toga, and feemed to enjoy great fatisfaction in that event, and that others took different opportunities of expreffing fimilar fentiments; yet the prefents which they continually received from England, the induftry of the British agents, and the influence of the great number of American refugees which had taken fhelter amongst them, all operating in conjunction upon their own native and unconquerable paffion for rapine, foon led them to contradict, in act, their fentiments or profeffions upon that occafion, The fuccefs which attended the fmall expeditions undertaken by individuals of different tribes, under the guidance of the refugees, who knew where to lead them directly to spoil, and how to bring them off without danger, foon fpread the contagion of havock through the adjoining nations, fo that, in a little time, deftruction raged very generally through the new fettlements, on the back of the northern and middle colonies.

Col. Butler, whofe name we have feen as an Indian agent and commander in the wars on the fide of Canada, and who had great influence with fome of the northern nations of that people, together with one Brandt, an half Indian by blood, a man of defperate courage, but, as it is faid by the Americans, ferocious and cruel beyond example, were the principal leaders in thefe expeditions. The vaft extent of the frontiers, the fcattered and remote fituation of the fettlements, the nature of the combined enemy, which feemed to coalefce in one point of action, all the properties of British, American, and favage warfare, together with the exact knowledge which the refugees poffeffed of every object of their enterprife, and the immediate intelligence which they received from their friends on the fpot, afforded them fuch advantages in thefe expeditions, that the wretched fettlers found all perfonal refiftance as ineffectual as public protection was impracticable. To complete their calamity, fubmiffion could procure no mercy; nor was age, fex, or condition, in too many inftances, capable of allaying the fury of their enemy.

In this courfe of havock, the deftruction of the fine, new, and flourishing fettlement of Wyoming, was particularly calamitous to the Americans. That diftrict, fituated on the eaftern branch of the Sufquehanna, in a most beautiful country, and delightful climate, altho'

claimed by, and in the natural order of things feeming properly to appertain to Pennfylvania, was notwithstanding, fince the laft war, fettled and cultivated with great ardour, by a numeous fwarm from the populous hive of Connecticut. This meafure was, however, fo much opposed and refented by Pennfylvania, and fo obftinately fupported by its antagonift, that after much altercation, it became at length the foundation of an actual war between the two colonies, in which they engaged with such earnestnefs, that it was not even terminated by the conteft with the mother-country, until the danger grew fo near and fo imminent to both fides, as of neceffity to fuperfede for the prefent all other confiderations. Their respective charters, and the grants of land under them, interfered ftrangely with each other. It may be prefumed, that the crown in those days did not take much trouble in fettling the geography of boundless waftes, which afforded no immediate value, and whofe future cultivation, or any difputes about their limits, appeared to be matters of fo remote and uncertain a speculation, as to excite no great degree of prefent attention.

The colony of Connecticut obtained by their grant all the lands weftward, within their proper degrees of latitude, to the South feas, which were not already occupied by other powers. New York, and New Jersey, were then within that exception, being both foreign, and they ftretched directly across, in the way of that grant. Pennsylvania was afterwards granted to its proprietors, lying on the farther fide, and in a parallel line, with thefe two provinces. The Connecticut-men acknowledged the va lidity of the exception with respect to New York and Jersey; but infifted, that their right emerged on the western boundary of thofe provinces, in the courfe of the fuppofed line, and could not in any degree be affected by a later grant made to Pennsylvania: A claim, which, if established, would narrow the limits of the laft province to a degree which would moft materially affect its power and interefts; and which lying open, as it still does, may poffibly be productive of very material confequences with refpect to the future ftate of America.

The fettlement of Wyoming consisted of eight townships, each containing a fquare of five miles, beautifully fituated

on both fides of the Sufquehanna. In fuch a country, fituation, and climate, as we have defcribed, and bleft with a foil luxuriantly fertile; where every man poffeffed an abundance, which was, however, the fruit of moderate labour and induftry; where no man was very rich, nor very great; the inhabitants exhibited upon the whole, fuch a picture of primeval happinefs, as has feldom been equalled; and such, indeed, as humanity in its prefent ftate feems fcarcely capable of exceeding.

The fettlement increafed and throve accordingly. And notwithstanding its infant ftate, and the oppofition they met from Philadelphia, population was already become fo vigorous amongst them, that they had fent a thousand men to ferve in the continental army. Yet, with this exceffive drain from the cultivation of a new colony, their farms were ftill fo loaded with plentiful crops of every kind, and their paftures fo abundantly covered with cattle, that their fupplies to the army in thofe refpects were at leaft in full proportion to that which they afforded in men. Nor had they been deficient in providing against thofe dangers, to which, from their remote fituation, they were particularly expo. fed; and had accordingly conftructed for that purpofe no lefs than four forts, which feemed, at least, fully sufficient to cover the fettlement from the irruptions of the favages.

But neither the happiness of climate, the fertility of foil, nor the remotenefs of fituation, could prevent the evils of party and political difcord from spring ing up amongst them. It might indeed appear from the fupply of men which they had fent to the army, that only one political principle pervaded the fettlement; a fupply fo ill-fuited to the ftate and strength of an infant colony, that it feems difficult whether to admire more, the excefs of zeal from which it proceed. ed, or the total want of prudence, policy, and wifdem, under which it was directed. But notwithstanding this appearance, they had no inconfiderable mixture of loyalifts among themselves, and the two parties were actuated by fentiments of the moft violent animofity. Nor were these animofities confined to particular families or places, or marked by any line of diftinction; but creeping within the roofs, and to the hearths and boards where they were leaft expected,

.、

ferved, as it afterwards fatally appeared, equally to poifon the fources of domestic fecurity and happiness, and to cancel the laws of nature and humanity.

