Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-11-24

RELICS OF BRADSTREET'S EXPEDITION

In the fall Of 1904, General Bradstreet
with three thousand men opened a cam
paign against the Indians on Lake Erie,
and after various Successes and defeats
started in batteaux from Sandusky Bay to
coast down the lake, his forces consisting
of British regulars, provincials and large
body OF Indian allies. 1t is probable that
the beautiful autumn weather peculiar to
the Western lakes, deceived him as it had
deceived Major Wilkins in the preceding
year, for when sudden gale overlook
him, surprised and confused, he ran the
boats ashore on an open beach, where
twenty-five were broken into fragments by
the surf, and six cannon, together with
most of the ammunition and baggage
were lost. This open beach was within
a mile OF the scene OF the previous years
disaster. As before. the storm continued
three days, and many of the men, were
lost, swept away by the waves and over
come with hunger and fatigue. When
the skies cleared, Bradstreet reviewed
his diminished forces, and after burying
the remaining cannon and ammunition,
started onward with the regulars in the
batteaux which had escaped the storm,
leaving the provincials and Indians to
make their way by land, ON foot and with
out provisions, four hundred miles through
the forest as best they could These
prOvincials came from New York, Con-
necticut and New Jersey, and were COM
manded by Major Israel Putnam, AFTER
wards Major General in the United States
army. The story of their terrible Journey
is unwritten, but it is known that many
died from slow starvation and fatigue
along the route, which led through swamps
and thickets, with deep rivers barring
their path and not until the last of De-
cember did they reach the forts, after
having been twelve weeks in the wilder
ness. The number of those who perished
in the wreck or died on the journey is not
recorded, but it was so large as to occasion
petitions to the government-an unusual
proceeding at that early date.
The route of the provincials and Indians
left by land is marked by various objects
dropped at the start or soon after. A stack
of bayonets covered with soil and rubbish
was found piled systematically at the foot
of q tree, forgotten perhaps, or else left
behind as too heavy for the long journey
A musket barrel was also found enclosed
in fork of tree by the growth Of the
wood; it had been placed in an inclined
position, and had remained undisturbed
until the tree had completely enveloped
it. A number of gun-flints, peck or
more, were piled up on the high ground
back of the lake, also sword and bayo-
nets. Farther on, French and English
coins bearing the date of 17l4 were found,
and in another locality a silver teaspoon
and some pennies OF l749; these articles
were probably thrown down in discarded
| c1n hin or knopsankS asH
Every year discoveries are made of Ar
ticles thrown up by the waves, washed
out of the cliffs or ploughed up in the
fields. Many OF these relics are in the
possession of the haired professor.
who has studied the localities aud invested
the point with legendary interest rare
in this busy West. When we recall the
early date of these expeditions, the great
loss of life, the tragic scenes on the shore.
and the terrible journey of the provincials
through the forest, we must feel that the
story with its silent illustrations is as
worthy of place in American history as
many other events of less interest. whose
minutest details have been described over
and over again in the current literature
of the day. -LippincoHs Magazine.