alleging that it was a breach of a most solemn en- gagement. Butler said, "My men shall not molest the people ; I will put a stop to it." But he was no soon- er gone than the plundering was resumed. Colonel Denison again sent for Butler, and again he came into the shed and gave assurances that "the plundering should cease." Toward night a company of Indians came in, some of them drunk, and commenced ran- sacking the houses and rifling them of their movables. Colonel Denison had another conversation with But- ler, who now said, "To tell you the truth, I can do nothing with them." Colonel Denison chided him se- verely, but, waving his hand, he repeated the same words, and finally left the fort no more to return.
After the lapse of two weeks from the day of the battle, it was rumored that the Tories and Indians had again entered the valley, and would probably kill all that remained of the inhabitants. The people then all left the fort, some going down the river in canoes, and others taking the path "through the swamp" to Strouds- burg. Thus this beautiful valley was deserted by its inhabitants, with the exception of those who lay bleach- ing upon the plain, unconscious of what transpired, and beyond the reach of further wrongs.
We have not given the details of the savage cruel- ties which are found in other histories. But there are two well-authenticated instances of the diabolical spirit of the Tories which we shall recite. We do this not only to show what kind of men embraced the royal cause, but as a fearful illustration of the dreadful havoc made by the spirit of war upon all the better feelings of humanity, and all the ties of kindred.
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MONOCASY ISLAND, FROM THE EAST BANK OF THE SUSQUEIIANNA.
" A short distance below the battle-ground there is a large island in the river called 'Monockonock Island.' Several of the settlers, while the battle and pursuit con- tinued, succeeded in swimming to this island, where they concealed themselves among the logs and brush- wood upon it. Their arms had been thrown away in their flight previous to their entering the river, so that they were in a manner defenseless. Two of them, in particular, were concealed near and in sight of each other. While in this situation, they observed several of the enemy, who had pursued and fired at them while they were swimming the river, preparing to follow them to the island with their guns. On reaching the island, they immediately wiped their guns and loaded them. One of them, with his loaded gun, soon passed close by one of these men who lay concealed from his view, and was immediately recognized by him to be the brother of his companion who was concealed near him, but who, being a Tory, had joined the enemy. He passed slowly along, carefully examining every covert, and directly perceived his brother in his place of concealment. He suddenly stopped and said, 'So
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it is you, is it ?' His brother, finding that he was dis- covered, immediately came forward a few steps, and falling on his knees, begged him to spare his life, prom- ising to live with him and serve him, and even to be his slave as long as he lived, if he would only spare his life. 'All this is mighty good,' replied the savage- hearted brother of the supplicating man, 'but you are a d **** d rebel ,' and deliberately presenting his rifle, shot him dead upon the spot. The other settler made his escape from the island, and having related this fact, the Tory brother thought it prudent to accompany the British troops on their return to Canada."-Chapman's History, p. 127, 128.
" This tale is too horrible for belief; but a survivor of the battle, a Mr. Baldwin, whose name will occur again, confirmed its truth to the writer with his own lips. He knew the brothers well, and in August, 1839, declared the statement to be true."-Col. Stone's His- tory, p. 215.
Elijah Shoemaker was seen wading in the river, not knowing how to swim, by one Windecker, a Tory, who had been treated by Shoemaker with the kindness with which a father would treat a son. Windecker said to him, "Come out, Shoemaker." "I am afraid," said Shoemaker, "you will give me up to the Indians." " No," said Windecker, "I will save you; they sha'n't hurt you." But no sooner did Shoemaker come with- in his reach, than the perfidious wretch dashed his tom- ahawk into his head, and set his body afloat. The body was taken up at the fort, and Mrs. Shoemaker, with a child in her arms-the late Col. Elijah Shoe- maker, of Kingston-came down to the water's edge to be agonized with a sight of the mangled corpse of her husband. The body was buried in the fort before
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the capitulation. The circumstances of Shoemaker's death-were related by Esquire Carpenter and Anning Owen, who were concealed under a tree-top which lay out in the river.
