Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1878-06-12
THE MASSACRE AT WYOMING,
PREPARATIONS TO CELEBRATE ITS ONE
BuSDRETH ANNIVERSARY ON JULY
THIRD AND FOURTH THE sTo-
RY OF THE BATTLE AND
MASSACRE.

A correspondent Of New York pa.
per writes as follows from Scranton,
Penn'a:
The elaborate preparations in pro
gress among the people Of Pennsylva.
MIA for centennial commemoratlon Of
the battle and massacre of Wyoming,
recall one of the most thrilling Incl.
dents of tho Revolution. The name
Of Wyoming and its history have oh.
tanned a worldwide fame, and natur.
ally the thousands who have been
stirred by the recital Of its woes, will
feel an interest in the forthcoming
celebration, which viii occur on the
Sd and 4th of July next, the first be-
ing the date of the battle and massa-
ere. The preparations for the demon.
stration were begun on the ninety.
ninth anniversary of the event, when
number of the descendants OF the
gallant ycomen who fought and fell
met and organized an influential asso.
citation, with subcommittee scattered
throughout the valley to attend to the
details. The heartiness with which
lbcy entered upon their work and the
enthusiasm with which the public
have seconded their efforts, warrant
the hope that the affair will be wor-
thy of the occasion which It IS design.
ed to honor
The invasion of the valley was ac-
complished on the 3d Of July, l778,
when number of British soldiers,
commanded by Col. John Butler, and
accompanied by 700 Indians, led by
the cruel half.brecd, Brant, or Glen
gwah-toh, descended upon the de-
fenceless settlement. They were met
by a few companies of old men and
boys, whose extreme age and youth
had exempted. them from service in
the distant ranks of the Republic, and
for several hours a fierce battle ragged
on the banks OF the Susquchanna.
But the contest was unequal. The In
dians from their ambush, kept up a
deadly flank fire, which soon thinncd
the ranks OF the yeomen, and, utterly
shattered, they were forced 10 fall
back, despite tho appeals of thcil cour-
ageous leader, Colonel Zebulon Butler,
who cried, "Don't leave me, my chill
dren, and the day Is ours" The In
dams, seeing their foes retreat, fell
upon them and slaughtered without
mercy. men, women and children.
When the Six Nations cspouscd the
English cause against the Colonies IL
was part Of the compact that the lat
ter should lead them against Wyoming,
To- afford them an opportunity oil be-
ing avenged upon the settlers, whom
they regarded as the usurpers Of the
red mans paradise, a name sometimes
given to the valley; and so, the first
skirmish being over, the Indians gave
full scope TO the spirit Of destruction
which possessed them, and, breaking
away from their leaders, they reaped
terrible revenge upon the gentle
people Of that Arcadian abode. About
three hundred were put to death with
torch, tomabawk and spear, regard.
less Of age or sex, and the most cruel
torturcs that tiendish spirit could dc.
wise were employed TO mako tho last
lingering moments Of their victims full
of agony. An awful night followed
that day of carnage. The huts and
homes, tho crops and orchards, were
set on fire, and the devastation Of the
entire settlement Was made complete
Several were drowned In their efforts
to escape down the river under the
cover Of night, but party Of hun
dred women aud children succeeded
in making their way 10 the mountains
under the Leadership Of one old man
who was their sole protector. But
though they fcd the terrors Of th'
massacre, il was TO encounter hard
ships equally severe. Their path lay
through the Great Swamp, now know
as the "Shades Of Death" by reasc'
of the numbers who perisbed there, ans
the suiIsrings they endured from fea
and famine and sicknees arc unmatch
cd by anything on record. One poo