Swamp, and Bear Swamp. The Great Swamp, which is eleven or twelve
miles through, contains what is called on our maps "shades of death,"
by reason of its darkness; both swamps contain trees of amazing
height, viz., hemlock, birch, pine, sugar maple, ash, locust, etc. The
roads in some places are tolerable, but in other places exceeding bad,
by reason of which, and a long though necessary march, three of our
wagons and the carriages of two field pieces were broken down. This
day we proceeded twenty miles and encamped late in the evening at a
spot which the commander named Camp Fatigue. The troops were tired and
hungry. The road through the Swamps is entirely new, being fitted for
the passage of our wagons by Colonels Cortlandt and Spencer at the
instance of the commander-in-chief; the way to Wyoming, being before
only a blind, narrow path. The new road does its projectors great
credit, and must in a future day be of essential service to the
inhabitants of Wyoming and Easton. In the Great Swamp is Locust Hill,
where we discovered evident marks of a destroyed Indian village.
Tobyhanna and Middle creeks empty into the Tunkhanunk; the Tunkhanunk
empties into the head branch of the Lehigh, which at Easton, empties
into the Delaware. The Moosick mountain, through a gap of which we
passed in the Great Swamp, is the dividing ridge which separates the
Delaware from the Susquehanna."--[_Rev. William Rogers' Journal._]
[32] Sergeant Jonas Brown, of Captain Charles Graham's Co., Second New
York, returned as dead by Lieut. Conolly, in 1785, drew lot
twenty-three, of the military tract in Homer, containing six hundred
acres.
[33] BRIGADIER GENERAL EDWARD HAND, the youngest brigadier of the
expedition. Born in Ireland the last day of 1744, was an ensign in the
British army, served two years with his regiment in America, then
resigned and settled in Pennsylvania. At the beginning of the
Revolution he entered the continental service as Lieutenant-Colonel,
was made Colonel of a rifle corps in 1776, was in the battles of Long
Island and Trenton, and in the summer of 1777 was in command at
Pittsburg. Washington placed great confidence in his judgment and
consulted him freely as to the feasibility of this campaign. In 1780
he succeeded Scammel as Adjutant General of the army and held the
position until the close of the war. He was a lover of fine horses and
an excellent horseman. He died in Lancaster, Pa., Sept. 3, 1802.
[34] TUNKHANNA, from _Tankhanne_, i.e., _the small stream_, is a
tributary of the Tobyhanna, which it enters at the west corner of
Tunkhanna township. The smallest of two confluents or sources of a
river is always called _Tankhanne_ by the Delawares.
[35] TOBYHANNA, corrupted from _Topi-hanne_, signifying _alder
stream_, i.e., a stream whose banks are fringed with alders; is a
tributary of the Lehigh, which it enters from the south-east at
Stoddartsville.
[36] The camp of the two regiments on White Oak Run, or Rum Bridge
as called in some journals, was the same place where the main
army encamped June, 19th, and "called CHOWDER CAMP from the
commander-in-chief dining this day on chowder made of trout."
[37] "One quart of whiskey to be issued this evening to each officer,
and a half pint to each non-commissioned officer and soldier on the
detachment command by General Poor. * * * The officers are to see
respectively _that water be immediately mixed with the soldier's
whiskey_," General orders, Aug. 15, at Tioga.
[38] Major Adam Hoops, third A.D.C. to General Sullivan. He was in the
army throughout the Revolution, and at one period belonged to the
staff of Washington. He was connected with the earliest surveys of
Western New York. In 1804, he in company with Ebenezer F. Norton,
purchased most of the township of Olean and laid out the village of
Hamilton, the original name of present village of Olean. He was a
bachelor and died in Westchester, Pa.
[39] Dr. Jabez Campfield of Col. Spencer's Regiment, joined his
regiment while they were in camp at Tunkhanna on the 26th of May,
where he says they continued until the 30th, "when we marched to
Locust Hill. All this way the land very indifferent and rough, the
timber mostly pitch pine and hemlock, some white pine, also birch,
mirtle, and some beach, elm and spruce. This hill is covered with
small locust trees. While the detachment remained at Locust Hill, the
First New Hampshire Regiment joined us, but at the same time a
detachment under Colonel Smith were sent to Wyoming so that we gained
very little by the Hampshire men coming up."
William Barton's Journal under date of June 11th says: * * * "Locust
Hill so called, on account of being entirely timbered with it for
twenty-three miles. We all proceeded on our journey again until we
fell in with a detachment composed of several regiments which had been
cutting a road through from Larnard's to Wyoming, as there never was
any before only an old Indian path."
[40] Lieutenant Charles F. Weissenfels of 3d company, 2nd regiment,
served during the war.
[41] On the 21st of July, General Sullivan writes to Congress from
Easton, after complaining of the delays of the quarter-master and
commissary departments in forwarding supplies, he speaks as follows in
regard to the quality: * * * "My duty to the public, and regard to my
own reputation, compel me to state the reasons why this army has been
so long delayed here, without advancing into the enemy's country. * *
* The inspector is now on the ground, by order of the Board of War,
inspecting the provisions; and his regard to the truth must oblige him
on his return to report that, of the salted meat on hand, there is not
a single pound fit to be eaten, even at this day, though every measure
has been taken to preserve it that possibly could be devised. * * *
About one hundred and fifty cattle sent to Sunbury were left there,
being too poor to walk, and many of them unable to stand."
[42] LIEUT. JAMES FAIRLIE, of Capt. Fowler's company, 2nd regiment,
after the consolidation of the five New York regiments in 1780. He
drew military lots Nos. seventy-three Cato, and sixty-five Brutus.
[43] SHADES OF DEATH, supposed by many to have derived the name from
the sufferings of those who escaped from the massacre of Wyoming, but
this is evidently an error, as the name was attached to the locality
and appeared on the maps, long previous to 1778.
[44] WYOMING.
"_On Susquehanna's side, fair Wyoming!
Delightful Wyoming!_"--CAMPBELL.
The Delaware name given to a valley on the Susquehanna river, of three
to four miles in width, by about sixteen in length, extending from the
mountain range above the Lackawana, where the river wends its way
through a gorge a thousand feet deep, south-westerly to where the
river again finds its way through a range equally lofty and
precipitous. This was the SCHAHENTOA or SCHAHEN-DOWANE of the
Iroquois, signifying _great plains_, as does also the Delaware name of
Wyoming. From its earliest known history, this valley has been a
favorite place of Indian residence, and was the probable seat of an
Iroquois tribe, called SCHAHENTOAR-RONONS by Brebeuf in 1635, whom he
describes as allies of the Hurons, and speaking their language. In
1614, three Dutchmen in the employ of the Directors of New Netherland,
accompanied a party of Mahican Indians from near Fort Orange, in a war
expedition against the CARANTOUANNAIS, a powerful Iroquois tribe,
whose main village containing more than eight hundred warriors, was
located on the so-called "Spanish Hill" near Waverly, N.Y. These
Dutchmen were captured by the Carantouannais, and were the first white
men these Indians had ever seen; believing them to be French, who were
allies of their friends the Hurons, they treated them kindly, and
conducted them down the Susquehanna to this point, and thence by way
of the Lehigh river, to the Delaware, where they were ransomed by
Capt. Hendricksen, "giving for them kittles, beads and merchandise."
In the map made by the Captain from information furnished by these
Dutchmen, he indicated four towns on the west side of the river, at
this point, and designated the tribe as MINQUAS, this being the
general name applied by the Dutch to all the Iroquois tribes south of
the Five Nations, and west of New Netherland, several of which are
known to have been in existence at that early date, but which appear
to have been entirely overlooked by the scholars of the country.
[45] JACOB'S PLAINS.--A plateau on the east side of the river, above
present Wilkesbarre in the town of Plains. Abraham's Plains are on
the west side of the river. "June 17.--Decamped at 10 o'clock. The
three regiments marched up to Jacob's Plains, encamped near the
bank of the river on the east shore, about four miles above the
garrison."--_Nathaniel Webb's Journal._
[46] "July 20.--Three hundred boats arrived with provisions from
Sunbury.
July 21.--Eight hundred head of cattle, five hundred horses, five
hundred wagons arrived.
July 24.--Two hundred boats arrived, with stores, at which time thirty
cannon were fired from the park."--_Nathaniel Webb's Journal._
[47] FORT JENKINS,--near Centreville, Columbia County, half way
between Wyoming and Sunbury, built in 1777. There was another Fort
Jenkins on the west side of the river a mile above Fort Wintermoot,
built in 1776 under the supervision of the Jenkins and Harding
families. This was captured and destroyed in 1778 in the Wyoming
massacre.
[48] NORTHUMBERLAND,--at the junction of the west, and main branches
of the Susquehanna, above Sunbury, sixty-five miles from Wilkesbarre.
[49] During the absence of Lieut. Hardenbergh down the river a party
visited the battleground. "The place where the battle was fought may
with propriety be called 'a place of skulls,' as the bodies of the
slain were not buried, their bones were scattered in every direction
all around; a great number of which for a few days past having been
picked up, were decently interred by our people. We passed a grave
where seventy-five skeletons were buried; also a spot where fourteen
wretched creatures, who, having surrendered upon being promised mercy,
were nevertheless made immediately to sit down in a ring, and after
the savages had worked themselves up to the extreme of fury in their
usual manner, by dancing, singing, halloaing, &c., they proceeded
deliberately to tomahawk the poor fellows one after another. Fifteen
surrendered and composed the ring; upon the Indians beginning their
work of cruelty, one of them providentially escaped, who reported the
matter to Col. Butler, who upon his return to Wyoming, went to the
spot and found the bones of the fourteen lying as human bodies in an
exact circle."--_Rev. William Rogers' Journal._
[50] NESCOPEC FALLS--at present Nescopec in County of Luzerne.
[51] "WYOMING is situated on the east side of the east branch of the
Susquehanna, the town consisting of about seventy houses, chiefly log
buildings; besides these buildings there are sundry larger ones which
were erected by the army for the purpose of receiving stores, &c., a
large bake and smoke houses. There is likewise a small fort erected in
the town, with a strong abbata around it, and a small redoubt to
shelter the inhabitants in case of an alarm. This fort is garrisoned
by 100 men, draughted from the western army, and put under the command
of Col. Zebulon Butler. I cannot omit taking notice of the poor
inhabitants of the town; two thirds of them are widows and orphans,
who, by the vile hands of the savages, have not only deprived them of
tender husbands, some indulgent parents, and others of affectionate
friends and acquaintances, besides robbed and plundered of all their
furniture and clothing. In short, they are left totally dependent on
the public, and are become absolute objects of charity."--_Hubley's
Journal._
[52] The army when concentrated at Wyoming was organized as follows:
New Jersey Brigade, Brig. Gen'l William Maxwell com'd.
1st N.J., Col. Matthias Ogden.
2d, N.J., Col. Israel Shreve.
3d, N.J., Col. Elias Dayton.
5th, N.J., Col. Oliver Spencer's Independent Regiment, also
fragments of Forsman's and Sheldon's regiments merged into
Spencer's.
New Hampshire Brigade--Brig. Gen'l Enoch Poor, com'd.
1st N.H., Col. Joseph Cilley.
2d N.H., Lieut. Col. George Reid.
3d N.H., Lieut. Col. Henry Dearborn.
2d N.Y., Col. Philip Van Cortlandt.
Brigade of Light Troops, Gen'l Edward Hand, com'd.
11th Pa., Lieut. Col. Adam Hubley.
German Regiment, Maj. Daniel Burkhardt.
Independent Wyoming Company, Capt. Simon Spalding.
Wyoming Militia, Capt. John Franklin.
Schott's Rifle Corps, under Capt. Selin.
[53] FORTY FORT--On the right bank of the Susquehanna between Pittston
and Wilkesbarre, built in 1770 by the company of emigrants from
Connecticut, forty in number.
[54] GEN. HAND, and other officers were engaged for six weeks in
collecting supplies, which General Sullivan expected would be in
Wyoming on his arrival. Four hundred and fifty boatmen were enlisted
and large parties of soldiers were detailed for this service.
[55] LACKAWANNA RIVER, flowing into the Susquehanna from the
north-east, called by the Delawares, _Lechau-Hanneck_, signifying the
forks of a river or stream, and by the Iroquois _Hazirok_; an Indian
town called Adjouquay existed at an early date on the east side, on
present site of Pittston.
[56] FALLING SPRINGS.--A short distance above Campbell's ledge, a
beautiful cascade comes rushing down from the mountain called Falling
Springs. It proceeds from several never-failing springs on the summit.
Hubley says, "to attempt a description of it would be almost
presumption. Let this short account thereof suffice. The first or
upper fall thereof is nearly ninety feet perpendicular, pouring from a
solid rock, ushering forth a most beautiful echo, and is received by a
cleft of rocks, considerably more projected than the former, from
whence it rolls gradually and falls into the Susquehanna."
[57] QUAILUTIMACK, seven miles from Lackawanna, signifying "_we came
unawares upon them_." A place between the steep mountain and the
river, said to have been the place of an Indian battle. The camp was
on a "spot of ground situated on the river open and clear, containing
about twelve hundred acres, soil very rich, timber fine, grass in
abundance, and contains several springs."--_Hubley's Journal._
[58] VAN DER LIPPE'S.--Now Black Walnut in the town of Meshoppen,
Wyoming County. So called from a tory of that name, who was the first
settler, above the Lackawanna, who previous to this time had abandoned
the valley, and afterward died in Canada. During this day's march the
army passed over Indian Hill, where Col. Hartley had a battle with the
Indians the previous year.
[59] WYALUSING. At present Wyalusing in Bradford County.--"Passing up
the river we came to a place called by the Indians Gohontoto. Here
they tell us was in early times an Indian town, traces of which are
still noticeable, e.g., corn pits, &c., inhabited by a distinct nation
(neither Aquinoschioni, i.e., Iroquois, nor Delawares) who spoke a
peculiar language and were called TEHOTITACHSAE; against these the
Five Nations warred, and rooted them out. The Cayugas for a time held
a number of them, but the nation and their language are now
exterminated and extinct. This war, said the Indian, fell in the time
when the Indians fought in battle with _bows and arrows_ before they
had guns and rifles."--_Cammerhoff & Zeisberger's Journal_, 1750. This
was also the seat of the Moravian mission of Friedenshtuten,
established in 1765, abandoned in 1772. This was about a mile below
Wyalusing Creek, on the farms now occupied by G.H. Wells and J.B.
Stafford. Rogers devotes several pages to a description of this town.
[60] NEWTYCHANNING.--This day Col. Proctor destroyed the first Indian
town, named Newtychanning, containing about twenty houses, located on
the west side of the Susquehanna, on the north side of Sugar Creek
near North Towanda. Sullivan says it contained twenty-two houses;
Canfield, that it was built the preceding year and contained from
fifteen to twenty houses. This was near the site of Oscalui, of a
previous date, and the same site called Ogehage, on Captain
Hendricksen's map of 1616, and was then one of the towns of the
Carantouannais, an Iroquois tribe destroyed or driven out by the Five
Nations previous to 1650.
[61] STANDING STONE.--A large and long rock, on the west side of the
river, said to have been detached from its bed on the mountain and
taking a downward course, displacing all obstacles, took a final leap
from the top of the precipice, and landed in a vertical position in
the water near the shore, and remains a standing stone. The main army
encamped directly opposite this, on Standing Stone flats; Hand's
brigade on Wysox creek three miles above.
[62] SHESHEQUIN FLATS.--On site of present Sheshequin in Bradford
County, on the opposite side of the river on site of present Ulster,
was the Indian village of Sheshequin, six miles below Tioga. Cash's
creek divided the town into two parts, the north side being heathen,
those on the south Moravian Christians. About 1772 the latter removed
six miles north and founded a new town, afterward known as Queen
Esther's Town. Sheshequin was destroyed by Col. Hartley in 1778.
[63] TIOGA, the name given by the Iroquois to the wedge of land lying
between the Chemung river and north branch of the Susquehanna; from
_Teyaogen_, an interval, or anything between two other things [Bruyas,
Agniers Racines]. _Teiohogen_, the forks of a river (Gallatin's
vocabulary 387). This has from time immemorial been one of the most
important strategical points of the country of the Five Nations.
Zeisberger passed through here in 1750 and says that "at Tioga or _the
gate_, Six Nations Indians were stationed for the purpose of
ascertaining the character of all persons who crossed over into their
country, and that whoever entered their territory by any other way
than through the gate, or by way of the Mohawk, was suspected by them
of evil purpose and treated as a spy or enemy." An Indian town of
TIOGA near the point, destroyed by Col. Hartley in 1778.
The earliest known account of the place is found in Champlain, who
sent out one of his interpreters, named Stephen Brule, in 1615, to
arrange with the Carantouannais for a force of five hundred warriors,
to co-operate with him in an attack on the Onondaga stronghold, then
located on the town of Fenner, Madison Co., N.Y. Brule with a small
party of Hurons passed through the country of the Five Nations, to the
great town of Carantouan, containing more than eight hundred warriors,
then located on the so-called Spanish Hill near Waverly. Brule
returned to Carantouan after the expedition, and the next year, 1616,
went down the Susquehanna to the sea "where he found many nations that
are powerful and warlike."
The three Dutchmen mentioned in note 44 passed down the Susquehanna
Branch and were probably the first white men who ever saw that river;
Brule, the first that ever saw the Chemung.
[64] BREAK-NECK HILL.--The army passed this day Break-Neck Hill,
nearly opposite North Towanda. "This mountain derives its name from
the great height of the difficult and narrow passage not more than a
foot wide, and remarkable precipice which is immediately
perpendicular, and not less than one hundred and eighty feet deep. One
mis-step must inevitably carry you from top to bottom without the
least hope or chance of recovery."--_Hubley's Journal._
"This day marched on the side of a mountain about three hundred feet
from the bottom in a narrow path, where if we were to step one foot to
our left we would be gone, and on our right the mountain was about
four hundred feet high. N.B.--Three cows fell down and broke every
bone in their bodies."--_Shute's Journal._
[65] Capt. Cummings of the 3d N.J., Lieut. Jenkins, Capt. Franklin and
five others.
[66] CHEMUNG--An Indian town of fifty or sixty houses, occupied in
1779, located on the left bank of the Chemung river, three miles above
the present village of Chemung, in Chemung County, destroyed by Gen.
Sullivan Aug. 13th, 1779.
OLD CHEMUNG.--an Indian town partially abandoned in 1779, located on
the left bank of the Chemung river, half a mile above the present
village of Chemung, in Chemung County. A few houses burned Aug. 13th,
1779.
[67] This night's march was very tedious. The path followed the north
bank of the Chemung, passing the first narrows, near present Waverly,
and the second along the steep hill-sides and precipices west of
present Chemung. At these points there was scarcely room for two to
walk abreast, and a single mis-step would insure a landing on the
rocks a hundred feet below. It was daylight when the troops reached
the second narrows, but a dense fog prevailed, under the cover of
which they advanced, and found the town abandoned.
[68] CHEMUNG AMBUSCADE.--On the failure to surprise the Indians in
their village, General Hand pursued them up the river. About a mile
above New Chemung, the trail passed obliquely over a hill known
locally as the Hog Back, near the present residence of Doctor Everett,
about two and a half miles below the monument on Sullivan Hill. Col.
Hubley's regiment was in front, with Capt. Bush's company of forty men
on the right acting as flankers, with the two Independent Companies in
the rear. The head of the column appears to have been somewhat in
advance of the flankers and when near the summit of the hill, received
a fire from the enemy in ambush, at short range. Six were killed and
nine wounded, among the latter Capt. Franklin, Capt. Carbury and
Adjutant Huston, all of Col. Hubley's regiment. The enemy at once
retreated to the thicket north of the hill.
[69] The following extract from the Journal of Major Norris, describes
the march of this detachment up the north side of the Susquehanna from
Tioga to Union in the town of Union, Broome County, where they met
General Clinton's brigade. For the march of Clinton down the
Susquehanna see Beatty's Journal:
"Aug. 15th.--Nine Hundred chosen men under the Command of Brig. Gen'l
Poor are ordered to march Tomorrow morning up the Susquehanna, to meet
Gen'l Clinton, who is on his march to join Sullivan's Army with his
Brigade and is in some Danger of being Attacked by the Enemy before he
can form a Junction with our Main Army; This afternoon a Small Party
of Indian's fired on some of our Men who were without the Guards after
some Horse's, and Cattle, Killd and Sculped one man and Wounded
another, a Party was sent out in pursuit of them but Could not come up
with them--
16th General Poor March'd with his Detachment at 10 o'clock A.M.
proceeded in two Collam's up the Suscuhannah River Over very rough
Ground we Incampt Near the Ruins of an old town Call'd Macktowanuck
the Land near the River is very Good--
17th We marchd Early this Morning Proceed 12 Miles to Owagea an Indian
Town which was Deserted last Spring, after Planting, About the town is
many Fruit Trees and many Plants, and Herbs, that are Common in our
part of the Country; Hear is a Learge body of clear Intivale Covered
with Grass, Our March to day Very Survear and Fatigueing Esspecelly
for the Left Collm (to which I belong) as we had to pass Several Steap
Hills, and Morasses--
18th We March'd Early this Morning proceeded 14 miles to Choconant the
Remains of a Learge Indian Town which has been likewise Abandoned this
Summer, here we found Plenty of Cucombar's, Squashes, Turnips &c. We
found About twenty Houses, Which we burnt our Days March has been More
Survear than Yesterday, as we had bad Hills and Swamps, one swamp of
about two miles so Covered with Large Pines, Standing and lying which
appeared as tho' Several Haricanes had been busy among since which a
Tremendius Groath of Bushes About twenty feet high has sprung up so
very thick as to Render the passing through them impractible by any
troops but such as Nothing but Death can stop--at sunset we were Very
agreeably alarm'd by the Report of a Cannon up the River Which was
supposed to be General Clintons Evening Gun--