I NTR ODUCTOR Y

In sending out this H i story of the Minisink Coun ” tr onl y, the author desires not y to preserve to posterity of to ul annals the forgotten past , but stim ate coming to of u generations a greater love co ntry , a more ardent devotion to duty , and a more earnest zeal toward the promotion of true Christian character .

Our forefathers , by their struggles , privations and — tears , have left us a great and glorious heritage this land of freedom . Let us stand with nerves of steel in defense of our blood - bought privileges and consecrate our lives to the Al mighty whose powerful arm has preserved us a free nation . Let us teach our chi ldren to honor the flag that this day floats over and unites a happy and prosperous people . I trust that many of my readers , especially those who “ have borne the heat and burden of the day , will find in the perusal of these pages a stimulus to greater en ergy in the battle of life and an impetus to higher and nobler living . May the revival of these reminiscences illuminate the pathway of the future and brighten the hope of imm or tality . R A E D A H LL H O CE G R TWIC E .

o v N . . P rt Jer is , Y

SYNOPSIS OF CHAPTER S

CHAPTER I .

— ’ A T N D 1 65 9 a . r e s E RLIES MINISI K RECOR , C pt A ent Schuyl r — — 1 4 of u o d of . Visit , 69 Copy Jo rnal Hist rical A dress Dr — Mills Early Historical Facts .

CHAPTER II .

TT T 1 787— MINISINK SE LEMEN , Letters by Samuel Preston

Minisink Once a Lake .

CHAPTER III .

T Y O F H D A S OR PIONEER C IL REN .

CHAPTER IV .

w ‘ — ' H o A MOTHER SAVED HE R CHILDREN The Wyoming — ’ — — M a ssacre Gen . Sullivan s Raid Orang e County An Inci — dent o f Captivity from Orange County Middletown Settled Sullivan County Form ed from Ulster— Some Kingston Rec — — — ords Indi a n Settlements An Orange County Settler Cap — ture of Stony Point Settlement of Wyoming and Cochecton

The Fate of a Foolish Girl .

CHAPTER V .

T Y F APT DD BA — o ‘ S OR O C . CU E CK Prisoners taken fr m Paupack — —A — An by the Mohawks Liberty , N . Y . Settled Bear Hunt

W o Incident of the Settlement of hite Lake , Sullivan C unty — — Monticello Settled Children Lost in the Forest H O W Provi dence Made Provision for the Pioneers from Connecticut Shehawken Founded—Description of Joseph Brant— A Mo — ’ — hawk Chief Incidents of Brant s Raid on Minisink Address of . 2 2 by the Author on the Invasion and Battle Minisink Feb , — — l Q I I Tusten Marches to Defense of Minisink An Acrostic to — Benj amin Tusten Confusi on of D ates in Reference to the Mini — — sink Invasion and Battle Th e Minisink Battle Death of fl ’ — Judge Wi sner B ri ti sh Exaggerate Hath orn s Defeat A Pris ’ — — oner s Peril The Gathering o f the Bones o f the Slain The — — Indian Dead B Ones Discovered Around a Spring Incidents ’ — H r o f the R out and Retreat Gen . a th o n s Address at the

—* o f 2 2 1 82 2 t he Burial the Bones at Goshen , July , Survivors of — Battle The Old Monument Replaced by a New One .

CHAPTER VI

— — GOSHEN CELE B RATION O F 1 862 The B a ttl efield Address

O f — — Welcome b y J . W . Johnston The Monument Prayer by — — . . . . o Rev J B Williams Oration by Hon . Wm J . Gro Address

H o — n. . G o . . by Arthur C Butts Address by Hon . e H Rowland

Address by Hon . Thomas J . Lyon .

CHAPTER VII .

—w ’ INDIAN ELO Q UENCE E x t ra ct s from Tecumseh s Speech ’ ’ — — o Tribute to Gen . Jackson Lord Dunmore s Victory L gan s — — Defens e Purchasing the Minisink B a ttl efield 2 00th Anni — v ers a r f et o f . Cudde y O the S tlement Minisink Address by C E . — ~ — back Speech by Rev . Dr . Talmage Address by Hon . Hiram — — Clark Address of Rev . A . A . Haines Address by J . H . Van

Etten .

CHAPTER VIII .

— PIONEER LIFE A Story of the Pet Fawn .

CHAPTER I ! .

A STORY— Washington ’ s Reward of Fidelity— Gen Hath ’ rn o s Official Report of the B attle of lVI ini sink.