These instances of horrid brutality defy all prece- dent. The priestess of the hellish orgies of "Bloody Rock," had she witnessed the above spectacle, would have been ashamed of the demons concerned in the transaction. She, in the true spirit of savage warfare, was taking sweet vengeance for the loss of a brother or an intimate friend. But these furies imbrued their hands in the blood of friend and brother ! Alas for poor humanity, of what a height of corruption and wickedness is it capable !
" Indian Butler" soon made his exit from the val- ley. The following is a picture of the departure :
" With Butler a large portion of the Indians with- drew, and their march presented a picture at once mel- ancholy and ludicrous. Squaws, to a considerable num- ber, brought up the rear, a belt of scalps stretched on small hoops around the waist for a girdle, having on, some four, some six, and even more, dresses of chints or silk, one over the other; being mounted astride on horses (of course all stolen), and on their heads three, four, or five bonnets, one within another, worn wrong side before."-Miner's History, p. 237.
Mr. Miner presents two charges against Colonel John Butler, which will lie against his name to the end of time, and in mitigation of which there is not a reliev- ing circumstance. The first is " his position-accept- ing command, lending his name, and associating with those bloodthirsty and unprincipled savages who were placed under his orders." His confession, after the capitulation, that he could "do nothing with them,"
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brands him with infamy. How came he tò lead on a band of murderous savages whom he knew he could not control, to an assault upon a defenseless settle- ment? But "the deepest stain on the character of Butler, next to his taking the command of such a horde of merciless and ungovernable wretches, arises out of the fact that but two prisoners were taken and saved at the time of the battle." It is altogether likely that the greatest number who fell were cruelly massacred upon the retreat; and it is certain that many of them were first made prisoners, and then tortured and butch- ered in cold blood. That his own men took part in the pursuit and butchery on the day of the battle is historically true, and that he tried to prevent the sub- sequent massacres there is no evidence.
COLONEL ZEBULON BUTLER'S REPORT OF THE BATTLE TO THE BOARD OF WAR.
"Gnadenhutten, Penn Township, July 10th, 1778.
" HONORED SIR,-On my arrival at Westmoreland, which was only four days after I left Yorktown, I found there was a large body of the enemy advancing on that settlement. On the 1st of July we mustered the militia, and marched toward them by the river above the settlement-found and killed two Indians at a place where, the day before, they had murdered nine men engaged in hoeing corn. We found some canoes, etc., but, 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 designed for them, though they burned them both. The inhabitants
C
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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 care of them; but, after collecting about three hundred of the most spirited of them, including Captain Hewitt's company, I held a council with the officers, who all agreed that it was best to attack the enemy before they got any farther. We accordingly marched, found their situa- tion, formed a front of the same extension of the ene- my'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, unfortu- nately for us, through some mistake, the word retreat was understood from some officer on the left, which took so quick that it was not in the power of the offi- cers to form them again, though I believe, if they had stood three minutes longer, the enemy would have been beaten. The utmost pains were taken by the officers, who mostly fell. A lieutenant colonel, a ma- jor, and five captains, who were in commission in the militia, all fell. Colonel 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 yet uncertain, though I believe a very considerable num- ber. The loss of these men so intimidated the inhab- itants that they gave up the matter of fighting. Great numbers ran off, and others would comply with the terms that I had refused. The enemy sent flags fre- quently ; the terms you will see in the inclosed letter. They repeatedly said they had nothing to do with any but the inhabitants, and did not want to treat with me. Colonel Denison, by desire of the inhabitants, went and complied, which made it necessary for me and the little
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remains of Captain Hewitt's company to leave the place. Indeed, it was determined by the enemy to spare the inhabitants after the agreement, and that myself and the few Continental soldiers should be delivered up to the savages; upon which I left the place, and came away, scarcely 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 on the Board till now. I must submit to the Board what must be the next step. The little remains of Hewitt's company, which are about fifteen, are gone to Shamoken, and Captain Spaulding's company, I have heard, are on the Dela- ware. Several hundred of the inhabitants are strolling in the country destitute of provisions, who have large fields of grain and other necessaries of life at West- moreland. In short, if the inhabitants can go back, there may yet be secured double the quantity of pro- visions 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 have killed no persons since, but have burned most of the build- ings, and are collecting all the horses they can, and are moving up the river. They likewise say the enemy were eight hundred, 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 desire further orders from the honorable Board of War with respect to myself and the soldiers under my direction.
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