The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1837-11-25

treme and pressing eXigence Of the general
cause required that they should be Withdrawn
from the country they were raised to de-
fend, to aid Washington in resisting the
alarming advances Of the enemy.
The consequence which followed it re-
qured but little sagacity to foresee. Slim
ulated to revenge, by the aid sent from Uy
oming to Washington; melted by the con-
sequent weakness of the settlements, to at
tack them; and urged by policy to compel
the withdrawal from the Commander in
Chief Of part ofhis men, by forcing them
home to defend their own fre-sides-the
enemy were not long in planning their at
tack.
The British having obtained possession
of Philadelphia, inevitable necessity did not
allow His ExcelIency to dispense with the
services of the Westmorelend companies;
but the reiterated rumors of preparation to
attack Wyoming, again engaged the atten-
ton of the Congress. They saw, felt and
acknowledged their distressed situation;
but while the heart was assalled, and the
whole force of the country was concentra-
ted for its protection; little aid, but encoura-
ging words, could be efforded to,the threa-
tened extremities. In March, l77S, about
ninety days before the invasion, Congress
resolved. "That one full company of foot
be raised in the Town of Westmoreland
on the east bank Of the Susquehanna, for the
defence of the said town and the settlements
on the frontier, and i'll the ncighborhood
thereof, against the Indians and other enc
mics Of the States: the said company to be
enlisted for one year from the time of their
enlisting, unless sooner discharged by Con-
gress. That the companies fiJad their
oacn arms, GeCoutrfme,1tS and Blankets"
And provision was made that these should
be paid for. ....... ...
Thus third company was raised in that
infant and small settlement, having to clothe
and arm themselves ifthey could, and an ex-
hausted Treasury promised to repay the
charge. This company was in the battle,
and almost literally annihilated.
The number of men which comprised
the first two companies when raised in II
76, we are not able to state: but in June,
l77S, by Resolution of Congress, it APP
pears that there were then SO non-commis-
stoned officers and privates. A number it
is known, were slain in battle, in the Jer-
seys, and some died in the seryce.-At
the time mentioned the two companies
were CONSOLIDATED into one; Simon Splad-
ing appointed Captain, Timothy Pierce
and Phineas Pierce, Lieutenantsj and they
were detached for the defence Of the from
tiers, but did not arrive until the settlement
was cut off. Capt. Ransom and Capt.
Durkce, Lieut.'s Ross and Wells, of the
original companies, at home on furlough,
were in the battle, and were all slain.
On the first of July, 1878, Col. John
Butler, ofthe British army, with 400 men,
regulars and tories, and with 500 Indian
warriors, entered the Valley of Wyoming.
Rumors of the meditated irruption had pre-
ceded them, and pressing solicitations for
relief had been sent 70 head quarters. A
number of the officers of the two compa-
nies had returned on furlough. The Mill
tia were mustered. Old men and boys
took their muskets. Retirement or flight
was impossible. There seemed no securi-
ty but in the victory. Unequal as was the
conflict, and hopeless in the eye of pru-
dence; the young athletic men fit to bear
arms and rfised for their special defence,
being absent with the main army; yet the
inhabitants, looking to their dependent
wives and little ones, took counsel Of their
courage, and resolved to give the enemy
battle. On the Sd ofJuly, about 400 men
under the command of Col, Zebulon But
Ter, marched out to meet the British and
their savage allies, being more than double
their numbers. On the right wing the
conflict was sharply contested for some
time, and tho enemy gave way. On the
left, out fanked by the savages, the men
fought and fell rapidly, till an order was
given to fall back and persent longer
front to the enemy; a manguvre which
could not be executed under the destructive
tire of the Indian rifles. Confusion ensued
"a disastrous retreat followed, and a most
bloody massacre consummated the bloody
tragedy. We cannot dwell on the battle
and the subsequent horrors. 1t would be
useless if we could. Brother fell by the
side of brother; fathers and sons perished
in the same field. More than half our
little army were slain; many of the rest
were wounded; and the whole. settlement
very aged men and helpless children,
widows and orphans, were now exposed,
without protection, to the tomahawk and
scalping knife. In utter confusion and dis
tress they all hed,-some in boats down