H ! C APTER .

NARRATIVE O F THE CAPTIVITY BY THE INDIANS O F MR S HA R

B ISON . CHAPTER ! I .

POEMS BY THE AUTHOR— The Triumvirate— The Maine in — ’ — O f n y Mo the Harbor , Death The Lo el Soldier s Grave The — ’ — — — hawk Maiden Teachers Column Rules in Rhyme Bric a — Brac - ~ The Old Replaced by th e New Reminiscences Pleas — — f w O f ures and Perils of the Delaware The I dl e ild Relics the War— Eulogy on Senator Wagner —T'he Empty Chair— Col — — — umbo El Dorado Vivo S a pi ends The Aborigines The Mys

— —“ t eri ous Indian Maiden A L v ri c Poem The Sullivan County — Pioneer The Hunting Scene The Battle of Minisink .

CHAPTER I .

EARLY HI S TORY OF MINI S INK

The earliest record we have of the history Of Mini 1 sink is 6 5 9 . It was during that year that some copper

b a n ore was rought to Alb ny by the India s , who said it was found in the Minisink country , and a record was entered on the geological books . Next a rumor in some way reached the Governor ’ s ears that the French have been trying to induce the Minisink Indians to unite with other hostile tribes against the Dutch . He sends Capt . Arent Schuyler from New York through the wilderness to Minisink to investigate the truthfulness of the report . It appears from statements in the l S chu yl er j our nal that there was some fur - trading carried on at this early date , or at least a trading post was about to be opened at Minisink ; for he ascertained j ust what time “ w of year the S h a u a ns would arrive there with their furs .

’

A P . TC T. SCHUYLER S JOURNAL

May it please your E x eell : In pursuance to yr

Mi nissinck Excell . commands I have been in the Coun

tr . v of which I have kept the following Journal , viz

1 6 94 3 d o ye of Feb . I departed fr m New Yorke for B east New Jersey and came that night att Bergen 4 h 2 m en . t town , where I hired and a guide Ye Sun

Th i s i s su ose t o b e th e c u er wh a c om a n h fi v T pp d S h yl o c p ied t e e MO ’ a c e s t o n a n i n th e ea r 7 10 wh t u n nn 1 o s e ee s cour h wk hi f E gl d y vi i d Q A t. i s c a m e t a a e t em n wa m n n r It l i d h t s t l e t s a de at Mi i si k fou yea rs b e fore ’ a . c u er s s a s m en one e se ere i n s oo b u t h e oe C pt S h yl vi it, ti d l wh thi b k ; d s not sa y a nything a bout a ny white settlers b ei ng i n th e Mini si nk va lley i n

1 694 . I t i s cer a n o e er t a th e i s sol a ted e em en wa s flou r s s n t i , h w v , h t ttl t i hi g in 1697 for a a en ssue t o t em th e o on a ernor o N w o f e or , p t t i d h by C l i l G v Y k 4th 697 ea rs at e Oct . 1 1 . b d , , r w day morning I went from B e g ent o n and travelled about 1 0 English miles bweyond H a ghking sack to an I n 5 th dian place called P eck es . Ye Monday From

w - P eck es North and be west I went about thirty two — 6 th miles snowing and rainy weather . Y e Tuesday I continued my j ourney to Ma gg agh am ieck (Neversink ) river and from thence to within half a day ’ s j ourney to

n 1 1 - k . O the Minissi c . Ye Wed about clock I arrived att the Minissinck and there I met with two of their Sach ems and several other Indians of whom I enquired after some news , if the French or their Indians had sent for them or been in ye Mini ssinck Country . Upon which they answered that noe French nor any of the French

Minissinck Indians were , nor had been in the Country , nor there abouts and did promise yt if ye French should t O f happen to come or y they heard it , that they will forthwith send a [messenger and give yr Excellency no tice thereof . Inquiring further after newws they towld me that 6 days agoe three Christians and t o S h au a ns Indi ans who wentwabout 1 5 months agoe with Armout Vielle into the S h au ans Country were passed by the Minissinck going to Albany to fetch powder for A rnout and his Company and further told them that sd A rnout in tended to be there with seven hundred of ye said Shau wans Indians loaded with beaver and peltries att ye time ye Indian corn is about 1 foot high (which may be in the month of June ) . The Minissinck Sachems further said that one of their S achems and other of their Indians were gone to fetch b eav or and peltries which th ev had hunted and having heard noe news of them are afraid yt ye Sinne ques have killed them for ye lucar of the b eav or or b e cause ye Minissinck Indians have not been with ye S inneques as usual to pay their duttv and therefore de 1 2 sire yt Your Excellency will be pleased to order the S innequ es may be told not to molest or hurt ye Minis

