The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-12-09
Tmmkhamm0ck i'm the.
American Revolution
General Sullivans Singular Campaign Against the
Indians i'm the Year Following the
Wyoming Massacre.


cerning General Suilivan's expedition
against the Western Indians in l719-read
on Nov. 20, 1896, by William a. Wilcox be-
fore Dial Rock Chapter, Daughters Oh the :,
herewith
Situate almost directly between the
scene of Cornwalis' surrender at York
town and of Burgoyne's at Saratoga
Springs, Tunlihannock was neverthe-
less we'll within that almost unbroken
and practically limitless wilderness
that stretched as Woodland, mountain
or prairie over what would have sur
feed for many an old world Kingdom
or empire, three thousand miles To the
Pacific, and might well have escaped
the hotiCe or presence of any revoiu-
tion;iry ARMY but for the incidents
which necessitated Sullivan's singular
campaign.
Among the charges against the Eng
lish king in the declaration of July 4,
1916 was that he has endeavored to
bring upon the inhabitants of our from
tiers, The merciless Indian savages,
whose known rule of warfare is an un-
distinguished destruction of all ages,
sexes and conditions. If there had
been any doubt about the business OF
this charge befo0e, there could be none
after the monster Brandt and his
hord6S, hired and spurred on by the
kings officers and agents had done
their hellish work of destruction and
death and Andrustown, German Flats.
Cherry Valley and Wyoming, in the
summer of lIIS.
The lroquois or Six Nations had their
home in central New York, but their
authority was recognized through
much wider territory. 1t. may be said
their potent influence if not their abSo-
lutte authority was recognized from
Maine to the Mississippi. Their known
history goes farther back than any of
the other North American Indians and
they alone have maintained their num-
berS to this day. France has bid un-
successfully against England for their
influence in the earlier wars and now
England formally enlisted them in her
contest with her own colonies. 1t is
said the proposition to employ them
when made in the house of lords in No
vember, 1777, by Lord Suffolk was sus-
tanned by vote of ~ to "a. Associated
with them at this time We're two COM
panies of Royal Greens" of the Brit
ish army and IL large number of armed
refugees and tories. The events of
17IS, already mentioned, made it nee
essary that Il blow be struck at this
powerful allv now so positively and
dangerously. enlisted against the pa
trot cause. The continental congress
accordingly directed General Washing
ton to send n strong expedition into the
very heart of their country. General
John Sullivan, n New Hampshire law
Yer, then - years old, an ardent pa
trot, one of the leaders of the attack
in 1I1i upon Fort William ard Mary.
the first hostility in the colonies) and
who now held the rank of major gem
eral was selected to command the eX
peditOn.
The undertaking was a hazardous
one. An army was to go far into q
hostile country, away from its base ot
supplies, to meet Il formidable enemy
and with natural obstacles to contend
with that made the task vastly more
difficult. Success, if it could have been
assured beforehand, would have left an
undertaking to he shrunk from while
the meaning of defeat they knew but
too well. 1n.some respects like Sher-
mans march to the Sea. Sulivan's eX-
pediti0n was in many ways the more
remarkable of the two. 1.-The immedi-
ate object" said Washington in his in
structions to Sullivan, ARE the total
destruction and devastation of their
settlements, and capture of as many
persons aS possible. 1t will be
essential to ruin their crops now in the
ground and prevent their planting
more. You will listen to no overture
OF peace before the total ruin of their
settlements is effected" Everything
on which the Indian depended for food
or shelter was to be destroyed. In view
of the difficulties ne had to encounter,
General sullivan requested that as far
as possible he be given his selection
of troops. This was conceded to him,
and he took some of the most expert
enceh and best soldiers of the army.
Sullivan's army was intended to num-
her about 5000. though the best authori-
ties would indicate its actual strength
TO have been about 5000. It's principal
division was organized at and marched
from Wyoming, and was supposed to be
about 5000 men. 1t was made uD of
General Poor's brigade composed of
three New Hampshire regiments and
one from New York: General Hands
brigade, two regiments and three inde-
pendent companies, all Pennsylvania
troops, and General MaXwell's brigade,
four New Jersey regiments. Colonel
Proctor of Pennsylvania commanded
the artillery, consisting of eight brass
pieces, viz: two six Founders. four three
Founders, and two howitZers, carrying
five and half inch shells, together
with light piece for carrying either
shot or shell, called cohorn.
Some Of the troops reached Wyoming
not later than June 4, 1919. General
sullivan reached the valley on the 23d.
The earlier arrivals made brush huts
ana comfortably awaited the coming of
the others. Nathan Davis, of New
Hampshire, in his journal. says: AT
TINS time nature was decked i'm all her
loveliness and a striking contrast was
exhibited to our view between the work
OF man and his Creator. All save the
spirit Of man was divine This part
OF the country had lately been all de-
stroyed, burnt and pillaged by the In
dians; its inhabitants murdered and
Scaiped. Here and there lay human
skeleton bleaching in the woods or i'm !.
me open held. with the marks of the
tomahawk upon it," He tells of finding
hanging side by side in IA wigwam
scalps from gray haired sires and
sucking babes. If special cause We're
needed to nerve the army for the diff
culties of it's undertaking it was to be
found here.
The army did not march from WyOm-
ing until the last day of July. 1t was
absolutely essential that they should go
provided with ammunition. food and
clothing for their entire march and II :
was expected to have been forwarded
from Phlfldelphia. Unfortunately there
were those living in that goodly city to
Whom the news of the expulsion of the
Yankees from fair Wyoming had come
not without it's mixture of satisfaction.
For had not the Indians and Tories, i'm
once more clearing the valley as their
own forces had done more than once i'm
years gone by, assisted in establishing
their land titles? They were not over
anxiods to see these Yankees revenged
and looked coldly upon this foolish un-
dertaking of Generals Washington and
Sullivan. 1t is true these were among
the darkest days of the war both fnan-
,iallY and in the field and the "a il,rn