The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1880-04-23
For The HF9iS and hteHigeHce1.
An Incident of the Pennamite Wars.

MIR. EDITOR: A short while ago was in
the Wyoming valley Cgreat plains famed for
its beauty of scenery and rich mineral pro-
ducts, and, in history, not only for the massa-
ere which the muse of Campbell has made
more famous than many an other Indian
slaughter in our land, but also for long con-
tinued, and sometimes bloody contests be-
tween claimants for its fertile soil on the one
hand settlers from Connecticut, and on the
other citizens of Pennsylvania, within whose
territorial limits this debatabc land lies
These Pennamitc wars, as they were called,
lasted from about 1862, when the Yankees
made their first settlement, to the year 1888.
A desire to confirm family tradition con-
nected with one of these diminutive battles
led to enquiries respecting them. Among the
facts told me was an incident which think
worth the communicating. The story as told,
by the person whomit concerned, to my friend
who related it to me is this The last armed
force of the Romantics who attempted to
Gust the settlers was under the command of
an able man whose name escapes me, and so
cannot be transmitted by you. He brought
his supplies up the North Branch of the Sus-
quehanna on RATS, and posted his men on the
side of a mountain where the out-cropping of
upward slanting stratified rocks made q
natural ratification and soon after having
done so was attacked. The fight continued
all one day with loss to the attacking party
A detour and assault from above was attempt
ed, but this had been provided for. UneXpeCt-
edly severe cold set in, and, as the conquering
French were from Russia, SO were these in
vaders on small scale driven from the Valley
and nothing came of the attempt save sorrow
to individuals on both sides. During the first
days attack a valley man had seen, again and
again, the smoke of rifle from behind q Ger
tain rock on the mountain side. Keeping
close watch he at last perceived hat slowly
protruded. AT that hat he fired, and put out
that smoke. After the fight was all over and
the enemy gone he went to the rock to inves-
tigate, and found nothing but hat band cut,
as it were, by bullet. This hat band he took
home with him. Years after, when all diff
culties had been long settled, it CHANGED to
this valley man to go down the river One
night by the tireside of farmer with whom
he had found lodging, talk turned on the
former Wyoming disputes, when the farmer
pointed to an old hat hanging on the wall and
said: My son went up with the troops and
that is all that ever came back to me, his hat
with bullet hole in it, and no hat band"
The visitor expressed his sorrow, and held
his peace. His conjecture as to the result of
his shot had been made certainty. He knew
where the hat-band he still kept belonged
He had been brought face TO face with the
man whom he had made childess He had
been fighting for his rights and probably could
not blame himself but there was now no re-
ioicing in his success.
| shall not pretend to moaliZc shall only
add that my heart was touched with sympa-
thy. Little incidents which bring the SORROWS,
the emotions of individuals before us, often
move us more than do the results of greater
events on which they are dependent. d.