' sincks . , they be willing to continue in amity with them In the afternoon I departed from ye Mini ssincks

8 9th l oth . the th , of Feb I travelled and came to Bergen in ye morning and about noon arrived att New

Yorke . E This is , may it please your xcellency , the humble ’ E serv t report of your xcellency s most humble ,

N T H L ARE SC UY ER . The following address is given at this point on ac count of its historical value TH T D W OPENING ADDRESS BY E PRESIDEN , REV . R . S . . L F T O . . MI LS , POR JERVIS, N Y

Members of the Minisink Valley Historical Society and all

of S O who are here present , I extend to you in the name the ci et y a cordial greeting . TO the resident members and to those who have come to us from a distance ; to those who participate in these exercises or seek in any way to give interest t o this occasion ; t o the wives and daughters of the members present

t o as well as all who are here assembled , I give a hearty , j oyous welcome. This second semi - annual celebration o f our Society br ings

o us together again in this beautiful gr ve , which a year ago , at

o f the request its owner , we dedicated by the appropriate and

- of historic name Of Caudebec Park , under circumstances more

one than ordinary interest . The day itself is that should ever be held in remembrance by the people of this valley and of the 2 2 . d whole surrounding country It was on the of July , more

r than a century ago , that a most fierce and ter ible conflict was waged between the defenders of their homes in this valley and — their savage invaders a conflict in which not only those in habiting the valley whose dwellings , church and other buildings ,

- one n twenty in all , were bur ed , participated ; but their neigh

the De bors across mountain and lower down along the laware ,

t o t o making common cause with them , rallied their aid overtake t and if possible exterminate the murderous band . The bat le that followed and which was fought some twenty miles west now one i from the place where we are assembled was wwh ch , while disastrous to ou r patriot sires and bringing sorr o to many

of homes , yet witnessed deeds valor and courage that may well ’ be ranked among the many heroic ones o f that long seven years ’ of struggle for our country s independence . Possibly some — these may be related in your hearing to day . We do well to commemorate the 2 2 d of July and to recall the de eds of noble daring then performed and to hand them

1 4! o down to coming generati ns , that those who come after u s may learn something of the costly pri ce p aid by their forefathers in treasure and blood and long privation and suffering to secure

on the liberties which they enj oy . Every e in the beautiful val

o f or of leys the Minisink Country , its surrounding mountains and hills or wherever their lot may be cast , in whose veins flows the blood of the men who engaged in the strife Of that h ot July

a nd day , may well have a j ust honest pride in the deeds Of their ancestors and may tell them to their children and their children ’ s

children .

our Another interest , however , attaches to gathering at this

- time . We commemorate t o day an event which took place l ong — anterior to thos e scenes of strife and blood one in which peace ful men came quietly and peaceably seeking for themselves a

one o f home in this beautiful valley , the fairest and loveliest upon which the sun shines . Just when the white man first set

foot upon the soil here we cannot sa y positively . We are ih clined to the belief that a s early a s 1 65 9 or 1 660 the Holland ers had traveled over this entire valley and had constructed “ ” what h a s be en called the Old Mine road leading from Esopus or Kingston on the Hudson through the Rondout and Mama on kating valleys , through this valley of the Neversink and down the Delaware t o the copper mines O f Pahaquarr y in War

ren county , N . J this side Of the Delaware Water Gap . This i i s is not the time , ne ther it the place , to g ive reasons for what ’i some have di sput edfi But a ssuming that such a road had been

a s constructed and used has been claimed , it was for a Special purpose and its use ceased when the control of the country passed from the Dutch t o the English . N O permanent settle ments resulted from it except at its term inus at the mines .

