Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-08-11
JANE McCREA.
The story Of Her Murder by Indians Dur.
ing the Revolution Rctoid.

The story Of Her Murder by Indians bur
img the Revolution Rctold.
The story Of the fate OF Miss Jam
McCrea, rs related by pioneer il
Washington county, New York. which HI
received from M eyewitness of th'
transaction, will bear repeating at thi'
time, as there is doubt cast on tho au
thenticity of her brutal murder by til,
hirelings of General Burgoyne. Hel
sad fate has been theme which elo
quence and scnsibility have alike con
tributed to dignity, and which has
kindled in many breast the emotion,
Of responsive sympathy. General
Gates sympathy, in his letter to Bur
goyne, although more ornamental than
forcible, and abounding more in bad
taste than simplicity of pathos, was
suited to the feelings of the moment,
and produced lively impression in
every part of America and the glowing
language of Burke, in one of his most
celebrated speeches in the British Parlia-
ment, made the story of Jane McCrea
familiar to the European world.
This young lady was the daughter of
a clergyman, who died in New Jersey
before the Revolution. Upon her
fathers death, she sought Il home with
brother, a respectable gentleman re-
siding on the Hudson, three miles below
Fort Edward, Oh the west bank of the
river. Here she formed IN intimacy
with young man named David Jones,
to whom it was understood she was en-
gagged to be married. On the day of her
murder, she was visiting at her aunt's, n
window lady by the name of McNiel,
who was sister of Major Duncan
Campbell of the colonial war. Samuel
Standish, soldier and IN eyewitness OF
the brutal murder of Miss McCrea, and
who was wounded and taken prisoner by
the Indians who carried off Mrs. Nc
Mel and the scalps of the slain, includ.
ing that of Miss McCrea, tells the toll
lowing true story of the affair:
"Early on the morning of the twenty
seventh of July, 1777, a picket guard,
under Lieutenant Van Vetchen, which
was stationed at the brow of the hill
above the fort, was attacked by a large
party of Indians, rushing through the
woods from different points at the same
moment, and rending the air with their
hideous yells. Lieutenant Van Vetchen
and five soldiers We're killed and scalped,
and four were wounded. I discharged
my musket at the first Indian saw, and
as they were fast surrounding the guard
we started to run down the hill toward
the fort, but before reached the plain
three Indians cut off my retreat, and,
darting out of the bushes, fired and
wounded me in the foot. I was made
prisoner and taken up the hill, near a
spring of water, where several Indians
were assembled.
"Here was bound and left, while
the Indians ran down the hill to meet n
party of Indians coming up. As they
saw with them Mrs. Nc
Mel and Miss McCrea. I knew them
both, having often been to Mrs. McNiel's
house. After the two parties of Indians
had joined, perceived much agitation
among them and high words and violent
gestures, Till at length they engaged in
a furious quarrel aud beat one another
with their muskets. In the midst of
The affray one of the chiefs, apparently
in paroxysm of rage, shot Miss Nc
Crea in the breast with his musket.
She instantly fell and expired. Her hair
was long and flowing.
"The same chief grasped it in his
hand, seized his knife, and took off the
scalp in such a manner as to include
aearly the whole of her hair then
'pringing from the ground, he tossed
t in the face Of the young warrior who
stood near him watching the operation,
hen brandished it in the air and uttered
. yell of savage exultation. The soldiers
If the fort were aroused, and the Indians
aking the alarm, Immediately hurried
way as quickly as possible to General
0razer's encampment, on the road to
Fort Ann, taking with them Mrs. Nc
Jiel and myself"
Samuel Standish vas the only Ameri-
an soldier present at tho time of the
murder of Miss McCrea, and he a pris-
ner and wounded. She was killed be-
ore the Americans in pursuit had arrived
t the top of the hill, and the Indians
7ere in full retreat with her scalp be-
ore the pursuit commenced.