Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1878-05-31
The Wyoming Centennial.
New YORK Times

among the people Of Pennsylvania far il
centennial commemoration Of the bat.
tie and massacre of Wyoming, recalls
one of the most thrilling incidents of
the Revolution. The name az Nyo.
ming ami its sad history have obtained
Worldwide fame, anG naturally the
i thousands who have been stirred hy the
recital Of It's woes will feel an interest III
the forthcoming celebration which will
occur ON the Sd and 18th of July next,
the first being the date of the battle and
massacre. The preparations for tho
i demonstration We're begun on the
nnety-nlnth anniversary of the event,
/ when number of the descendants of
the gallant yeomen who fought and toll
met and organized an inhuntial asSocla-
ton, with sub-committees scattered
throughout the valley to attend to the
details. The heartincss with which they
entered upon their work, and the en-
thusaSm with which the public have
seconded their efforts, warrant the hope
that the affair will be worthy Of the oc-
casion which it is designed 10 honor.
The invasion of the valley was ac-
comphshcd ON the 81 of July, l71S.
when II number If British soldiers, COM
manded hy Col. John Butler, and nc.
companied 10y 700 Indians led 10y the
cruel halfhrccd Brant, OF Gi-on-gwah-
toh, dceendcd upon the defcnscIesS set
tlemcnt. They We're met by Il few COM
pamcs of old men and boys, whose cN-
trcmC sge and youth had exempted
them from service i'll the distant ranks
of the Republic, and for several hours
n fierce battle ragged ON the banks of the
Susquchanna. But the contest was UNI
equal. The Indians, from their ambush,
kept up Il deadly flank fire, which soon
thinned the ranks of the yeomcn, and,
utterly shattered, they were forced to
fall back, despite the appeals Of their
courageous leader, Col. Xchulon Butler.
who cried, Don't leave me my children,
and the day is ours. :" The Indians, see
ing their foes retreat, fell upon them
and slaughtered them without mercy,
men. women, and children
When the Six Nations c>poused the
English cause against the Colonies il
was part of the compact that the latter
should lead them against Wyoming, To
afford them an opportunity of being
avenged upon the settlers, whom they
regarded Ms the nsurpers Of the red
mans paradise, II name sometimes
given to the valley; and So the first
skirmish being over the Indians gave
full scope 10 the spirit Of destruction
which possessed them, and, breaking
away from tie leaders, they rcapod n
terrible revenge upon the gentle people
Of that Arcadian abode. About 500
were put to death with torch, tomahawk,
and spear, regardless of age or sex. and
the most cruel torurcs thnt iicndish
spirit could devise were employed to
make the last lingering moments Of their
victims full of agony. Am awful night
followed that day Of carnage The
hnts and homes, the crops and orchards
were set on fire, and the devastation oi
the entire settlement was made COM
nlctc. Several were drowned in their
efforts to escape down the river under
the cover OF the night, hut Il party Of Il
hundred women and children succeeded
i'll making their way to the mountains,
under the leadership Of one cid man,
who was their sole protector. But
though they fled the tcrrors of the mas
sacrC, II was to encounter hardships
equally severe. Their path lay through
the Great swamp. now known as the
"Shades Of DEATH" by reason of the
numbers who had persisted there, and
the sullorings they endured from fear,
and famine, and sickness are unmatch-
ed by anything on record. One poor
| I.l l. 4
in i vain effort 10 obtain nourishmcnt,
carried her dead darling twenty miles
rather than leave the precious burden
behind to fall II prey to the wolves, and
many other incidents Of love and dcvo-
ton are related. Only II few survived
the fatigue Of the march and the plague
which overlook them in the swamp
The bodies Of those who were massil-
cred III the Wyoming Valley lay unbur.
led on the plain for months, until de-
taChmcnt of soldiers gathered them to,
gether ono night md consigned them C
n large hole i'll the ground, fearful lest il
more respectful interment might excite
the emnity OF the Indians, who were
still nrowing about the ncighborhood
The result was that the exact location 81
the remains was unknown to the friends
of the dead for many years, and thciI
discovery ut last was mere accident
An unassuming obelisk commemorative
ofthe virtues ofthe fallen heroes has been
raised over their resting-place by the
patriotic women Of Wyoming, md il
visited every summer by hundreds 81
persons attracted to the scene by spir-
it Of reverence or curiosity.
In order 10 mako the coming centcni.
al us realistic ~ possible, number 81
huts are in progress Of erection along
the river to look exactly like those
which stood thnrn 100 Years nRa. and