The first settlement , we have reason to believe , was two hun “ his r of a o 1 0. . dred years g , in 69 Mr Gumaer , in Histo y Deer

a s as We i park , gives this the year and assigns , th nk , good s i a o reasons for the statement . It i certa n th a t a p tent f r

s e se rs Oc ob er 1 4 1 . acres was granted to the first ev n ttle t , 697 Petitions addressed to the Colonial Government asking t o be on protected in their title , of about the same date record at h e his . . t Albany , confirm view Mr Gumaer says first settlers

* I n the an ecor s un er a te Of r 2 5 th 165 9 i s an en r Alb y R d d d Ap il , , t y h n n relating t o copp er mine a t t e Mi isi k . 1 5 were here occupying their land for some years before Jacob

Codeb ec one , of their number , was sent to the Governor of the

New York Colony to procure a patent . This seems t o bear out his statement as to the year , and when his character for hi truthfulness , accuracy and candor , and s Opportunities for

b e Obtaining information , are considered , we are disposed to

1 0 of lieve that 69 was the time their location . These settlers : o Codeb ec T An were seven in number Jac b , homas Swartwout , th on S s y wartwout , Bernardus Swartwout , Jan Ty , Peter Gimar

. w and David Jamison The spot upon which they located a s

of a little over a mile south where we are now assembled , across the flats east from the house now occupied by Cornelius Caskey and around a hill which may be seen there .

i s Ti t soort About this same year it probable one William , blacksmith , located in this same valley a little further south ,

one Tit oort about mile from Port Jervis . s had been driven o ut of 1 8 Schenectady by the fearful massacre there in 6 9 , e r barely escaping with his life to Esopus wher he had f iends ,

t o and being known the friendly Indians , he was invited by them to take up his residence in the Minisink Country . They voluntarily granted to him a tract of land situate and being at Ma gh a gkem ek known by the name of S ch a ika cka mi ck in

i t o an elbow . This descr ption would seem locate it about S where the late imon Westfall lived , including probably the property now owned and occupied by Benj amin Van Fleet .

T t s oo rt 1 5 1 8 i obtained license to purchase October , 69 , and to did so purchase . After remaining here some years , he sold Jan Decker two parcels of land in 1 71 3 and moved to Dutchess County . The sitwe selected by the first seven settlers was called P een a ck a s p , which the name given to districtwextending from t o a s Cuddebackville Huguenot , and by which it known until a comparatively recent date .

About twenty years after the first settlers located here , others came t o the valley and settled a few miles further south and

o r nearer P rt Je vis , in what was called the Lower Neighbor v hood , extending from Huguenot to Port Jer is , and on both or of sides of the Neversink . These were all Hollanders Hol land descent , coming here directly from Ulster County . From these two settlements the Delaware Valley below Port Jervis

J . o f . became settled , as well as portions Sussex County , N , in

1 6 valley . The families t o which they belonged in France were in comfortable circumstances . They could have retained all their possessions had they but renounced their faith and embraced — Romanism . They chose , however , to forsake all home , country , kindred and worldly substance rather than renounce their re

li i on . or O f g They fled , one them at least , with their perse cu t ors in close pursuit barely escaping with their lives . The others were Hollanders , coming themselves or immediately descended from those who came from a country in which , unlike

France at that time , the rights of conscience and full religious liberty were enj oyed . They came from a noble country and were descended from a noble race— from men who by their

re industry , their indomitable courage and perseverance had claimed large portions O f their country from the dominion of

o f the sea , and whose love liberty was such that when besieged

t o by their enemies , as their last resort , rather than submit

flo - them they opened the od gates and caused the waters again ‘ flow : to over the land , exclaiming Better a lost land than lost ’ liberty ; a country that for eighty years maintained a struggle

r against the a mies of Spain , at that time the proudest and most powerful kingdom of Europe and who triumphed over them ;

of a country that fought , and that successfully , the battles civil and religious liberty for the w orld ; that was the first of modern nation s t o guaranty the rights O f conscience in matters Of religion ; where the New England Pilgrims when driven ou t by oppression from their own country found shelter and p ro t ecti on for eleven years before coming to Plymouth Rock ; a w f country in which two centuries before our o n Declaration o I ndependence , its very principles had been boldly proclaimed and where b y the compact o f Utrecht the seven provinces of the n 1 5 79 Netherlands were formed into a free gover ment in , with ‘ ’ E endra t ma rkt their motto g macht , (Union makes strength) , which i s but an other and even more expressive form of ou r own ‘ i ’ American motto , E Plur bus Unum , and where two years later

wa in 1 5 81 their De claration o f Independence s promulgated in these memorable words whi ch rulers and p oliti ca ns o f every ‘ land would do well ever t o bear in mind : Th e peopwle were not h w made for the prince but the prince for the people o al ays ’ have the right to depose him if he should oppress them ; a. country that had its free schools supported by the State a s

