The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1778-07-28 00:00:00, page 2

~* —. # ^.~ ~ ^ v MaincuCo ixciugcvo nuui
the Wyoming settlement on the Sufquehannah,
Who escaped the general massacre ts the inhabi
tants nave palled this way, from whom we have
collected the following account, viz.
[Previous to the narrative it may be neceffar, to
inioun iomepi our readers, that this settlement was
made by the people of Connecticut, on a grant of
lands purcnaled by the inhabitants of that colony,
undet fanClion of the government, of the Indian pro
pnetors; and that these lands falling within the li
mus of the Pennsylvania claim a dispute concern
ing the rigirt has afifen, between the two govern
ments and proceeded to frequent ads of hostility.
When it was at a height that threatned the diftarb
ance of the other governments, Gongrefs interposed,
by whose recommendation and authority,,the deci
sion of the dispute wa, fufpendea, till that with
Great Britain, equally interesting to every American
State, was concluded, when there might be' more
leisure to attend to the other, and corifider the jus
tice of each claim.
On this footing the dispute has lain dormant for
two or three years ; the inhabitants lived happily
and the fet.lements increased, c'on fifting of eight
townships viz.Lackewana Exeter Kingfloh, Wilke-
Iborough Plymouth, Nanticoak, Huntington and
Salem each containing five miles fqnare. The fix
lower townships, were pretty full of inhabitants,
5 e two upper ones had comparatively but few.
thinly scattered. The lands are exceeding good,
beautifully situated along both sides of the Sufque
hannah navigable for flat bottomed boats, and pro
duced immense quantities of grain of all forts, roots,
fruits hemp, flax, &c. and flock of all kinds in a
bundance. The settlement had lately fttppMed the
Continental army with 3000 bushels of grain, and
the ground was loaded with the most promising crops
of every kiad. The settlement included upwards
of a thousand families which had furnifhed our hr
my with a thousand soldiers, besides the garrisons
Of four ofts in the township of Lockewany, Exe
ter K ngftoa and Wiikefbury. One of these forts
was garmfoned by upwards of 400 soldiers, chiefly
of the militia, the principal officers in which were
Colonels Dennison, and Zebulon Butler.
The Tories and Inhabitants had given some dis
turbances to these settlements last year before Gen.
Hark emer's battle at Oneida Creek near Fort Stan
wix and our skirmishes soon after with parties of
the enemy at and near Schohary, when they were
dispersed and the Tories concealed themtelves a
mong our different settlements ; the people here re
mained Indihurbed during the rest of the year ]
About this time the inhabitants having discover
ed that many of these villanous Tories who had flir
red up the Indians, and been with them in fighting
again# us, were within the settlements, 27 of them
were in January last, taken up and secured. Of
these 18 were sent to Connecticut, the rest, after
being detained some time and examined, were for
want of fusc ; ent evidence set at liberty ; they im
mediately joined the enemy, and became a&ive in
railing in the Indians, a spirit of hostility againftus.
I his disposition soon after began to appear, in 'the
behaviour of the Tories and Indians which gave
the people apprehenfipns of danger, and occasioned
some preparations for defence.
