WYOMING VALLEY. a crescent-shaped valley in Luzerne County, Pa., traversed by the northern branch of the Susquehaama River; length, 21 miles. It is a fertile alluvial plain, with rich deposits of anthracite coal, and is noted for its beautiful scenery. The valley was claimed by the colony of Connecticut as early as 1753 and was first settled by people from Connecticut; the ensuing dispute be tween Pennsylvania and Connecticut over this territory is known as the 'Pennamite and Yankee war,' and was not finally settled till after the Revolutionary War. (See PENNSYL VANIA; Boundary Controversies). In 1782 a commission appointed by Congress decided in favor of Pennsylvania; an attempt was made to drive out the Connecticut settlers which led to a renewal of the war; but in 1788 Pennsylvania confirmed the tides of all actual settlers to their land, and all contro versy was ended by 1800. During the Revo lutionary War a large proportion of the men of the Wyoming Valley mined the Continental army; but a number of Tories were living m the valley; and in 1778, when they were joined by British troops and Indian allies, an attack was made upon the settlers who had taken refuge in Forty Fort, near Wilkes-Barre. The
settlers did not number over 400, chiefly b and old men; the British force, includingM 700 Indians, was about 1,100. After a desper ate battle fought on the 3d of July 1778 the settlers were completely defeated, about two thirds being killed. They were forced to capitulate, and after the surrender many of the prisoners were tortured and killed by the Indians. The greater part of the inhabitants of the valley were compelled to flee to other settlements and endured great hardships. Con sult Miner, 'History of Wyoming' (1845); Stone, 'Poetry and History of Wyoming' (1844); Peck, 'Wyoming: its History and In cidents' (1858); Smith, 'Story of Wyoming Valley' (Kingston, Pa., 1906).