1 8 of o f recommended by John of Nassau , brother William Orange , a nd which the New England Pilgrims found in existence while in Holland , and which they brought with them to Plymouth Rock and here established a s one of the gl ories of ou r country ; a country that had its universities “whose doors were open to s tudents O f all creeds and nationalities at a time when all other seats of l earning were closed to those who denied their dogmas

or m . in religion did not co mune with their church Free thought , nu free Speech , inquiry , discussion and the open Bible were known except i n this little corner Of Europe which its indomit able people had rescued from the s ea and waged perpetual ” battlewwith the ocean t o keep . a s a s It wfrom races such these , Huguenots and Hollanders , o e o wn h b h o e men loved liberty , oth civil and r ligi us , and

f for it s e dured untold suf erings and sacrifices maintenanc , that the first settlers Of this valley descended . We do well to recall thi s day th eir history t o remind ourselves and others Of all that

ws e . a noble and xcellent in them We honor , and that j ustly , the New England Pilgri ms who for conscience sake crossed the ocean in the Wintry month of December and landed at e t ~ Plymouth Rock . They have never wanted for thos o cel e b r r e ate thei deeds and virtues in prose and v rse , in eloquence i t o and s ong . Without detracting one iota from all that s due them we claim for the Huguenot and Hollander equal honor a nd prais e for all that they have done and endured in the cause of b r o o of e human li e ty , but wh se m desty in speaking th mselves s o a s n h ow h a been such that the w rld h never yet lear ed much t it i s indebted t o them . Ye descendants of the Hugueno and n the Hollander , here and elsewhere , hold in high ho or and esteem the races from which you have sprung . Cherish the memory of your ancestors . Let their religious principles and their love O f liberty be deeply engraven on your minds and o hearts . Imitate the virtues which they practised and c unt them a possession more priceless and enduring than any worldly

substance inherited from them .

CHAPTER II

A GLIMPSE O F THE MINI S INK SETTLE

MENT IN THE YEAR 1 787 .

From L etters Written b S amu el P reston E s y , q

D a ted June 6 and 1 4 , 1 82 8 .

In 1 787 the writer went on his first surveying tour into Northampton Coun ty ; he was deputed under John hi m Lukens , Surveyor General , and received from by Way Of instruction the following narrative respecting the settlement of Minisink on the Delaware , above the Kitta nny and Blue Mountains “ That the settlement was formed for a long time before it was known to the Government Of Philadelphia . That when the government was informed of the settle ment they passed a law in 1 72 9 that any such purchase in Of the Indians should be void , and the purchasers dicted for forcible entry and detainer , according to the E 1 3 0 law Of ngland . That in 7 they appointed an agent to go and investigate the facts ; that the agent so ap pointed was the famous Surveyor Nicholas Scull ; that ’ he (James Lukens ) was N . Scull s a pprentice to carry chain and learn surveying ; that they both understood and could talk Indian . They hired Indian guides and inhab i had a fatiguing j ourney , there being no white t ants in the upper part of Bucks or Northampton

County . That they had great difficulty to lead their

hI inisink horses through the water gap to flats , which were all settled with Hollanders ; with several they could only be understood in Indian . 2 1 At the venerable Depuis ’ they found great hospital

of ity and plenty Of the necessaries life . J . Lukens said that the first thing which struck hi s attention was a grove of apple trees of size far beyond any near Phila i delph a . That S . Depuis told them when E the rivers were frozen he had a good road to sopus , on near Kingston , from the Mine holes , the Mine road, mi some hundred les . That he took his wheat and cider there for salt and necessaries , and did not appear to k — have any n—owledge Of where the river ran P hil adel phia market o r being in the Government Of P ennsyl vama . “ They were of the opinion that the first settlement of Hollanders in Minisink was many years Older than ’

. . i Wm Penn s charter , and that S Depu s had treated them so well they concluded t o make a survey of his to claim , in order befriend him if necessary . When they to began survey , the Indians gathered around ; an Old ’ di hi s on N . In an laid hand Scull s Shoulder and said , ‘ ’ re Put up iron string ; go home . They then quit and turned . “ I had it in charge from John Lukens to learn more

l t o E . particu ars respecting the Mine road sopus , etc I

E . found Nicholas Depuis , sq , son Of Samuel , living in a spacious stone house in great plenty and affluence . The Old Mine holes were a few miles above on the Jer e of of sey sid the river , by the lower point the Paa quarry Flat ; that the Minisink settlement extended forty mil es or more on both sides of the river . “ r I then went to view the P aa qua ry Mine holes . There appeared to have been a great abundance of labor done there at some former time , but the mouths Of the holes were caved full and overgrown with bushes . I concluded to myself if there ever had been a rich mine under that mountain it must be there yet in close con 2 2 finem ent . The other Old men I conversed with gave

