The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1847-07-02
VOL. VINO. 81.


valley, twenty miles long and four
broad, had scarce forest tree in il,
and presented one Of The most beau
full contrasts 10 the surrounding wil-
derness that could be well conceive
ed. AS the weary columns slowly
emerged from The dark forest, and
filed off into this open space, their
admiration and astonishment knew
no bounds. They seemed suddenly
to have been transported into an T.
den. The tall ripe grass bent b, fore
the wind--cornf, Id on cornfeld, as
far ar the eye could reach, waved in
the sunlight-orchards that had been
growing for generations, were
weighed down under the profusion Of
cattle grazed on the banks Of
the river, and all was luxuriance
and beauty. In the midst of this
garden Of nature, where the gifts OF
Heaven had been lavished with such
prodigali,y, were scattered humid
and twenty. eiyl, houses; not misera-
bic huts, huddlcd together, but large,
airy buildings, situated in the nest
pleasant spots, surrounded with fruit
trees, and exhibiting civilization
on the part Of the Indians never te-
fore witnessed.
"lnto this scene CT surprising
loveliness the sword OF war had now
entered, and the approach of Sulli-
vans vast army, accompanied By
the loud beat of the drum and the
Shrill FIFE, sent CONSERVATION tlro'
the hearts of the inhabitants. At
first they Sc, med resolved TO defend
their homes, but soon, as all the rest
had done, turned and fed in alright.
Not soul remained behind and
Sullivan marched into a deserted,
silent village.-llis heart relen,cd at
the sight of so much beauty, but his
commands we're pcrcmptory. The
soldiers though, too, of Wyoming
and Cherry Valley, and the thousand
maSsacres that had made our bor-
ders flow in blood, and their hearts
were steelcd against pity. An enc
my who felt no obligations, and kept
no faith, must be placed beyond the
reach Of inhicting injury.
,srnng, that army OF five
thousand men encampcd in the vii
lagc and just as the sun went down
behind the limitless forest, group
of officers might be seen flooded by
its f,rewell beams, gazing on the
scene. While they thus stood con-
versing, suddenly there rolled by
dull and heavy sound, which startled
them into an attitude Of the deepest
attentions There was no installing
that rcp5st-it was the thunder Of
cannon-and for a moment they
looked on each other with anxious
countenances. That solitary roar,
slowly traversing the mighty solitude
that hemmed them in,' might well a.
wakcr the deepest solitude. But it
was not repeated and night fell on
the valley Of the Genesec, ard the
tired army slept. The next morning,
as the sun rose over the wilderness,
that heavy echo again shook the
ground. 1t was then discovered to
be the morning and evening gun of
the British at Niagara and its lone
/ ly thunder there made TIE solitude
more fearful.
"Soon after sunrise, immense col
umns of smoke began to rise, the
length and breadth Of the valley, and
in short time the whole settlement
was wrapt in flame from limit to
limit, and before night those hundred
an ,wenty.cight houses we're a heap
OF ashes. The grain had been gath
cred into them, and thus both were
destroyed together, The orchards
were Gu, down, the cornArlds up
rooted and the cattle butchered and
left to rot Oh the plain. A scene Of
desolation took the place Of that
scene of beauty, and the army en-
camped at night in a desert.