The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1855-02-07
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1t Is well known that during the years
I776 and 177S some Of the interior towns in
Pennsylvania and New York were the scenes
Of SbOminable atrocities; among which may
be mentioned the massacres Of Wyoming,
Cherry Valley and Tappan, the burning Or
Wilkesbarre, and others. These remote viii
lagos being utterly defenceless, became an
easy prey 70 the predatory bands of British
troops. always accompanied as they were by
q sufficient number Of savage Iadinns allies
and Tories to make sure their. work of san
culinary cruelty, But even there, among the
quiet scenes Of Mature, remote from the
principal line of military operations, even
there, the most vindictive foes of American
Independence, the most implacable and
yengeful haters Of the struggling patriots
and their cause, the most barbarous and un-
natural enemies, were the T0ries--men born
on the soil, yet leagued with their country's
oppressors, With these demons in human
shape, all ties of social attachment were torn
assunder;r oil friendships expunged, and even
the laws Of consanguiuity utterly cast aside
To use the words of writer of those times:
"Having cast their lot with the foes of their
country, it seemed as though they thought it
necessary, as proof of loyalty, to surpass
even the savages themselves in acts of bar
barity and treachery." -..-
At the time of which we write, the village
Of Wilkesbarre, lying on the east side of the
Susquehannah river, short distance below
Wyoming, the scene of Col. Buffers infa-
nous exploit, contained all told, twenty
three; yet, like Wyoming, it sent a good
quota of men to the ranks of the Continen-
tai army. Like Wyoming, too, it harbored
number Of Tories, and it was no uncommon
thing to see members. of the same family en-
gagged in opposition on the great ques-
ton ofgthe day Among the pioneers of the
Eden-like spot5in the wilderness, was John
Crawford, his wife and two sons, William
and Henry. They had emigrated from Con-,
necticutj and the old man, having settled his
family comfortably in their new paradise, and
arranged his temporal affairs prosperously,
was gathered to his fathers. He died honor
ed and respected by every inhabitant Of the
new village, leaving his wife and boys the
inhertsrs of a thriving estate. William, the
elder, had just arrived at the age Of manhood
when his father died. Henry was about two
years younger, and yielded, without mur-
rnur, to the assumed authority of his elder
brother in the affairs Of the farm. Thus the
affairs Of the family went on peaceably and
harmoniously until the commencement of
the difficulties between the Colonies and the
mothercountry.' aHr Haafz ae F.e n
'Then arose the coDtestbf opinion between
patriotism and servility, or. as the Tories de-
nominated it,"Rebellion and loyalty" and
in that contest none appeared more earnest
than our two brothers. Henry was the adj
vocate; William, or, as he was called sHic-
coughing Bill caused by recently acquired
habit Of visiting the village "stillhouse" We
ry often, took sides with the crowd, and was
frequently heard to denounce his brother as
."rIascallyr young rebel" The feud between
them grew stronger and stronger. .and Bill was
the more exasperated because his aged moth
ertook part with the young patriot. She was
often the arbitress between them, aud while
taking sides with the youngest, never omitted
an opportunity to- urge upon her eldest son
the dangerous error into which he had fallen.
Thsi~ar was at length fairly begun. Gene
eral Washington led the patriot forces. The
Declaration Of, independence had been sent
forth into the world, and the spirit of liberty
had infused its inspiring enthusiasm in the
hearts of the Colonists to such degree that
the Tories found it necessary to conceal their
opinions Of fly to the ranks of the invading
enemy. Many adopted the latter Course, but
the greater number Of those chose,to remain
seemingly neutral, while, at the same time
they were acting as spies upon the acts of
their neighbors and countrymen, or as guides
70 the predatory bands of the "red coats"
Hiccoughing Bill" being too much Of a
coward to enter the British ranks, was found
among this latter class. He remained about
the village until a few days previous to the
ma massacre of Wyoming, when he suddenly
disappeared. In the meantime his brother
Henry had joined one of the militia strain
bands" raised in the three villages Of Wyo-
ming, Pottstown and Wilkesbarre, for mutual
protection. mi adT .Ir.ds .ail ri sry;
s 1t is not our intention to repeat the ofttold
tale Of the scenes of Wyoming, in the hor-
rors Of which the infant settlers Of Wilkes
barre were participants; suffice il for our OBJ
iect 10 state that in consequence of the threa-
tened attack upon Wyoming by the combin-
Cd forces Of Tories and Indians, Henry Craw-
ford was summoned with bis company to the
defence Of the devoted settlement. On the
sd ofnJuly, l77s, the unprotected settlers Of
IheNaliey were confronted by their merciless
snemies, having gathered every man and boy
capable sslPs of bearing a,weapon, under the COM
nand .of Zebplpn Butler, q cousin OF the
wretch who led the attack upon the village,
hey sailed forth 70 drive back the invaders
II Their Place. IS They were oyerpowsred by