m . a their traditions si ilar to N Depuis , and they all p pe ared to be grandsons Of the first settlers and very ignorant as to the dates and things relating to chronol f i on ogy . In the Summer O 1 789 I began to bu ld this place ; then came two venerable gentlemen on a survey ing expedition . They were the late Gen . James Clin r ton , the father of the late Dewitt Clinton , and Ch is

t o h er E . p Tappen , sq , Clerk and Recorder of Ulster

County . For many years before they had both been ’

. li surveyors under Gen C nton s father , when he was

Surveyor General . In order to learn some history of of ni gentlemen their general knowledge , I accompa ed n Of them into the woods . They both well k ew the Mine holes , Mine road , etc . , and as there were no kind of documents or records thereof, united in the opinion that it was a work transacted while the State Of New York belonged to the Government Of Holland ; that it fell to the English in 1 6 64 ; and that the change in gov ernm ent stopped the mining business and that the road must have been made many years before such diggings could have been done . That it must have been the first good road of that extent made in any part of the United ” States . MINISINK ONCE A LAKE That the mysterious Minisink Country was once a vast inland lake , covering upward of a hundred square miles , is evident from the fact that we find sedimentary deposits in the form of sand and gravel several hundred feet higher than the present bed of the Delaware and far remote from any stream . The outlet Of this vast lake from the Water Gap southward was the Delaware River , forming a cataract hundreds of feet higher than the falls of Niagara ; and while this great body Of water was held in check the 2 3 work of formation was going on underneath the sur

h a t face , depositing sediment whic we the present time treasure in the rich bottom land of the Delaware Valley . The ice gorge for which the Delaware has always been — celebrated acted as a battering ram all the way down through the centuries until the gigantic mountain wall tottered and fell before it . The waters thus set free continued t o be lowered by the hand of time until the beautiful Delaware , fed by its numerous tributaries , found an undisputed course to the sea .

Time sets his impress on the hardest rock And bids it crumble from the mountain side ;

- o He wears the rock walled chasm block fr m block ,

Until it levels with the ocean tide .

Another Minisink mystery was the settlement , iso lated as it were from the outside world Of civilization and surroun ded by the barbarous red men Of the forest .

In fact , there was such a commingling that in many cases the descendants of the Hollanders spoke the In dian language exclusively , while their own tongue was sadly neglected . And years after the founding Of a permanent settle u ment , when the children Of these st rdy pioneers real i z ed that there was an outside world , they were obliged to travel so far for the purpose of market or trade that li fe must have been almost a burden . terns on top and at the sides of the entrance . As soon as it was dark she lighted the candles and covered every face with a cloth . It was not very long before the children heard the dog bark and knew the Indians were around the house . Our heroine then cautiously uncovered the pumpkins and began beating the door furiously with a club for several minutes .

She heard an outcry , and listening a moment , she “ of heard one them say in broken Dutch , Paleface ghost ’ ” watch white man s Wigwam ! Me no go in . The savages were soon heard re treating through the Of forest , uttering bitter threats mingled with cries alarm .

The next day the parents returned , and when they ’ were told about the children s trick on the redm en they embr acwed them with grateful hearts to a kind Provi h o dence , had given their little ones courage and wis dom of in the hour peril , and the father reverently re ’ “ eat ed p from God s word , How should one chase a w ? t o thousand , and put ten thousand to flight CHAPTER IV

HOW A MOTHER SAVED HER CHILD REN .

AN INCIDENT OF PIONEER LIFE I N ORANGE COUNTY .

It was customary for the ea rly settlers to procure a in large portion of their meat from the forest , and the autumn large hunting parties were organized to procure bear meat and venison to pickle in salt and smoke for winter use .

One day , j ust before dark , one of the sturdy house wives stood looking for the return of her husband , when she discovered some Indians dodging behind the log barn and apparently preparing for a raid on the house . She knew they would soon enter and that the a ppe Of tite an Indian often frustrates his plans , so she placed some cold victuals on the table and told the children to

u - i hurry p stairs , as the men were com ng with a big black bear and she feared it would frighten them . The heroic mother soon followed and shortly after ward heard the Indians coming in the door which con sisted of a bearskin hung over an opening in the front . She then hastily threw all the feather - beds out of the back window in a pile , and bidding the little ones be

one quiet for fear of the bear , she dropped them after another on the beds and then j umped out herself . By keeping on the side Of the dwelling which had no win m dows the mother anaged to reach the forest , and in a grove where she watched as a guard over her sleeping

Of i little ones , she witnessed the burning their bu ldings , the light Of which gave warning to the other settlers and gave them time to flee . 2 7 In the morning she awoke her children , and after much fatigue and suffering they found their way t o a di stant village .

