The Pennsylvania evening post — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-02-06 00:00:00, page 1

General SCHUYLER's account of his expe
dition to Tryon county.
Sir, Albany, January 23, 1776.
ON the evening of the twenty-firft I returned from
Tryon county; the following is a narrative of that
little excursion.
As I had no troops here to carry into execution
the resolutions of Congrefi, I was under the necessity of com
municating my business to the Sub-Committee ofthis county,
which I did, having previously administered an oath of fecrefy.
Whilst the Committee were devising the means to colled a
body of men for this service, and much puzzled what reasons
to give for doing it, the letter and affidavit from Tryon coun
ty (copies of which I had the honor to transmit you by my
lad express) came to hand, and, the accounts contained in them
were made the ostensible reasons for raising the militia. Al
though I thought two or three hundred men, with the Tryon
county Whigs, fufficient to complete my business, yet I readily
consented that seven hundred Ihould be called upon, at
once to difeourage the Tories in other parts of the country,
and to give confidence to the Whigs in all parts, but such
was the zeal and alacrity of the people, that although the wea
ther was cold in the extreme, it was impossible to prevent
their coming up, which they did in such numbers, that by the
timel reached Caghnawaga, I had very near, if not quite,
three thcufand men, including nine hundred of the Tryon
county militia.
On Tuesday the sixteenth, I marched to Scheneflady, and
on the evening of that day a deputation from the Mohawk
Indians met us, and delivered me the following speech, in a
very haughty tone:
" We intended to have gone down to Albany, in order to
speak to you, but thank God that he has given us an oppor
tunity to meet you here, as we have some matters to commu
nicate to you." —To which I gave the following answer.
" I am very glad to fee you here, and I shall be glad to hear
what the brothers have to fay, as my ears are always open to
them."—Whereupon Abraham proceeded as follows:
" Brothers, you lately sent to cur place four men, who ar
rived to us last Sunday morning. They told us they were
sent up to us by you, to inform us of those military prepa
rations, which were making down in this quarter. By them
you let us know that you thought it not prudent to fend armed
men amongst us, without previously notifying us. Likewise,
Brothers, your messengers informed us of the reasons of your
coming in this manner. You informed us that you had heard
that there were a number of men embodied at Sir John's, about
Johnstown; you told us likewise, that as soon as they had com
pleted their body, they intended to destroy the settlements
up and down the river. You informed us that you were com
ing up,- to inquire into the truth of the report, and who it was
that gave out commissions, and what were their designs.
At toe fame time you allured us, that no harm was in
tended against us, the Six Nations, as we had last summer
publicly engaged that we would take no part againit you in
your dispute with the great King over the great water.
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63
They likewise sent word to you, that when they had
heard nom you, whether you accepted of our proposals, that
we would then go as you de£re in fending up the news.
Brothers, we expected an answer to our propofals^ but
none arrived until we were informed, by a woman who returned
from Albany, that those preparations were actually making
, and that troops were actually marching in the country. We
then, brothers, took the matter into consideration, and deter
mined it was best for a party to meet you, and you fee us this
day, brothers, arrived. We come, brothers, to beg of you that
you take good care and prudence of what you are going about.
We beg of you, brothers, to remember the engagement
which was made with the Twelve United Colonies at our in
terview last summer, as we then engaged to open the path of
peace, and to keep it undefiled from blood, at the fame time
something of a different nature made its appearance. You
assured us, brothers, that if any were found in our nH^hf
bourhood inimical to us, that you would colder them'as
e?' I™"' 1 ™"' " e ”' x Nations then supposed that the son of Sir
William was pointed at by that expression. We then desired
particularly that he might not be injured, as it was not in
his power to injure the cause ; and that therefore he mi^ht
not be molested. The Six Nations then said th%wouldnot
" As for fending your belt forward, we thought to retain
it, until we had heard whether our propofol had been accept
ed or no.—.'
We thanked your messengers for informing us firft of
your designs. We laid we know the agreement which was en
tered into with the whole Twelve United Colonies. At that
meeting, you remember it was agreed to remove all obstacles
out of the way of the pathos peace, to keep it open, that we
might pass and repafs without being annoyed.
Brothers, you told us that you came to inquire into the
truth of the report, which might be done by four or fix, with
out any danger in making the inquiry.
“ We proposed your fending up fix persons to inquire into
the truth of this matter, as it would be a shame to interrupt
them, as no person would be so mean to give them any ob
ftrudion.'
" And we desire that you would confider of this matter,
and keep your troops at home, and let us know your mind;
and if, after considering of our proposals, you do not agree
to them, that you will then let us know what you intend
to do..
Brothers, you told us that you would come to search into
the truth of the report, and you assured us also, that you
would not be the firft aggressor, and that it fnould be their
own fault, if any blood was fpilt.
" You told us that you would acquaint the Lower Castle firft
of the design, that they should fend up to the Upper Castle
and they to the Oneyda, and they to the Onondaga, and so
through the whole Six Nations.
Brothers, we thanked your messengers for the speech.
delivered to us, and we would confider of it for some time to
return them an answer. Accordingly, brothers, a final! nu'm
ber of us, who take care of the news, met in council on this
occasion.
[Num. 163.