BRANT MEETS HERKIMER
When the ship on which Brant was a passenger touched the
shores of America, he was landed secretly somewhere near
New York city. He was now face to face with the difficulty
of reaching his friends--a task that called forth all
his alertness. He was in a hostile country, a long way
from the forests of the Mohawk valley lying above Albany.
But he was a wily redskin, too clever to be caught, and
after adroitly evading many dangers he eventually reached
the border country and crossed over safely into Canada.
In July 1776, several weeks before his arrival, the
colonists had declared their independence. The language
of the Declaration of Independence was confident, but
soon after it was uttered the colonists suffered a series
of defeats. Arnold was beaten by Carleton on Lake Champlain
and Washington was forced to retreat until he had crossed
the Delaware. It has been said that Brant took part in
the Battle of the Cedars, where, on the north bank of
the St Lawrence, Captain Forster overpowered a body of
four hundred Americans; but this occurred in May 1776,
and since Brant's ship did not arrive until July he could
not have been one of the combatants in this engagement.
What Brant was doing during the greater part of the year
following his arrival in Canada has not been recorded.
In the spring of 1777 we are able to pick up his trail
again. While the armies were preparing for another summer
campaign, Brant returned once more to his old haunts near
the frontier of the colony of New York, taking up his
position at a place called Oquaga on the Susquehanna
river, south of the Mohawk valley. This was a favourite
resort of the Indians, and Brant was well aware that from
this point he could carry on to advantage a guerrilla
warfare against the rebels and their sympathizers.
His coming sent a shiver of dread through all the
neighbouring settlements. Hitherto this part of the colony
had been remote from the main theatre of the war, but
now that Brant was there any moment might bring an attack,
and the inhabitants began to make ready their defences.
More particularly were steps for protection taken in
Cherry Valley, a rich and fertile area stretching up
towards the Mohawk. Because of its strength and situation,
the house of Colonel Samuel Campbell, one of the prominent
farmers in the valley, was selected for a fortified post,
and logs and earth were banked about it and the two
adjoining barns. Thither from all sides the people
collected, thinking that at any moment the chief of the
Mohawks might pounce upon them.
Brant did, indeed, intend to assail this fortress, as it
contained many of the leading rebels of that district,
but a strange incident deceived him with regard to the
strength of the place and made him change his purpose.
It was not a common thing for him to make errors of
judgement, but for once he was misled--hoodwinked--in a
very simple manner. Like a wise commander he had set out
to reconnoitre the enemy's position, and proceeded in
the direction of Campbell's house with a small body of
men. When about a mile away, he concealed himself behind
some thick shrubbery on the crest of a hillock. As he
peered through the tangled foliage his view was obscured,
and he descried what seemed to him to be a battalion of
troops marching near the house. This was nothing more than
a number of boys with wooden guns in their hands playing
at soldiers and parading in great glee upon the grassy
sward beside the fortified house; but so well did they
perform that Brant imagined they were soldiers training
for active service in the war. 'Colonel Campbell has got
his house well guarded, I perceive,' he said, turning
about and addressing his followers. Thinking that it
would be folly to venture near the spot with his slender
force, Brant decided to retire and he took the road
leading towards the Mohawk river. The same evening, as
he lay in wait with his men behind a large boulder, two
horsemen approached. One was an officer named Wormwood,
the other a settler. Without having suspected an ambush,
they suddenly found themselves in the clutches of an enemy.
In the struggle Lieutenant Wormwood met his death, much
to Brant's sorrow, as they had been good friends before
the war. After this event the chief returned to Oquaga.
As the weeks passed, his following on the Susquehanna
grew apace. The name of the great War Chief had a charm
about it that drew to his command warriors from every
part of the forest. Little wonder that the settlers became
more and more alarmed. At length they resolved to try to
negotiate peace with him. One of their number, Nicholas
Herkimer, decided to go to the Susquehanna and there have
an interview with the chief himself. Herkimer was a
citizen noted for his integrity and had been made a
brigadier-general in the provincial army. He had formerly
lived three miles from Brant, when his home was on the
upper Mohawk, and knew him well. Nothing has ever been
said to show that Herkimer lacked courage. But he was
vain enough to think that a few words from him might
weaken Brant's steadfast loyalty. Furthermore, like too
many frontiersmen of his day, he held the Indian race in
little esteem and, as we shall see, he did not scruple
to treat them with the basest kind of treachery. The plea
may be made that he was apprehensive of duplicity on the
part of the Mohawk chief, but this does not wholly excuse
his conduct.
