Original sentence: During the American Revolution, he first sided with the Colonial Revolutionaries, but later served with the Loyalists and thus was viewed by American frontiersmen as a renegade and a turncoat.Girty is also credited with saving the lives of many American prisoners of the natives, often by buying their freedom at his own expense.Girty was present during the torture and execution of Colonel William Crawford by Native American leader Captain Pipe.He was portrayed as a villain in many early history texts of the United States.One of the witnesses suggested that Girty was a pitiless instigator.Over sixty years old, he was increasingly infirm with arthritis and had failing eyesight.The former account was popularized and served to villify Girty during and after his lifetime.The other witness claimed that Girty pled with the Indians on Crawford's behalf until threatened with death himself.Two witnesses of this torture and execution survived and were later interviewed regarding these events
Edited sentence: American accounts criticize Girty for failing to intercede to rescue Crawford.As such, he was portrayed as a villain in many early history texts of the United States.Crawford's torture was in retaliation and Girty could not have stopped it without risking his own life.Defenders of Girty point out that Crawford's captors were Delawares, with whom Girty had no influence, and that they were enraged by an American atrocity against them.Detractors note that Girty was present during the torture and execution of Colonel William Crawford by Native American leader Captain Pipe.During the American Revolution, he sided with the Loyalists and thus was viewed by American frontiersmen as a renegade and a turncoat.In fact, though vilified by American writers of the time, Girty is indeed credited with saving the lives of many American prisoners of the natives, often by buying their freedom at his own expense.One independent witness is said to have claimed that Girty offered all he owned to save Crawford, arguing on his behalf until threatened with death himself.Other sources say that Girty was always loyal to the British crown, and was simply not comfortable betraying that allegiance.Over sixty years old, he was increasingly infirm and had failing eyesight