New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-07-22
THE B4TTLE OF MINLSINK.

A MEMORABLE EPISODE IL THE BORDER WARS OF
THE neutrality-suspicious. OF IFS ONE
nUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY TODAY AT GOSHEN
AND OS HE BATTLE-GROUND.
IRON Az OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT or THE TRIBUNE
CT sHRN, July 21.-The disastrous fight whose
one hundredth anniversary is TO be COMMUNICATED
to-day can be credited with no decisive bearing
upon the result of the Revolutionary struggle, and
the strength of the forces engaged seems nsignif-
cant when compared with the size OF the armies
which met in conflict during the last war for the
Union. The Battle of Mlnisnk however, Is far
from lacking general historical interest. Ii was
one of the signal events in that long border war
which was wagcd day and night along the frontiers
of Orange aud Ulster Counties. the upper waters OF
the Snsquehanna and the marches on both sides OF
the Mohawk-a war which knew no truce nor pity,
kept every frontIersman and his wife on constant
picket duty and turned his cabin into blockhouse.
il was Brant and the Buffers forever feeling along
the of rhe Colonies for some undefended settle
ment IL deyastate, while the main army OF Invasion
was threatening them in front. The massacres at
Wyoming and Cherry Valley were the culmlnating
atrocities of this warfare IN rs, and Branps ioray
upon the MInsluk region the first considerable
event In the campaign of 10, and this followed
by the mcrcIless retaliation which SulliyaEs oXpc-
dition visited upon the Indian villages III Central
Newly OK.
Minisnk was already an old settlement, and had
are traditions of a BRISK battle with the Indians
this same Odd OF July ninety years before; and
wi en- the news came to Goshen the capital town Of
the region, that Brant on the 10Th of July had
spoiled and burned tho old village, only ten miles
away and laid waste the surrounding FARMS it
needed only day for 40 rifles to gather at the call
of Dr. Tusten for pursuit. Colonel Hathorn, who
soon arrived from Warwick with a small reinforce
ment, assumed nominal command but there seems
TO have been more bravery than disciplined Obcdi-
ence IN the little company. Ii was ma-s-mcetlug
of self-reilant, hQhtng men, which soon passed un-
der the control of the more fiery spirits VINO 81 u
matted the caution of the Colonel as cowardIce :
and against the advice of cooler heads who conn
sellcd days delay, which would insure "a larger
force, IL was determined To follow the trail OF the
sayages at once HathoTB'S command came up with
the enemy near whit IL now LackaWaxen ON the
22d, anu aftcrsOme at smpt ut manGuYIIag III when
the superiority OF the Indians gCBcIalstlp was too
apparent, the slaughter began. The MuIsink militia
men were at last completely nemmed IN aud al hough
they fought with des eTaton all day, using dubbed
muskets alter their last round al ammunition had
been shot away, their assaiants closed steadily in,
and only thirty men III all broke tnrough the mar
rowing line of IRE and made Their escape IN the
darkness, leaving the wounded To lbs tOmahgwk ed
BY the sayagcs,
That day made thirty-three widows in the Pres
byteran congregation OF Goshen alone, aud to this
place IN SD tho bones of the SIAN brought
after forythree years of bleaching among the
rocks and tangled underOmsh un the banks OI the
Delaware. Here the cornerstone Oi the inst mOnI-
mcnt laid, IN the presence OF 10000 people by
the venerable Colonel llathorn himself, then
eighty years Of age ana here the commemorative
ceremonies viii be held Tomorrow. Another less
prctentiOus celebration will br conducted on the old
battle-ground, that the memory of the heroes OF
Mlnslnh, whose names are SUI borne by many OF
the best cItzhns Oi Orange aud Sullivan Counties
as we'd AS OF Sussex County. n. j.. Will be douby
hUuUlcu.