The people had frequent intimations that the In
dians had some mifehievous design against them but
their fears were femewhat abated by the feemingfo
licitude of the Indians to preserve peace ; they sent
down at different times several parties with dela
tions of their peaceable disposition towards us, and
to request the like on our part towards them. They
were always dismissed with aHurances that there was
no design to disturb them, But one of those Indi
ans getting drunk, said he and the other messengers,
were only sent to amuse the people in the settlement,
but that the Indians intended as soon as they were
in order, to attack them. On this the Indian men
were confined, and the women sent back with a
flagg. In March, appearances became more alarm
ing and the scattered families fettled for 30 miles up
the river, were colle&edand brought into the more
populous parts. In April and May, Trolling par
ties of Indians and Tories, about 30 and under in a
company, made frequent incursions into the fettle
meht robbing and plundering the inhabitants, of
proVifion grain and live flock. Tn June, federal
persons being at work cn a farm, from which, the
tory inhabitants had gone to the enemy, were at
tacked and one man of them killed ; soon after, a
woman (Wife of one of the 27 Tories before menti
oned) was killed, with her five children, by a party
0 these Tories and Indians, who plundered the
house of every thing they could take away and de
stroyed the rest
, O -'IT- _-. -^^ft^^
300 of whom were thought to be Indians, under
their own chiefs, the rest, Tories, painted like them,
except their officers, who were dressed like regulars)
the whole under the command of Col. John Butler,
(a Connedicut Tory, and cousin to Col. Z. Butler
the second in command in the settlement) came down
near the upper fort, but concealed the greatest part of
their number, here they had a fkirrailh with the in
habitants, who took and killed two Indians and
16^ ten of their owi. me n, three of whom they after
wards found, killed helped and martgled in the
most inhuman manner,
Thursday July 2. The enemy appeared on the
mountains, back of Kingston, where the women and
Children then fled into the fort. Most of the garri
son of Exeter fort were Tories, who treacherously
gave it up to the enemy. The fame night after a
little refinance, they took Lackewana fort, killed
Squire Jenkins and his family, with several others,
in a barbarous manner and made prisoners of most of
the women & children, a final! number only escaped,
Friday, July 3. This morning Col. Zebulon
Butler, leaving a small number to guard the fort
(Wilkeffory) crossed the river with about 400 men,
and marched into Kington fort. The enemy sent
in a flag demanding a surrender of the fort in two
hours. Col. Butler answered he Should not surren
der, but was ready to receive them. They sent in
a fecund flag, demanding an immediate surrender,
otherwise that the fort should be ftoimed, plundered
and burnt; withall its contents, in a feW hours---
and said that they had with them 300 men, Cel. Z.
Butler proofed a parley, which being agreed to, a
place in Kingston was appointed for the meeting, to
which Col. Z. Butler repaired with 400 men, well
armed, but finding no body there, he proceeded to
the foot of the mountain, where at a distance he saw
a flag, which as he advanced retired as if afraid, 2d
or 30 rods ;he following, was led into an ambush.
and partly surrounded by the enemy who Suddenly
rose and fired upon them. Nothwithflapding the
great difprOportion of 1600 to 400, he and his men
bravely flood and returned the fire for three quarters
of an hour, With such briknefs and resolution that
the enemy began to give way and were upon the
point of retiring---when ore of Col. Z Butler's men,
either through treachery or cowardice, cried out
that the Colonel ordered a retreat - This caufeda
cessation of their fire, threw them into confufion and
a total rout ensued. The greaieft part fled to the
river, which they endeavoured to pass, to Fort
Wilkefbury theenem, pursued them with the fury of
Devils, many were loft or killed in the river, and
no more than about ,0 some of whom were wound
ed escaped to Wilkefbury.
Saturday morning July 4. The enemy sent 150
Scalps into -Fort Kingston, which they invoked on
the land fids, and kept up a continual fire upon it.
This evening Col. 2. Butler with his family
quitted the fort and went down the river,
Col. Nathan DenifOn went with a flag, to Exeter
fort, to# know of Col. John Butler what terms he
would grant on a surrender. Butler answered, the
Hatchet. Col. Dennison returned to Fort King
flon, which he defended till Sunday morning, when
his men being nearly all killed or wounded, he
could hold out no longer, and Was obliged to fur
render at diferetion. The enemy took away some
of the unhappy prisoners, and Shutting bp the rest
in the houses, set fire to them, and they were Ell con
sumed together. These infernals then crossed the
river to Fort Wilkefbury, wb'ch in a few minutes
surrendered at diferetion. About 70 of the men,
whohad lifted in the continental service to defend
the frontiers, they inhumanly butchered, with eve
ry circumstance of horrid cruelty ; and then flint
ting up the rest, with the women and children in the
houses, they set fire to them and they all perished
together in the flames.
After burning all the buildings in the fort, they
proceeded to the deflru&ion of every building and
iniprovement, (except what belonged to some Tories)
that came within their reach, on all these flourish
ing settlements, which they have rendered a Scene
of deflation and horror, almost beyond description,
parrellel, or credibility ; and were not the facts at
tested by numbers of the unhappy fufferers, from
different quarters of the settlement and unconnected
with each other, it would be impossible to believe
that human nature could be capable of such prodi
geous enormity
When these mifeteants had destroyed the other
improvements they proceeded to destroy the crcps
on the ground, letting; in the cattle and horses, to
the corn and cutting up as much as they could of
what was left. Great numbers of the cattle they fhet
and destroyed ;' and cutting cut the tongues of many
others, left them tp periffi in raifery.
t — tea „..„7 b ..„ a& „„„
enormity among which were the following viz.
