The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1878-09-12
Wyoming.

The massacre at Wyoming is one of the
best known incidents Of the Revolution,
and its centennial commemOration
aroused considerable public interest
The event is one of the most painful in
our revolutionary history. 1t came of
civil war, and it had all the repugnant
features of such an unnatural contest
There were few Indians comparatively in
gang who brought fire and death to that
thriving settlement, only three hundred
out of sixteen hundred were really Indi-
ans, and the rest Tories, painted after the
Indian fashion. The commander of the
invaders was Colonel John Butler, Con-
necticut Tory, while second in command
of the defenders was Colonel Zebulon
Butler, a cousin of John. Hostilties.
which eliminated in the massacre, had
for long time been conducted in cruel
and remorseless way. There had been Il
season of killing, OF scalDing, and of
mangling. This will be better under
stood when it is stated that on the 4th of
July the enemy sent into Fort Kingston,
which had been invested not less than
one hundred and ninety-six scalps. John
grant on n surrender, answered, cite
Hatchct.' His men put prisoners into
houses, which they fired. The garrisons
of the forts which surrendered were
butchcred with every cruel circumstance
even women and children were burned.
All the crops, cattle and houses were
destroyed. Enormitics were practiced
too horrible to be recounted: and these
were inflicted 10y Tories upon their neigh
bers, and in some instances upon their
near kinsmen. The Indians have had all
the credit of these brutalities, but care.
full research has shown that fail share
of the infamy Of these bloody days be-
longs to the whites. Brant, the Mohawk
chief, after having been pillored in prose
and poetry for more than one generation,
it now appears, was not there at all. John
Butler, the leader of the marauders and
murdelers, was one of those traitors to
their country who were encouraged and
hired by the British Government. For
his services at Wyoming, and for similar
work, ministers gave him a pension of
$500 per annum and five hundred acres
of land in Canada.
Wyoming, singularly enough, was
claimed as an outlying territory of the
Colony of Connecticut, a claim which
Penn. ylvania was tar from willing to al
low. 1t is possible that a local quarrel
had something to do with the massacre.
-Four years attcrward, in 11S2, there was
more lighting, Congress having decided
in favor of the Pennsy lyania claim. The
sturdy Connecticut settlers were not SO
easily to be dspossessed. The titles
were confirmed by the Pennsylvania AS
sembly in 1857, but there was trouble
and litigation until about 1900, when the
discussions were quoted.
The Wyoming massacre has been made
the theme of one of the most charming
poems in the English language - the
Gertrude" of Campbell. The poet has
availed himself fully of his poetic license,
and has made both his civilized and saw
age actors somewhat more than naturally
heroic. Legends have represented the
crueit.es practiccd as greater than they
really were-so much, for the credit of
human nature, it is pleasant to state. We
should be glad to disbelicve the story of
Esther, the half-brced Indian queen, who
has the historical reputation of having
tomahawked fifteen persons with her own
hands. But the whole number of the
inhabitants Of the valley who persisted
during the war is stated at only three
hundred. The really heroic character of
these events is Colonel Zebulon Butler,
who led the Colonists, and fought with
remarkable bravery. 1t IS pleasant to
know that he escaped with his life, and
that he saved his children. All the CEN
tennial anniversaries which of late have
SO frequently REQUIRED, have had
their characteristics of suffering and
of death; but nothing can be sadder than
the tale of beautiful Wyoming nesting
by Susquehanna's side, given up to fire
and to slaughter. All is now peace and
prosperity in the happy valley, and
though war may again visit these regions,
we may we'll be thankful that advancing
civilization has rendered repetition of
the scenes of 1i,S impossible.--N. Y.
1'rijuae.