Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1837-04-14


by the bill over which they passed. The
upon The ear, when the report of a voley Of
Itnuskelry was heard. Soon after, Worm
woods horse returned. The saddle was
Icolered with blood, which excited fears as
TO his fate, but too well founded. A party
went out that evening, but could make no
discoveries. The next morning the body |
was found behind the rock before mention
Fed They had arrived near the rock, when
they were hailed and ordered TO stop Dis
regarding the order, they put spurs to their |
hprses and endeavored to pass The In
diops immediately fred. Norwood was
wounded and fell from his horse, when
Bnnt rushing out, tomahawked him with
! his own hand They had been personal
| ffie6ds Before the war, and Brant is said to
have 1amented his death at the time he
supposed him TO be a continental officer
Sits horse was killed, and he himself TAX
en- prisoner The dispatches which he car
ried, were double. He had presence of
mind 10 destroy the paper containing the
true account OF the garrison, and 10 give
Brant the other. Brant retired without do
ing any other injury. The next day, Col.
| klock arrived. and the father Of Norwood,
who had been Immediately apprized of the
death of his SON. He was wealthy man
living in Pala,iue district, and this was his
only son. His feelings as he bent over the
dead and mutilated body were excruciating,
and when in the agony of his soul, he cried
out, "BranL cruel, cruel, Brantp tears
started in many an eye which scarcely knew
how to weep
The scout sent down the Susquehanua
kindled up fire on the night OF the 9th,
and all very foolishly lay down TO sleep
The fire was discovered by the enemy, and
a little before daylight on the morning OF
the 10th they were all surrounded and taken.
On the night of the 10Th, the enemy en-
camped on the top Of hill thckly covered
with evergreens, about a mile southwest
from the fort. On the morning of the l,h
the enemy moved from his encampment
toward the fort They had learned from
the scout which they had taken that the
officers of the garrison lodged in differ
ent private houses out ofthe fort; their forces
, were so disposed that party should sur,
round every house in which an officer lodged
nearly at the same time. while the main
body would attack the ior During the
, night the snow fell several inches In the
morning il turned TO rain. and the atmos
pierre was thick and hazy. The whole set
! u neat thoagL, themselves secure. The
j Assurances CT Col. Alden had in a consider
able degree Quoted their fears. Every
thing favored the approach Of the enemy
undiscovered Col Alden and Lieut. Col
: Shcia, with small guard lodged at Mi
;. Wells's. A Mr. Handle was coming up thai
morning from his house several miles be
: low, on horseback when a short distanc,
= from MIR Weiss house he was fired upor
! and wounded by the Indians. He rode il
: great haste to inform Col. Alden of thei
! approach and then fastened TO the fort Still
: incredulous, and believing them to be only I
\ Struggling party, he ordered the guard to b.
: called in. The delay of few minutes gav'
:, the Indians time 10 arrive. The ranger
:, had stopped to examine their hrelocks, III
' powder in which having been wet with tn
:, ram. The Indians improving this oppor
i tunily rushed by The advanced body wa
= composed principally of Senecas, at tina
i, time the widest and most ferocious of tn
y Six Nations. Col Alden made his eseap
= from the house, and was pursued down tn
!, hill, toward the fort, by an Indian; whe
!, challenged TO surrender, he peremptorily II
~ fused so to do; several times he turned roun
T. and snapped his pistol at the Indian tn
- latter, after pursuing some distance, thre'
!, his tomabawk, and struck him on the heat
a. and then rushing up scalped him. ii
"a thus "was one OF the first victims OF thl
y most criminal neglect of duty" Lieut.. Co
" Stacia was taken prisoner The guar
N were all killed or taken.
40 The Senecas, who first arrived at tn
house, with some tories. commenced an IL
= discriminate massacre of the family, and b.
- fore the rangers arrived had barbarousl
- murdered them ALL including Robert Well
- his mother, and wife, and four children, h
- Snr.sef and sister John and Jane, wit
~ three domestics. OF this interesting an
~ excellent family, not one escaped, except n
late John Wells of New York city. II
-. :" father had left him in Schenectady the pr
49, vious summer with an aunt that he migl
~ attend the grammar-school there.
ss A tory boosted that he killed Mr. Wei
All while at prayer. The melancholy fate
ed Jane Wells, deserves more particular n
"a tce. She was a young lady, not dsti
IN guished for her personal beauty, but endea
ar. ed to her friends by her amiable disposilio
*, and her christian charities. One "in who
ia. the friendless found friend" and to who
re-. the poor would always say, God spec
.er thee" She fled from the house to pile
,is wood near by, behind which she endeavor'
10. to screen herself Here she was pursu,
he by an Indian, who, as he approached. d
- liberafelv wined his bloody knife upon h