The Captains James Bedloc'c, Robert Durgee,
and Samuel Ranfon, being made prisoners by the e
nemy They Gripped Capt. Bedlock, tied him to A
tree and Stuck him full of Giarp Splinters of pine knots,
then pileing a heap of pine knots round him they
set all on fire, put Durkee and Ranfon into the fire,
and held them down with pitch forks.
Thomas Terry, (whose father was killed by the
Indians, last Indian war) with his own hands killed
his own mother, his father in law, his fillers and
families.
Partial Terry, the son of a man who bore a very
refyeaaWe character, had several times fenthis father
word that he hoped to waffi his hands in his heart's
bleed. Agreeable to such a horrid declaration, tire
monger, with his own hand murdered his father,
mother, brothers and fitters Gripped off their scalps,
and cut offhis father's head.
Col. Dennison wEs fe'en surrounded by the enemy,
and was doubtless murdered. Col. Zebulon Butler
is supposed to be the only officer escaped
It is said he had several times written to the Con
grefsandGen. Waffiington, acquainting them with
the danger the settlement were in, End requeuing
Efliftance ; but that he received no answer, except
that HE HAD NO CAUSE TO FEAR, SINCE THE IN
DIANS WERE ALL FOR PEACE AND QUITE AVERSE
to war. However he lately received a letter from
Capti Spaulding, acquainting him that neither the
Congress nor Gen. Waffiington had received any
ofhis letters, which had been intercepted by the
Pennsylvania tories. who in all probability aided in
concert with these execrable mifereants, against
Wyoming. It is reported that these wretches, af
ter completing their horrid bufinels at Wyoming,
are going or gone to Cherry-Valley, and the parts
adjacent.
We hear that a party of infernals of the like kind,
have within this week or two, infefled the parts
about Leghawegh, near Rochester on the Minifink
road to Philadelphia, where a party of them, about
40 in number, have plundered and burnt several
houses, abused some people and carried off three
men-- It is hoped speedy and effectual measures will
be taken to punish and extirpate these mongers in
human shape. from the face of the earth.'
The distresses of the surviving inhabitants of that
late flouriffiing settlement, are by their p.e r ent cir
curnGances. rendered such striking obje&s of chari
ty, thaf withholding relief from them by those who
are able to afford it, argues a criminal obduracy^
which deserves, and may be punished by diGreffes
of a similar kind.
We are told that of the 1000 men in the Conti
hental army, who went from that settlement, their
number is by sickness ar d the cruel usage of the pri
soners by the enemy, reduced to 400, who have
now to lament the loss of their property, wives,
children and all that was dear to them in life!
The helpiefs fugitives firm the place, escaped with
little more than their lives they could bring no
thing with them---hardly Clothes to cover them and
nothing to eat, many were two or three days with
out fuflenance, and pregnant women were delivered
alone in the woods. This it is hoped will he the
concluding fcer.e of the tragedy afled by the Britiffi
tyrant and his murderous diabolical emissaries, in a
pari of his late kingdom, which he has iufily for
feited and which is now forever departed from him.
We hear tfet the Count d'Eilaing, Admiral of
the fleet lately arrived from France has landed the
foldier^, said to be 3000, from his Grips, at Shrewf
bury, which town he now occupies, and has by
letter to his Excellency General Warrington, in
formedhim 6f his arrival, and fixation andthat he
was now ready to co operate with him in any mea<
sure be ffiould ptepofe. Several hundred heaves,
&c. have by order of Congress, been !tnt to Shrews
bury for the refreffiment of the fleet and soldiers,
lately arrived from France.
F I S.H - K ILL, July 23.
The French fleet off Sandy Hook, have taken 8
of the Cork provision Grips, and sent them to Phila
delphia ; the remainder of said fl et it is probable
will fill into the fame trap, as they were hourly ex
ported.
We afro learn by a defortef that theSound is I lock
ed up, an EnpriG iFrigate having been cut from
New York fopr days, wa < ehliredto return back.
Som^ days ago about 70c of tl eCreen Ccats made
an excursion from Stated lsa r d into ile Jerfes in
order to plunder C@ er:l Die kinton soon flopped
their career, drove them back' with such precipitati
on, as obliged Herr to leave their.hrafs field piece
behind ; we have not been dl^e to bear what oth^c
loss they fuflaincd.