Soldaten todt, und zwei mangeln noch."-Sauer's Zeit ung. Honored Sir: READING TOWNSHIP, (Adams co.) Aug. 21, 1756. I send your Honor the enclosed petition, at the solicitation of a great number of people. The complicated distresses of these poor creatures are beyond expression. What few inhabitants remained in Cumberland are daily flying from thence; so that in three or four days it will be totally relinquished. Marsh creek is now the frontier, and such a panic has seized the hearts of people in general, that unless we have soon some favorable turn in our affairs, I am afraid the enemy need not long be at the pains to dispute a claim to these two counties. I hope your Honor will pardon this freedom, and do me the justice to believe that I am, with gratitude and truth. Your Honor's most obedient THO. BARTON. Richard Peters, Esq. Not only was the country west of the Susquehanna left nearly desolate and deserted, but also on the east side of the river, numerous murders were committed, and plantations abandoned. When imagination fails to conceive the peril and distress of the settlers of Paxton, Hanover, Derry, and other townships, then in Lancaster (now Dauphin and Lebanon counties) vain would it be to attempt to portray the scenes of horror. Some idea, however, may be formed of their condition from the subjoined letters: Dear Sir: DERRY TOWNSHIP, 9th Aug. 1756. There is nothing but bad news every day. Last week there were two soldiers killed and one wounded about two miles from Manady fort; and two of the guards that escorted the batteaux were killed; and we may expect nothing else daily, if no stop be put to these savages. We shall all be broken in upon in these parts-the people are going off daily, leaving almost their all behind them; and as for my part, I think a little time will lay the country waste by flight, so that the enemy will have nothing to do but take what we have worked for. Sir, your most Ed. Shippen, Esq. Honored Sir: Humble servant, JAMES GALBREATH. DERRY TOWNSHır, 10th Aug. 1756. There is nothing here almost every day but murder committed by the Indians in some part or other. About five miles above me, at Manady gap, there were two of the Province soldiers killed, one wounded. There were but three Indians, and they came in among ten of our men and committed the murder, and went off safe. The name or sight of an Indian makes almost all, in these parts, tremble-their barbarity is so cruel where they are masters; for by all appearances, the devil communicates, God permits, and the French pay, and by that the back parts, by all appearances, will be laid waste by flight with those who are gone and going, more especially Cumberland county. Pardon my freedom in this, wherein I have done amiss. Sir: Yesterday, Jacob Ellis, a soldier of Capt. Smith's, at Brown's about two miles and a half over the first mountain, just within the gap, baving some wheat growing at that place, prevailed with his officers for some of the men, to help him to cut some of the grain; accordingly ten of them went, set guards, and fell to work; at about ten o'clock, they had reapt down, and went to the head to begin again, and before they had all well begun, three Indians having crept up to the fence just behind them, fired upon them and killed the corporal, and another who was standing with a gun in one hand and a bottle in the other was wounded-his left arm is broken in two places; so that his gun fell, he being a little more down the field than the rest; those who were reaping had their fire arms about half way down the field, standing at a large tree; as soon as the Indians had fired and without loading their guns, leaped over the fence right in amongst the reapers-one of them had left his gun behind on the out side of the field-they all ran promiscuously, while the Indians were making a terrible halloo, and looked more like the devil than Indians. The soldiers made for their fire arms, and as three of them stood behind the tree with their arms, the Indian that came wanting his gun, came within a few yards of them, and took up the wounded soldier's gun, and would have killed another, had not one who perceived him, fired at him, so that he dropped the gun. The Indians fled, and in going off, two soldiers standing about a rod apart, an Indian ran through between them, they both fired at him, yet he escaped; when the Indians were over the fence, a soldier fired at one of them; upon which he stooped a little-the three Indians escaped. Immediately after leaving the field, they fired one gun, and gave a halloo. The soldiers hid the one that was killed, went home to the fort, found James Brown, who lives in the fort, and one of the soldiers, missing. The Lieutenant, accompanied by some more, went out and brought in the dead man; but still Brown was missing. Notice was given on that night, I went up next morning with some hands-Captain Smith had sent up more men from the other fort; these went out next morning, against I got there word was come in that they had found James Brown, killed and scalped, I went over with them to bring him home; he was killed with the last shot, about twenty rods from the field-his gun, his shoes and jacket carried off. The soldiers who found him, said that they tracked the three Indians to the second mountain, and they found one of the Indian's guns a short distance from Brown's corpse, as it had been not worth much. They showed me the place where the Indians fired through the fence; and it was just eleven yards from the place where the dead man lay. The rising ground, above the field, was clear of standing timber and the grubs low, so that they had kept a look out. The above account, you may depend upon. We have almost lost all hopes of every thing, but to move off and lose our crops that we have cut with so much difficulty. I am your Honor's servant, ADAM REED. Some time in the latter part of October, the Indians again returned into Hanover township, where they murdered, under circumstances