Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1881-03-31

WlSt ApOStu, wyoming pIcSeuucu d pOluU VI
attack too favorable to escape the attention
of the British and Indian commanders in the
country of the Six Nations and in Canada y
Under these circumstances the ever men,
orable expedition of Colonel John Butler,
with his own Tory Rangers, detachment of
Sir John Johnston, Royal Greens, and large
body of Indians, chiefly Senecas was under
taken against Wyoming early in the summer
Of ITS. The forces of the invaders are es-
timated at eight to eleven hundred, four
hundred of which were Indians, whose ar
rival al Fort WintermOot on the west bank of
the Susquehanna river was On the I'd of July.
No sooner therefore was the presence of the
enemy known than the militia rapidly as
sembled at the old defence, Fort Forty, ON
the same side of the river about three miles
north Of Wilkesbarre, composed of old men
and boys, fathers, grandfathers and grand
Captain Hewitt, numbering in all about
four hundred A council of war was called
on the morning Of the Sd Of July to deter
mine upon the expediency of marching out
and giving the enemy battle or awaiting his
advance. There were some who preferred
delay in the hope that reinforcement would
arrive from the camp of General Washing
ton. The debates were warm and before
they were ended five commissioned officers
from the Continental army who, hearing of
the invasion, had obtained permission to re-
turn for the defence of their families, joined
them The result of the council was de-
termination for an immediate attack. As
soon as the proper deposition could be made,
Colonel Zebulon Butler placed himself at
the head of the undisciplined force and led
them forward. Colonel Zebulon Butler
commanded the right of the Americans, aid
ed by Major Garratt The left was COM
manded by Colonel Dennison, of the Wyom-
ing militia, assisted by Lieut.. Col. Dorrance.
Opposed to the Americans and also resting
on the bank of the river was Colonel John
Butler and his Tory rangers The right of
the enemy resting upon and extending into q
marsh was composed principally of Indians
and Tories, led by a celebrated Seneca Chief
named Gi-en-gwah- OF, He-who-goes-in-
the-smoke. The field of battle was plain
partly cleared and partly covered with shrub
cakes and yellow pines. The action began
soon after o'clock p m., July Sd, IT'S, and
was kept up for q time on both sides with great
spirit. Penetrating the thicket of the swamp
a heavy body OF Indians were enabled, un-
perceived, to out-fank Col. DennisOn, and
like dark cloud, to fall upon his
rear. The Americans thus standing between
two fires fell fast before the rifles Of the
Indians and Tories, but yet they taltered not
until the order of Col. Dennison to fall back,
for the purpose OF changing position, was
for an order to retreat. Perceiving
the confusion, the enemy sprang forward
with frightful yells and rushed upon the
hand to hand, with tomahawk !
and spear. During this time the handful OF
regulars and those who were not at first |
thrown into confusion, did all that men could |
dare or achieve to retrieve the fortunes of the
day, and not until Colonel Dorrence, Captain
Hewitt, and other officers were killed did the
route become complete" During the fight
to Fort Forty the scene was that of horri-
ole slaughter, and many OF the prisoners
aiken were put to death by torture. But
after all the greatest barbarities of this cele-
)rated massacre were committed by the
Tories. These all fought with the most
brutal ferocity against their former neigh
oors, and were guilty of acts Of which even
his distant contemplation curdles the blood"
speaking of this Massacre OF Wyoming,
Thomas Campbell, in his notes to his Ger
rude of Wyoming, says 1T is unhappily to
3ritons and Anglo-Americans that we must
efer the chief blame in this horrible bust
less" The number killed in the massacre j
md in the retreat of the fugitives may be
gathered from the following report of a Brit
sh officer Colonel Guy Johnson, to Lord
George Germain:
NEW YORK, Sept 10th, 177S
< : < Your Lordship will have learned
)etore this can reach you of the successful /
of the Indians and Loyalists from ,,
he northward. In conformity to the in
tructions I conveyed to my officers, they as
embed their forces early in May. and one
livision under one of my deputies Mr.. John :
5utler) proceeded with great success down
he Susquehanna, destroying the posts and !
ettlements at Wyoming, augmenting their
numbers with many loyalists and alarming
he country; whilst another division under
Ir. Brandt, the Indian Chief, cut off 294 men !
ear Schoharie, and destroyed the adjacent
with several magazines, from
Whence the rebels had derived great resour- !
es, thereby affording encouragement and !
pportunity to many friends of the govern I
lent to join them. :
Mr.. Jenkins, in his Centennial address,
fter quoting the foregoing report, says these 4
"a scalps OF men cut off by Mr.. Butler and j.
hief Brandt and their associates, and sold .
! the British market, were gathered ON the !
blowing fields: Cobleskill; %, West n
ranch of Susquehanna, As; Wyoming; 227 n
nd he further says If these be not the ?
elds wherein were harvested and prepared !
,r the British market these 294 scalps OF i.
uman victims, please tell me from what q
elds they were gathered. The number il !,