The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-09-12
REVOLUTIONARY ToRyIsM.
The Massacres at Wyoming and Cherry
Valleys in 177s-Ron of Capt. Daniel
Lanes Company at the Cherry VALLEY
Massacre.

"a NoW AVAA pnpcI, Al IouruhIy 16O
gave the following definition of Tory
"a Tory is thing whose head Is in
England aud its body In America, ami
It's neck ought to be stretched. -
Falmouth Neck was fortunate in the
character Of its Tories Of the Revolu-
ton, as they we're not vicious los but
other towns In the colonies wore not as
favored. There were plenty Of the Tories
to whom the definition would well apply.
Williamson speaking Of our oountry's
enemies on the Penobacot in the Revolu-
tioRary war. srys, Never even In saw
age wars had this eastern country been
infested with any worse than her present
enemies. They were vile mercenaries,
reneeades and revengeful Tories and free
booters whose business It was to deal in
blood. treachery and plumber"
The horrible tragedy at Wyoming Val
ley was probably the worst that was oom-
mittsd by the Tories and Indians during
the whole war; This valley is in Luzsrne
county. Pennsylvania. and hero was the
most f1ourishinR settlement In America,
which was founded by people from Con-
necUicut, many years before the war. up
on the principles Of public and private
virtue. This community had given a
thousand soldiers to battle for liberty,
but who were away at the time of the
massacre. Tossing says, Stern patri OF
ism found laxuriant nursery there. y
Hero under Col. John Butler, a vicious
Tory, early In July, ITS, the Tories and
Indians butchered every man, and then
combining the women and ohildr en- in the
barracks and houses. burned them oil to
death. They then destroyed all the crops
and remaining buildings, and the settle
mens presented picture of blaokened
and solitary desolation In contrast to the
thriving settlement of the day before.
Col. Morgan's rife corps aad Uol. Clarke
were sent to retaliata and how we'll the,
did their work, history tella.
The next November, Uol. Walter N.
Butler. q son Of the leader at Wyoming
Valley, assisted BY the Mohawk Ohief
Brant attempted to repeat that massacre
at Cherry Vally. This valley Is In Otss-
go county. New York, about sixty miles
west of Albany. Butler and Brant's fol-
lowing wers Tories, Indians and British
regulars. with the Seneca Indians in the
van Of the attack. Col Icbabod Alden
of Massachusetts. under Whose direction
the fort had been built was ordered Wit,
his Regiments 9th Maas.) soon after the
surrender Of Burgoyne, 10 garrison the
place. They had thon about two hundred
and fifty soldiers In the fort and they
were veterans from the battles of the
Saratoga campaign.
Early In November. Col. Alden was
notified of his danger, but thought 1t was
but an idls Indian rumor and took but
little notice of Ii. but tho Inhabitants be-
came so alarmed, that, on the ninth, be
sent scouts In every direction. On the
approach of the enemy one party of the
scouts was captured and prevented from
giving the alarm. The house of Robert
Wells. formerly a friend Of Col. Johr
Butler, was attacked and bis whole fam
lily murdered. The officers were quartered
| in the houses outside of the fort and Col
Alden was In this house. He escaped
through the window ana was pursued
by an Indian down the hill, he repeated
ly swapping his pistols at the Indian
without effect when the savage threw
his tomahawk with unerring aim, ami
in an instant had Dol. Alden's SCALP. He
was brave and persevering officer, re-
spected citizen, but lost his life, at thu
! early age of thirty mine years, by lack
of vigilance. Thirty-two of the inhabi
tants. mostly women and children. ant
sixteen soldiers of the garrison were
murdered. The whole settlement wa
plundersd and every building in the vii
lage was fred. About forty prisoners
were marched shat night, In storm Of
sheet, partly naked and no shelter to ,
condition worse than death. The soldie II
In the fort escaped capture. This Col.
Butler was afterward killed by tn.
Oneida Indians who left his body OF
the field unburied, because Of their con-
tempt for his conduct.
In Fort Alden, at Cherry Valley was Capt
Daniel Lano's company In which wer,
N, nm ,,ov Pror., Abfs Iacolitv Gornt lob