of much cruelty, several families, among whom was one Andrew Berryhill. On the 22d October, they killed John Craig and his wife, scalped them both, burnt several houses, and carried off a lad, about thirteen years old. The next day they scalped a German, whose name has not been given. Many of the settlers had fled, and not a few were killed. The writer examined the tax collector's duplicate of several townships, for 1756, and found, from entries made in these, by the collectors, that in East Hanover township, the following had fled from their houses: Andrew Karsnits, John Gilliland, John McColloch, Walter McFarland, Robert Kirkwood, William Robison, Valentine Stoffolbeim, Andrew Cleaman, Rudolph Fry, Peter Walmer, John McCulloch, James Rafter, Moses Vance, John Brower, Frederick Noah, Jacob Moser, Philip Mauerer, Barnhart Beshore, Jacob Beshore, Matthias Beshore, William McCullough, Philip Calp, Casper Yost, Conrad Cleck, Christian Albert, Daniel Moser, John McClure, John Anderson, Thomas Shirley, James Graham, Barnet McNett, Andrew Brown, William Brown, Andrew McMahon, Thomas Hume, Thomas Strean, John Hume, Peter Wolf, Henry Kuntz, William Watson, John Stuart, John Porterfield, David Strean, John Strean, Andrew McCrath, James McCurry, Conrad Rice, Alexander Swan, John Grean. Andrew Berrihill, killed; Samuel Ainsworth's son was ta ken; John Craig, killed, and a boy taken captive. The whole tax duplicate contains about a hundred names. In West Hanover the following persons had fled, viz: John Gordon, Richard Johnson, Alexander Barnet, James McCaver, Robert Porterfield, Philip Robison, John Hill, Thomas Bell, Thomas Maguire, William McCord, Robert Huston, Benjamin Wallace, William Bennett, Bartholomew Harris, John Swan, James Bannon, William McClure, Thomas McClure, John Henry, James Riddle, Widow Cooper, David Ferguson, Widow de Armand, James Wilson, Samuel Barnetts, James Brown, Widow McGowin, Samuel Brown, Thomas Hill, Jane Johnston was killed.* The following letter from the pen of Adam Reed, Esq., dated at Hanover, October 14, 1756, may cast some additional light on this gloomy subject. The letter is addressed to Edward Shippen, Esq., and others: "Friends and Fellow Subjects: I send you in a few lines, the melancholy condition of the frontiers of this county. Last Tuesday, the 12th inst. ten Indians came on Noah Frederick, while ploughing, killed and scalped him, and carried away three of his children that were with him-the eldest but nine years old-and plundered his house and carried away every thing that suited their purpose; such as clothes, bread, butter, a saddle, and a good rifle gun, &c.-it being but two short mifes to Captain Smith's fort, at Swatara gap, and a little better than two miles from my house. Last Saturday evening, an Indian came to the house of Fhilip Robeson, carrying a green bush before him-said Robeson's son being on the corner of his Fort, watching others that were dressing flesh by him the Indian perceiving that he was observed, fled; the watchman fired, but missed him. This being about three-fourths of a mile from Manady Fort; and yesterday morning, two miles from Smith's Fort, at Swatara, in Bethel township, as Jacob Farnwal was going from the house of Jacob Meylin to his own, was fired upon by the two Indians, and wounded, but escaped with his life; and a little after, in said township, as Frederick Henly and Peter Sample were carrying away their goods in wagons, were met by a parcel of Indians, and all killed, lying dead in one place, and one man at a little distance. But what more has been done, has not come to my ears-only that the Indians were continuing their murders! The frontiers are employed in nothing but carrying off their effects; so that some miles are now waste! We are willing, but not able, without help you are able, if you be willing, (that is including the lower parts of the county) to give such assistance as will enable us to recover our waste land. You may depend upon it, that without assisLance, we, in a few days, will be on the wrong side of you; for I am now • Tax Duplicate for 1756, at Lancaster. on the frontier, and I fear that by to-morrow night, I will be left two miles. Gentlemen, consider what you will do, and don't be long about it; and let not the world say, that we died as fools died! Our hands are not tied, but let us exert ourselves, and do something for the honor of our coun try, and the preservation of our fellow subjects. I hope you will communicate our grievances to the lower parts of our country; for surely they will send us help, if they understood our grievances. I would have gone down myself, but dare not, my family is in such danger. I expect an answer by the bearer, if possible.* I am, gentlemen, Your very number servant, ADAM REED. P. 8. Before sending this away, I would mention, I have just received information, that there are seven killed and five children scalped alive, but have not the account of their names. CHAPTER VIII. INDIAN MASSACRES—(1757-62). Negotiations of peace, &c.-Frontier settlers are still in constant alarm---Indians murder and abduct persons at Rocky Springs---McKinney, Patterson, and others killed---List of killed in various parts in 1757-A number of persons killed in Cisne's and in Steen's fields ---Several men supposed to be killed near Hendrick's (now Bowman's)--Indians commit murders in Lancaster (now Dauphin) county-Long's son, Mrs. Williams, Smelley, Mr. Mauerer, Beaty, Mackey, Barnet and others killed---Murders committed in Hanover township-William Martin killed near Hunter's fort; Busse's letter touching it--Watt and McKennet, and others killed and scalped---Indians surprise Bard's house in York (Adams) county; Bard and family abducted; Potter killed--Gallady, Dunwiddie, Crawford and others massacred. Stimulated, and abetted by the French, both Shawanese and Delaware Indians kept up their hostilities till 1757, when negotiations for peace commenced with Teedyuscung, the Prov. Rec. P. p. 69. |