The father returned from the hunt , and finding his buildings in ashes was smitten with grief , not only for of hi s the loss buildings , but he supposed his fami ly to had been burned death while asleep . He was , whowever , greatly relieved the next day by a messenger h o came and told him his family were safe in a distant town .

TH W OM M E Y ING ASSACRE .

1 1 8 of About July , 77 , great numbers Indians and Tories began t o appear on the banks of the S u sque

n of Col . hanna River , u der command John Buttler , from Fort Niagara . It has been claimed by some his i tor ans . that Col Brant was with the expedition , but the best authorities assert that he was not at Wyoming at all during the raid on that settlement . The raiders carried the first fortification they came

0 . w C 1 ! h o to , and ebulon Buttler , had charge Of the t o F forts , withdrew with his forces ort Kingston , a

di of to much stronger position , and sposed his men the best advantage to defend the fort . not Col . John saw he could take the fort without so of ! great slaughter , being a cousin ebulon , he took the advantage of relationshi p by arranging for a parley .

! of . Col . ebulon believed the flattering words Col c John and consented , notwithstanding the pla e named for the conference was quite a long distance from the

out fort , and marched an armed force of four hundred ! men to the place Of appointment . When Col . ebulon

i f arr ved at the appointed place , not an O ficer or soldier n ’ wth m a i was in sight . He finally discovered a a flag in

2 8 the adj oining forest , motioning for him to proceed ; which he did without mistrusting any stratagem .

He proceeded some distance in the forest , when sud denly a terrible warwhoop sounded and he discovered

b e that he was entirely surrounded by the enemy , who gan firing from all directions . ! i m Col . ebulon displayed great m litary skill and im e di at ely drew up his men into a hollow square to protect h t e center . B y this skilful maneuver he gained a great advantage and was at the point Of carrying destruction

Of ff into the very heart the invaders , when some O icer who had taken too much rum before the engagement

. ! . shouted , Col ebulon has ordered a retreat Fall ” back . n With this countermandi g of orders , the militia broke

a and the Sav ges , taking advantage of the confusion , rushed forward and began a terrible slaughter with tomahawks and knives ; so that out of the four hundred that went out only sixty reached the redout on the oppo site side Of the river . The victors then went back and surrounded Fort f . TO O Kingston terrorize the occupants the fort , they threw about two hundred bleeding scalps over the wall .

Col . Dennison , who commanded the fort , sent a flag of truce to Col . John Buttler to ask what terms Should b e granted if he surrendered the fort . The answer he ” returned was , The Hatchet . The soldiers defended the fort until they were nearly Of all killed , when they surrendered . Many the women i and ch ldren were made prisoners , but some escaped and made their way across the wilderness to the Delaware

Valley .

The father of the late Dr . Merritt H . Cash , of 2 . w Y . as . Orange County, N , in the massacre The doc

’ tor was a small boy and his mother led hi m through th e 2 9 to n wer dense forest the Minisink settlement ( o Port J vis ) They spent several gloomy nights sleeping in the wilderness under some overhanging rock or at the foot

Of some high tree , the mother gathering berries through the day for their subsistence and keeping guard at night over her child while he Slept . The forest in those days was full of wolves and other fierce wild beasts , and this

a d heroic mother related , in after years , many thrilling

Of - - b - ventures that never to e forgotten j ourney . 1 9 W o e In 77 , the next year after the y ming massacr , t i Gen . Washing on fitted out two arm es to invade the * Mohawk Country . One was led by Gen . James Clin y ton , who ascended the Mohawk River to the vicinit of Fort Plain or Canaj Ohrari e and then trans ferred hi s boats and baggage overland to Otsego Lake . The army lay C encamped for some time at ooperstown , awaiting orders .

