American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1866-08-01

sharply engaged. For half an hour the
battle ragged with sanguinary results upon
both sides, when the overwhelming num-
bers of the tories and Indians began to
tell upon the wearied patriots. The saw
ages had thrown a large force into the
swamp, which completely outfauked the
left. Colonel Denison gave orders that a
certain company should wheel back so as
to form an angle with the main line, 1t
is always an exceedingly difficult matter
for raw MALTA to perform evolutions nm
derthe fire of an enemy, ands = Aile this
was being attempted in the present case,
the Indians rushed upon them with their
terrific yell. Add to this that many mis-
took the order for command to retreat,
and the causes of the panic that ensued
will be manifest to all. su.a
The confusion spread, and, knowing too
well the result, Colonel Butler threw him
self betSeeni the fires of the opposing
ranks, and rode. up and down the line in
the most reckless manner, shouting,--
Don't leave me, my children, don't
leave me, and the victory is ours /" ID .
But il availed nothing Every captain
that led company into the action was
slain, and the men, crazy with fear, fed
pell nell, like drove of sheep, the fiend-
sh Indians and tories close in their rear.
Colonel Butler, after doing everything
possible for mortal man to do, escaped
with his wife through the woods. He
had been too prominent man during the
Revolutionary War to allow himself to
fall into the hands of his enemies. lie
knew too well what would be his fate in
such case. ..Ha l. er# s.ts
A capitulation was signed between Col
onel Denison and the tory Butler, by
which it was agreed that the inhabitants
should occupy their farms peaceably and
their lives be preserved entire and un-.
hurt, on consideration that their fort
should be given up, aud that they should
not take up arms during the contest.
These stipulations were fagrantly vio-
lated by the tories and Indians gMur-
ders aud robberies took place, and, when
Denison demonstrated with Butler, he re,
piled that he could not prevent them
Two weeks later, the tories and Indians
again entered the valley to complete their
work of rapine and devastation. The in
habitants fed terror.stricken to the woods
and mountains, and scenes of barbarity
took place, which would curdle the blood
to hear. We have space but for one.
A short distance below where the bat
tie was fought, there is an island of con-
siderable size, known as Monocacy Island.
Numbers of the settlers durinf the mas
sacre succeeded n swimming to the isl
land, where they hid themselves among
the brushwood until the excitement was
over. There we're two men who thus
concealed themselves within sight of each
other, andg while in this situation they
saw two tories swim out from the shore,
and, upon landing, wipe their guns and
commence a search for what fugitiyes
there might be upon the islandyu One of
the latter was named Pencil, and he rec
ognized in one Of the tories his own
brother. The latter passed up and down
the island, carefully examining every
nook and spot that he thought could pos
sibly shelter man, until he suddenly
came upon his covering brother. q
$50 it is you, is it p was his greeting,
as ho cooked his. gun. The fugitive,
came forward aud upon, his bended knees
besought that his life might be spared,
promising to be his slave if he would
only save him. {. All that is very good l''
he replied, "but you are id rebel p
and without further words he deliberate,
ly raised his rife and shot him dead on
the spot! The other settler, who had
witnessed the inhuman crime, remained
concealed until, a favorable opportunity
presenting itself, he effected his escape 10
the main land and there related what he
had witnessed. 71a s3i '' 4at. s.} i
/. THIS would be incredible were it not
established upon the authority of several
historians who cannot be questioned.
John Pencil the fatricide, fearful of in
curing the vengeance of the settlers
should he remain any ywhere in the neigh.
borhoed, fed with other tories to Canada,
where he settled in the wilderness. Here,
1T might be- expected, he would be safe,
aud in truth he was, but for the ven
geance of an all-just and outraged Being.
which never lost sight of him. 1t is sta
ted that even the Indians, who were ac
customed to all manner of brutality. were
shocked at his doipgs. They frequently
shook their heads and muttered,-
IT, H. L. 4 \. n