The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1838-09-25
REVOLUTIONARY INCIDENT.
Correspondent Of The Boston Times.
RnYAIroN VT Au0 9

A4 KoYALToN, W. Aug. "a. $
DEAR TINES hail now from a pretty vii
lage on White river, in Vermont hut in a State
where pretty villages meet ones eye in, almost
every change of landscape, il is next TO impossi-
bile to give distinctive features TO each. find
nothing in the one from which l date these pre-
senis to distinguish it from n thousand-no, not
quite a thousand, but say n hundred--others
which lift their spires among these verdant and
" heaven kissing hills" II is therefore only by
appealing TO history that shall he able TO fill
Out any thing like tolerable sketch. o.
Royalrop, during the Revolutionary war, WINS
one al the frontier towns of the State, and was
subjected at one time to the inroads of the tories
and Indians from Canada in more fearful shape
than ever befel any other town in Vermont In
I,he beginning of October 1880, an expedition
was planned against Newbury on Connecticut
river the principal object of which was to cap
ture Lieut.. Whitecomh, who the Canadians
asserted, had mortally wounded and robbed "a
British General Gordon during Montgornery's
disastrous campaign several years before. A.
gainst this man the British and Indians had con-
ceived iolentaversion, aud planned the pve-
sent expedition in order TO get hitn into their
power. The expedition consisted OF two hun
| dre1 and ten men, nearly all of whom were Iu-
4 ,lians, under the command of British officer
| named Horton. In proceeding up Onion river,
! they fell in with two hunters, who informed
them that the peopleof Newbury were expect
ing an attack and had prepared themselves for
| it; and they therefore decided to direct Their
course towards Royatou They found the in
habitants wholly unprepared for.,n attack and
am easy prey to their rapacity. After destroying
twenty houses in Royaton and several in the
neighboring towns, killing several persons who
!. attempted to escape, and taking many prisoners
and much plumber, they commenced hnsty re-
treat The alarm quickly spread, and party o
the resolute inhabitants of the neighborins
towns soon assembled, chose leader, and com
menced pursuit. So great was their dispatch
that they soon came up with the trail of The say
ages, in the night, who, having posted then sen
tries, and partaking excessively of The intoxlcat
ing portion of their spoils had laid down TO res
not dreaming Of an attnck. Great was their con
sternation on finding that their sentres were fir
ed upon; but with savage cunning they sen
word to their p'irsners that u attacked, they
would put all the prisoners TO death I; and while
the subject uater Of this threat was debating
among their enemies, they picked mp their pris
oners and camp equpage, and made II hasy re
treat under the cover ot the darkness In The
morning it was thought useless - pursue them
and the pnrty returned. Most of the prisoners
: eventually made their way back from captivity
Several authentic anecdotes are related OF TIN
expedition, which go TO show the Indian charac
ter in n less ferocous light than IL has general,
heen held, under similar circumstances. The.
: did not evince any desire TO modest the womei
: or female children In some OF the cases wher
the women who had left their burning houses
$1,000 nOuOnleSS anu Stupiuc'i, uot
what to do, the Indians brought them thei
clothes, with the assurance that lndal
. wouldn't hurt 'em.' One woman had irmnes
y enough to reproach them for their conduct il
: burning DOWN house, and tainted them for no
: daring to cross the river and attack the men a
: the fort They bore her gibes with the utmos
| patience, and only replied that" squaw should'n
o talk too tDnch." Another woman, whose youn!
! son they were carrying off, followed them will
= another child in her arms and beseeched then
= TO return her little boy. They complied AM
following up her success, she prevailed upo
them to give up ten or fifteen of the children q
! her neighbors. One Of the Indians offered t
e carry her on his back across the s,ream;r sli
I. accepted his polileness, and though the waite
e was up to his waist, he conveyed her over in sat
IS ty, and she returned with her little band Of boys
: to the surprise and JOY of their parenis. Thes
n and several other authentic anecdotes of SIM
n lar nature, show that the savages did not at th
J. time practice those feroctes which in more re
1 cent hostile expeditions have marked the
h course with the worst possible horrors of bloc
q and carnage. Yours, Ne. M p.
Il -l94t SWINE. o..
vi The following observations Respecting tn
er ,,ol,, ,,cotb luIt tlSef animal are mostly co