After duly making his plans, Herkimer invited Brant to
meet him at Unadilla, on the Susquehanna, higher up than
Oquaga. He arrived at this place in the month of July
with three hundred and eighty militiamen, but had to wait
a week before Brant put in an appearance. The fact that
he came with such a numerous escort was well fitted to
cause suspicion. Captain Brant also came with a large
contingent of warriors, pitched his camp at some little
distance from the Americans, and sent a runner to ask
the general why he had been honoured with this visit.
Herkimer replied that he merely wished to have a talk
with his brother Brant and that would be all. The runner
said he would bear the message back, but first asked
slyly whether all these men were anxious to talk with
the War Chief also. Before departing, Brant's messenger
signified that the colonials must not trespass upon the
field that stretched away towards the Indians' camp.
About half-way between the two parties a shed was now
put up, large enough to seat two hundred people. It was
agreed that each side should send a deputation to this
hall, where a meeting would be held. On no account,
however, were any firearms or other weapons to be brought
from the camps.
Upon the day appointed Herkimer was the first to reach
the spot, while Brant arrived a little later. The Indian
chief had scented danger and was strictly on his guard.
With him were two pale-faces, a Mohawk chief, about two
score warriors, and an Indian woman. It was the custom
in such a parley to draw a circle on the ground and for
the leaders to stand or sit within this. Herkimer and
two officers entered the circle, while Brant was accompanied
by the inferior chieftain. Brant was all the time watching
the general like a hawk and again asked him what was the
meaning of his visit. Herkimer repeated that it was only
for the sake of good fellowship.
'And all these have come on a friendly visit too?' asked
Captain Brant. 'All want to see the poor Indians; it is
very kind.' Unaffected by Brant's irony, Herkimer next
referred to the troubles between England and the colonies,
and tried to draw out Brant. The chief was slow and
taciturn in answering, but at last burst forth in no
uncertain language. He said that 'the Indians were in
concert with the King, as their fathers had been; ...
that General Herkimer and his followers had joined the
Boston people against their Sovereign.' For all that, he
had no fear of the result and knew 'that although the
Boston people were resolute, yet the King would humble
them.'
The meeting did not break up before there were signs of
coming violence, but finally better feelings appeared to
prevail and they decided to assemble again on the following
morning.
In the interval Herkimer is said to have devised one of
the vilest schemes that has ever been charged against a
man of his rank. He selected a settler, named Joseph
Waggoner, and three other trusty men as his accomplices.
These persons were to assist him in a conspiracy against
Brant's life that was simply an attempt at murder. The
details of the plot were furnished in a confession made
afterwards by Waggoner. As the parties stood in the
circle, the four accomplices were to take a cue from
Herkimer and shoot the Indians down without warning. But
Herkimer was reckoning without his host. Joseph Brant
was far too shrewd to walk headlong into such an open
snare. It is plain that he had come to suspect the
intentions of his adversary. Next morning, as he stepped
into the circle, he assumed a grave and dignified mien.
Addressing Herkimer, he spoke in stern accents:
'I have five hundred warriors with me, armed and ready
for battle. You are in my power; but as we have been
friends and neighbours, I will not take advantage of you.'
As he ended, a great band of redskins advanced from the
engirdling forest, and the war-whoop rent the air. Backed
by his faithful warriors, the War Chief could speak in
tones of authority to his foe. He did not forget to thank
him for his coming, but bade him direct his steps once
again towards his home on the Mohawk. Thereupon Brant
turned about and strode away among the trees. Just then
thick clouds blotted out the sky; a terrible storm swept
in violence across the land, a fitting presage, as men
thought, of the scourge of war that must now bring ruin
and havoc in its wake.