THE MASSACRE OF WYOMING.
In the year 1778, when most of the able-bodied or young men of the valley were with Washington in the Continental • army, a descent was made by the tories and Indians from Sir John Johnson's department in the north, under Col. John or " Indian Butler," on the defenceless inhabitants of Wyoming.
The force consisted of about 400 British provincials (mostly tories) and 600 Indians.
They came suddenly into the head of the valley about the 30th of June, and captured Fort Wintermoot and Fort Jenkins without opposition. But the people of the lower part gathered hastily into "Forty-Fort," and those who were able to bear arms immediately pre pared to defend themselves and their fami lies. About three hundred men and boys were under arms, and divided into six com panies, under the command of Col. Zebulon Butler, a brave Continental officer. Instead of awaiting the attack of the enemy behind such defences as they had constructed or might construct, it was determined, against the advice of Col. Z. Butler, to advance immediately against the foe. Accordingly on the 3d of July these 300 raw militia advanced against 1000 well-armed soldiers and experienced warriors on the open field. At first the British line gave way before the firm and steady advance of the yeomen of Wyoming ; and had Indian Butler had no more than his 400 tories, he would have been put to disastrous rout. But the Indians fought from stump and tree, and flanked the American left so far that it became necessary to stop the advance, and form the face of the left flank against the flanking Indians and at right angles to the main line. In attempting this manoeuvre, the militia became confused, and the red warriors rushed on them in overwhelming numbers, and thus the day was lost. About 160 of the Connecticut people were killed in battle, and about 40 more were murdered after surrender or whilst being pursued. Indian Butler reported that he had taken 227 scalps and only 5 prisoners. On the surrender of the fort the following day, with the remnant of the patriot band, it was stipulated that "the citizens should occupy their farms peaceably, and that their lives and property should be preserved." But the Indian allies of the British could not be restrained, or Indian Butler did not try to restrain them, and the result was that murder and robbery held high and diabolical sway while means were left The inhabitants fled, and the valley was again deserted and silent,—left to the torch of the red demons; and only late in the fall did the settlers dare to return to bury the remains of their brave comrades who fell.
Forty-Fort was about three miles from Kingston, and the battle-ground, where the monument now stands, near the village of Troy, about five miles from Kingston.
Many of the early newspaper stories of this bloody affair—bad as it really was, and deserving of condemnation for all time—are mere fabrica tions, or the wild reports of frightened and distempered minds. There was no indiscriminate massacre of women and children after the surrender, or cold-blooded slaughter of captive soldiers. All the soldiers who sur vived the battle and pursuit found their way out of the valley, and most of the women and children were allowed to escape. A few who lingered near their homes were killed and scalped, and the homesteads of the settlers were generally given to the torch, and all their horses, cattle, and movable property were carried off as plunder.
But the savages paid dearly for their short-lived triumph. During the following year, Gen. Sullivan passed through their villages like an avenging angel, destroying, with fire and sword, warrior and wigwam, corn-field and council lodge. For a full month an army of 4000 men were busy in accomplishing the destruction, and from Wyalusing to the Seneca and Cayuga Lakes every hut and wigwam was given to the flames. At one Indian town, fifteen hundred peach-trees, bending under their load of ripening fruit, were hewn down by the fell axe of the destroyer. Did the Indian traditions and misfortunes live in history in comparison with ours, it is a question on which side would lie the heaviest account. But this does not justify the actions of a Christian nation, who paid the blood thirsty savage, ever burning for revenge, a price for white scalps indis Criminately,—whether taken from the yeoman in battle or from the innocent occupants of some peaceful cabin in the dead of night.