Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1858-08-27
The Massacre Of Wyoming.

Goa Susqushannas side, fair Wyoming!
Although the wild flowers on the ruined wall,
And rooflcss homes sad remembrance bring
OF what the gentle people did bciall,
Yet thou vast once the Ioyclcst land of all,
That sec the A,lantc's wave their morn restore !;
sweet land, may thy lost delight. recall,
And paint thy Gertrude in her bowers of yorc
Whose beauty WAS the pride OF Pensylvanias
shore
In the Delaware language, the word
Wyoming" signifies "a large plain"
and the beautiful valley which bears that
name, was, seventy seven years ago the
81 inst. the scene OF the most horrib C
massacre that ever occurred on the Amer
ican Continent. Song and story have i'm
mortalzed that dreadful occurrence, and
the painter has also all y to set forth its
horrors. and dclincata the Incl tents of
that fearful lay.
History tells us that Count Zinzcndorf
was the first white man who penetrated
into the solitudcs of Wyoming Valley.
and this vas in the year 1872, whie that
celebrated Moravian missionary was seek
ln- to inculcato Christian doctrines
among the rude red men OF the Westcyn
World. FSom this period, settlements
began along the bapas Of the pleasant
Delaware. and at the commencement. of
the L volItlona-y War the valley was able
to send a very respectable force to the
aid of Washington.
We have not space to detail the long
and severe Iuian warf re to watch Wy
om;ag Valley was subjected, Or the do
nestle quarrcls which for time arraycd
one portion ofthe inhabitants against the
other. We Win mention briefly the
event commonly known as the "Massacrc
of Wyoming"
In the summer Of LIS the inhabitants
Of Wyoming valley learned that hev
were about to be attacked by combined
force Of British, Tories and s,vascs. in
all over HOO mon, under the comman |
Of Gen. Butler, and several we'll known
Indian Chiefs. \ greater portion Of the
ablc-bodiel inhabitants were with the
American army, and to meet this blood
thirsty array of scl and white saya ,cs.
the settlers could rally only about three
hUndrcl able booked men, old rYen and
boys e@cn lads cf ten years are were
called to the defence of their bones, and
trembling Oh men ioincd in ,ne y.nlls,
vita the faint hope Of saving the liyts of
their wives and children, and preserving
their dwellings from the f!amcs Gi-cn-
wa-tlh, a cruel Scneca Chief commanded
the Indians, but hey were not exceeded
IN barb9rity by Their white allies.
y council Of war was held By the set
tlers, and it Was rash!y decided to march
tol'.l aal met the enemy in open Il i,ht
ca. L b4loa EH,ler commanded th9
Americans. ard as his snall banl march
ed oat upon the pain towards the enemy,
he thus addressed them Men, yonder
is the enemy. The tate Of the Hardin ss
tells what W, have to expect if defeated
We came ont to b,ht, not only for libcr-
IT, bnt for sife issalf, aDl what is dearer.
to preserve our homes from conAagration.
our women and children from the toma-
hawk, Stand Grm the first shock and
'he Indians will give way. Every man
to his duty ~
The battle soon began, and loud above
the roar of the muSkcts and the sharp
crack of the rti : was heard the dreadful
war whoop of the savag,s. With the
courage Of despair the settlers fou ,ht,
KNOWN. that they were to receive no
m .rcy from their barb,rous foes. Toma-
hawks hiss d through the air, sent from
braHny savage arms, AMI the scalping
knit, reeked with the blood of those un-
f,r;unatc men. They were slrroudod on
all sides, and at length, when every
American captain was slain, they at.
tempted to retreat to Forty Fort. ;"
where the women and children had been
placed for shelter. And now began bar
bArites which at this day the blood will
chill to hear. Like mldlene4 Ii gers the
savaIes bounded forward in pursuit
NJ quarter was given. Scores Of men
were saot down and sca!pcl. Some
rlunJeil into the river, only to be drag
g,i forth and murlerel some turned
upon the foe and diel in q LAST struggle
icr Nfe SONG surrendered, but in an
instant suffered death. Old gray haired
men, htli-JroVn boys, anl stout farmers,
all farel the Same-leath-lc,ta. rhc
British soIdiery and the Tories Wed with
the Indians in cru iy. Sons murdered
their fathers. brothers tomahawkcd broth
crs, au! tore awaw their rcekins ps
with screams of trianlpA. Bat few es-
capped.
y an'y adl9l to the horrors, =
III, lniIsas kiudIel huge FIRE, AMI
burned their prisoners alive OF cut shcir
throats Ike sheep. Oac inhuman Incl
dent We will detail. Ther, is a large
rock in the valley known as Queen Is
Tiers Rock. Ga the III 5ht OF that mass
acre, siXteeh prisoners were arranged in
4 circle around the stone, each ono with
his arms plnloncl and held by sava.c.
\ half breed women known ~ Queen
Esther acted as eXacutipncr. Sandins
upon the rock She seized heavy ton,a,
hawk and commenced the death song,
walked around the circle and split open
the skulls Of every prisoner. 1t was
milaisht, and in the light cf blazing
fire the scene was more terrible than pen
can tell or pencil portray.
The fort was next besieged. and, under
promise of protection to the women and
children, it surrendered. Bat, as usual
that promise was violated, and the saw
ages again dyed themselves red in inno-
cent blood! We will not attempt to
portray the dreadful scenes of that butch
erV. Ihase who would rcad of such