It would feem extraordinary, if such inftances had not occurred upon other occafions, that this devoted people had frequent and timely warnings of the danger to which they were expofed by fending all their beft men to fo great a distance, without their taking any timely meafures for their recall, or even for procuring a fubftitute of defence or protection. Their quiet had been interrupted by the favages, joined with marauding parties of their own countrymen, in the preceding year; and it was only by a vigorous oppofition, in a course of fuccefsful fkirmishes, that they had been driven off or difperfed. Several of those whom they called Tories, and o thers who had not before been fufpected, had at that time and since abandoned the fettlement; and, along with a perfect, and confequently dangerous knowledge of all the particulars of their fituation and circumftances, were well known to have carried al ng with them such a stock of private refentment, from the abasement and insults they had suffered from the prevailing party, as could not fail to give a direction to the fury, and even a new edge to the cruelty, of their favage and inveterate enemies.

A fort of public act which had taken place in the fettlement fince the laft invafion, was preceded with and productive of circumftances which afforded caufe for the greatest alarm, and for every poffible defenfive precaution. An unufual number of ftrangers had, under various pretences, and the fanction of that univerfal hofpitality which once fo much diftinguished America from the old world, come into the colony; where their behaviour became fo fufpicious, that they were at length taken up and examined; when fuch evidence appeared againft feveral of them, of their acting in direct concert with the enemy, on a scheme for the destruction of the settlements, that about twenty were fent off under a firong guard to Connecticut, in order to be there imprifoned, and tried for their lives. The remainder of these ftrange Tories, against whom no fufficient evidence could be procured, were only expelled. It was foon well known, that this measure of fending their fellows to Connecticut, had excited the

rage

rage of those called Tries in general, whether in arms on the frontiers, or otherwise, in the moft extreme degree; and that all the threats which had ever been denounced against this people were now renewed with aggravated venge.

ance.

As the time approached for the final catastrophe, the Indians practifed a more refined diffimulation, if not greater treachery, than had been customary with them. For several weeks previous to the intended attack, they repeatedly fent ímall parties to the fettlement, charged with the ftrong ett profeffions of friend. hip, declarations of the fullest defire and intention to preferve the peace inviolate on their fide, and requests, that the fame favourable and pacific difpofition might be entertained and cultivated on the other. Thefe parties, befides Jalling the people in their prefent deceit ful fecurity, anfwered the purposes, of communicating with their friends, and of obferving the immediate state of af fairs in the colony. Some alarm, or fenfe of their danger, began, however, to fpread among the people; and letters were fent to Gen. Washington, and to others in authority, reprefenting their fituation, and demanding immediate affiftance. As the time more nearly approached, fome small parties of the enemy, more impatient than the reft, or more eager and covetous to come in for the first fruits of the fpoil, made fudden irruptions into the fettlement, and committed several robberies and murders; in the course of which, whether through ignorance, or whether from a total contempt of all ties and obligations, they maffacred the unhappy wife and five children of one of thofe men who had been fent for trial in their own caufe to Connecticut.

At length, in the beginning of July 1778, the enemy appeared fuddenly, but in full force, on the Sufquehanna. They were led by Butler, that diftinguifhed partifan, whofe name we have already mentioned; who was aflifted by most of thofe leaders, who, like him, had rendered themselves terrible in the prefent frontier-war. Their force was estimated at about 1600 men; of whom something lefs than one fourth were indians, led by their own chicts; the others were difguifed and painted in fuch a manner, as not to be diftinguished from the faages, excepting only their officers, who

being dreffed in regimentals, carried the appearance of regulars. One of the smaller forts, which was moftly garrifoned by thofe called Tories, was by them given up, or as it was faid betrayed. Another was taken by ftorm, where altho' they maffacred the men in the moft inhuman manner, they fpared the women and children.

It seems odd enough, if not fingular, that another Col. Butler, and faid to be a near relation to the invader, fhould chance to have the defence of Wyoming, either committed to his charge, or by fome means fall to his lot. This man, with nearly the whole force of the fettlement, was stationed in the principal fort, called Kingston; whither alfo the women, children, and defenceless of all forts, as the only place of common refuge, crowded for fhelter and protection. It would feem, from his fituation and force in that place, that he might there have waited, and fuccefsfully refifted, all the attempts of the enemy. But this man was fo wretchedly weak, that he fuffered himself to be enticed by his namefake and kinfman, to abandon the advantage and fecurity afforded by his fortrefs, and to devote thofe under his charge to certain deftruction, by expofing them naked to fo fevere an enemy. Under the colour of holding a parley for the conclufion of a treaty, he was led into an agreement, that upon the enemy withdrawing their force, he should march out to hold a conference with them in the open field; and that at so great a diftance from the fort, as fhut out every poffibility of the protection which it otherwife afforded. To render this meafure ftill more unaccountable, he at the fame time fhewed fo great a distrust of the enemy, and feemed fo thoroughly apprehenfive of their defigns, that he marched 400 men well armed, being nearly the whole ftrength of his garrifon, to guard his perfon to the place of parley.

Upon his arrival there, he was greatly surprised at finding nobody to areat with; but not being willing to return without finishing his bufinefs, he advanced towards the foot of the neighbouring mountains, fill hoping that he might hear or fee fomething of thofe he wanted. As the country began to grow dark and woody, a flag at length appeared, at a confiderable diftance among the bushes, the holders of which feemed fo

much