’

EN L D . G . SU LIVAN S RAI

The other army was in command of Gen . Sullivan . This celebrated General left Easton about the middle of 2 2 d July and arrived at Wyoming July , the same day the di sastrous battle of Minisink was fought In Ulster

C N . Y . one (now Sullivan ) ounty , He had hundred and twenty boats , two thousand horses and two thousand

five hundred men . With this vast army he proceeded up the Susquehanna River, while Gen . Clinton came down

‘ l i a found e one o . . S u l v n t meet him Gen the en my , about or thousand strong , collected at near Newton on the

Tioga River . They were strongly entrenched behind a 2 9th of breastwork . On the August he attacked them and drove them from their defenses across the river , from whence they scattered and fled .

* “ n n ro e hi rom Coo ers o n us m se fis n Gen. o s e , Cli t w t wif f p t w , I b y y lf hi g

h eau u se o e a a n for ur er or ers . a e suc i n t e b tif l Ot g , whil w iti g f th d I h v v w ceeded i n catching some of th e m ost b eautiful p erch I e er sa . 3 0 Sullivan then marched through the Indian country and destroyed thirteen villages and vast fields of corn . He also chopped down all the Indian orchards of thrifty fruit trees as far as the Genesee Valley . After

- teaching the savages a never ending lesson , his vic t oriou s army returned by way of Tioga Point and

W i E . yom ng , thence to aston The Indian Confederacy never recovered after this raid . It existed in name only , with here and there a “ ” h Shattered branch , as if the great trunk w ich had stood the storms of Centuries was riven by a mighty the thunderbolt , and ground for miles in all directions was strewn with the splinters of the wreckage .

* ORANGE COUNTY .

An 1 698 order was issued by Gov . Bellmont in that the Sheriffs and Justices of the Peace should pro ceed to take a census Of the several counties Of the State Of New York . Orange County was found to contain t - - wenty nine men , thirty one women , one hundred and forty children and nineteen negro slaves . An ordinance for holding Courts Of Common Pleas

5 1 03 . was signed by Q ueen Anne , April , 7 The first n wn Ora eto courts were held at g , in what is now Rock

u . land Co nty Goshen became a small , thriving settle 1 2 5 1 2 ment about 7 , and in 7 7 it became the county seat and the first session Of the Orange County Court was held there . The Wawayanda Patent was granted to Christopher

1 1 2 . Denn in 7 He lived in New Jersey , j ust across from Staten Island . Denn could not move upon the

O range County h as p roduced som e very p rom inent m en. Dewitt Cli n n rnor H orm r r f e Wm . e ar a e ecre a o a t o a ormer o e . , f G v ; S w d, f S t y St t , a nd H nr W sner one of th e s ners O f th e D ec ara on O f I nde end e . y G i , ig l ti p ence ere orm er rom coun . , w f ly f this ty 3 1 land himself nor get anyone else who would agree to settle , and he was about to lose his patent . Finally his adopted daughter , Sarah Wells , a girl sixteen years

Old ff . , O ered to settle on it

She spent some time in making arrangements , and after learning from her stepfather about where the land lay and what was the best way to reach it , she set out in a boat on the Hudson River with some servants and landed near New Windsor , where she employed some friendly Indians and proceeded on foot to the Otter

Kill . When they prepared to encamp for the night the I n

a di ns gathered some pine boughs , and having bended some saplings down to the ground , fixed a bed for Miss Wells by spreading theiwr furs on these saplings after fastening them together ith thongs and crossing them with the downy pine boughs . They then lay down at her feet and kept guard while she slept . It must have taken extraordinary courage for a girl of sixteen t o undertake such hardships and endure so much fatigue to acquire a tract of land . After several days she suc ceeded in selecting a site on the patent which was suit able to build upon and sh e at once set her force to work building a log house . The logs were simply notched and piled up some thing i n the manner of building a rail fence . They were then plastered with clay to close the openings , and

on . the whole covered with bark , laid pole rafters A stone fireplace was built in the rear of the building by piling up stone something after the pattern of a black ’ smith s forge , and extending it above the roof . Two holes were cut into the logs , over which a cloth or greased skin was Spread for windows , and an opening left in the front from the ground to the roof , over which a bearskin or wolfskin was hung for a door . In this 3 2

After the Indians were satisfied that the whites had been foiled and that the danger of attack was over , they took Mrs . Coleman from her horse for the first time , and encamped for the night . On Tuesday morning they resumed their j ourney without any of the party tasting food , because up to this time the Indians were afraid to fire a gun on account of their pursuers . Short ly after they resumed their j ourney they considered th e

Of danger of attack over , and one the Indians shot a deer and the starving captives were given some roasted venison . