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apparent, drew the fire of his foes. He escaped unhurt, and when out of danger dressed himself in his drenched clothing and hat, perforated with bullets, and with the speed of the roebuck was in the city on the third day, having accomplished one hundred and twenty miles through a most rough and inhospitable wilderness. The services of that man, we are sure, have never been justly appreciated, and we fear have not been fairly rewarded.

Instantly the whole city was in commotion. Three hundred pounds were drawn from the public treasury to raise recruits. Captain Dick was hastened forward, Ogden in company, with a strong convoy of provisions. Captain Morris and his company was directed to follow with the least possible delay. Colonel Asher Clayton, a veteran of the French war, who was to have the chief command, (nominally, we presume, for it cannot be imagined Ogden would be superseded,) was ordered with a strong force to hasten his march. Captain Ledlie was put in requisition to follow with as much expedition as circumstances would admit.

In the meantime, while this apparently overpowering storm was gathering for his destruction, Captain Butler pushed on the siege, and with true Yankee providence, directed that at the same time the labors of the field should not be intermitted; and the flats, though with imperfect cultivation, from their extreme fertility, presented a waving sea of luxuriant Indian corn, and other summer fruits, a valuable possession or prize, as either party should be ultimately victorious.

Hurrying forward with about thirty men, and a number of packhorses, loaded with ammunition and provisions, Captain Dick, on the last of July, descended into the valley. Nothing escaped the vigilance or sagacity of Captain Butler. Ogden's escape was soon known, and his speedy return with aid was not for a moment doubted. Sentinels were placed in proper positions to detect the approach of a hostile party. Every movement of Captain Dick was carefully watched. An ambush was laid in the most promising ground near the fort. Taking life so far from being desired, was sincerely deprecated, but to secure the provisions was an object of the first importance, and if the escort could be thrown into the fort, to help eat up the scanty remnant that was left, the garrison must so much the sooner capitulate; besides it was far better to have the enemy cooped up in the fortress, than free to make attacks on the rear. A volley from opposite coverts, a huzza, and a rush forward of the Yankees, had the desired effect. Captains Dick and

Ogden, with about twenty of their men, found refuge in the fort, while their pack-horses, and most of their loading, became a prize to Captain Butler, who had the satisfaction of seeing his well laid plan succeed to his utmost wishes.*

When the sad news of the discomfiture of Captain Dick reached Philadelphia, men were seen running in every direction in "hot haste." Another three hundred pounds were drawn from the treasury. New recruits were put in requisition. Ledlie was hurried on to overtake Clayton and Morris, and the greatest consternation reigned among the friends of the Proprietary Government. Not so the people. With few exceptions, those who had no direct interest in the lands, began to look on, at least with indifference, and many with favor to the Connecticut party. To this cause was to be ascribed the extreme difficulty of raising a sufficient force at once, to put an end to the contest.

The siege was now pushed with redoubled vigor; Colonel Clayton, with strong re-inforcements being expected, every hour's delay was pregnant with danger, that the chief objects of the campaign, on the point of being clutched, would be snatched from his grasp. To starve out the garrison without bloodshed, had been the humane purpose of Captain Butler, but more efficient action, in his estimate of duty, had become requisite. Blood began to flow. Several of the garrison were wounded. The gallant Ogden received a rifle ball in his left arm near the shoulder, and nearly fainting, reposed on the breast of Lieut. William Redyard, when a bullet struck the latter, and he fell lifeless upon the ground. A negotiation entered into on the 14th of August, was soon concluded by articles of capitulation,

*From Hugh Gaine's New York Gazette, August 12, 1771.

"Philadelphia, August 8.—The report of a party of men being cut off, who were despatched from Northampton county, with provisions for our people in the Block House at Wyoming, who are besieged by the Connecticut party, appears by the following extract of a letter, which came to town on the 6th, by express from the person who commanded the convoy, to be without foundation :

"WYOMING, August 1, 1771.

Last Tuesday about break of day, I arrived at this place with 31 men and the provisions, and was attacked by the Connecticut party, who had information of our coming, by a letter falling into their hands with which an Indian was sent by Captain Ogden. We were surrounded by their fire, and lost two horse loads of our flour, and got in with the remainder and twenty-two men, two of whom are wounded. Nine of our men are missing; whether they retreated, or are killed, I cannot as yet give information. They have kept an almost continued fire on the Block House ever since from four entrenchments; but we are determined to hold out to the last extremity. I am Sir, your humble servant,

JOHN DICK."

by which the fort was surrendered. Colonel Clayton, Captains Dick and Morris, with Captain Ogden, and all the Pennsylvania troops, were forthwith to withdraw from Wyoming. Mr. Gordon states the terms of capitulation to have been, "That twenty-three men might leave the fort armed, and with the remainder unarmed, might proceed unmolested to their respective habitations; that the men having families might abide on the debateable land for two weeks, and might remove their effects without interruption, and that the sick and wounded might retain their nurses, and have leave to send for a physician." Signed on behalf of the Yankees by

ZEBULON BUTler,

LAZARUS STEWART,
JOHN SMITH,

On the part of the Proprietary Government by

ASHER CLAYTON,

JOSEPH MORRIS,
JOHN DICK.

An anecdote is mentioned by Gordon so characteristic of the chivalry of Captain Butler, that we cannot doubt its correctness. That he offered to determine the rights of the respective claimants by a contest of thirty men to be selected by each party. Had not Amos Ogden been wounded, his spirit would have bounded with joy to the contest.* Captain Ledlie, who was on his march, met the retiring array of his discomfited friends, from whom he received an accession of eight or ten men, best acquainted with the valley, to act as guides, and as he was not included in the capitulation, continued his advance and took up a position on the mountain, intending to remain until he should receive orders to retreat, or a powerful reinforcement should be sent to his support. In the meantime he guarded the passes most frequented by the emigrating Yankees, who apprised of his position, evaded his sentinels, and every day added to the number of the Connecticut settlers. This great victory, achieved over a superior force with a sacrifice, comparatively so inconsiderable, established entire confidence in the ultimate success of the Yankee cause; and Captain Butler was hailed as the saviour of

* William Redyard was laid by the side of Nathan Ogden, who had been interred in what is now the street below the house of Colonel Welles, near the corner. Could their bones be found, or should they by accident be discovered, most certainly they should be removed to the burying place, and decently buried, with a stone and inscription to mark the spot.

Wyoming. His name was now a host, and multitudes flocked to the valley under protection of his standard.

Foiled in every attempt to establish a post on the disputed lands; becoming, daily, more and more unpopular as the difficulties with Great Britain and the colonies increased, the Proprietary Government ordered the return of Capt. Ledlie, and left the Susquehanna Company in undisturbed possession of the ground, who forthwith proceeded with all practicable celerity to increase their settlements, and consolidate their power.

Thus closes the first Pennymite and Yankee war. Commencing in January, 1769, it had continued, with what variety of incident, and alternation of success, the reader is apprised, to Sept. 1771-a period of nearly three years.

Judging, and probably not without truth, from the boldness and confidence of the proceedings of the intruding Yankees, that they were encouraged and sustained by the Government of Connecticut, Mr. Hamilton, President of Council, on abandoning all military demonstrations, opened a correspondence with Gov. Trumbull, upon the subject. In a letter, dated October 4, 1771, after detailing the events that had transpired at Susquehanna, he proceeds:—

"As the people concerned in these violent and hostile measures, profess to act under the authority of your Government, and have made a capitulation expressly on behalf of the Government, I have thought it proper and expedient to send a messenger to your Honour, on purpose to know, with certainty, whether they have proceeded in any sort under your countenance or authority, or that of your Assembly, and as this must be a matter within your knowledge, I make no doubt but you will despatch the express with a speedy answer."

In reply, Gov. Trumbull thus cautiously and ingeniously expresses

himself.

"NEW HAVEN, Oct. 14, 1771. "The persons concerned in those transactions have no order and direction from me, or from the General Assembly of the colony, for their proceeding upon this occasion, and I am very confident that the General Assembly, friends as they ever have been to peace and good order, will never countenance any violent, much less hostile measures, in vindicating the right which the Susquehanna Company suppose they have to the lands in that part of the country within the limits of the Charter of this colony."

The reader will, particularly, note the concluding line, in which the assumption is absolute, that the part of the "country is within the limits of the Charter of Connecticut." Such an official declaration at the time was well calculated to encourage new emigrations, and strengthen the hands of the settlers.

Governor Trumbull then proceeds to say, that each of the contending parties, it is understood, charge on the other the commencement of violence, of which he was not a proper judge. Here for the present, negotiations ended, to be renewed as will appear, a few years after, at a more propitious period.

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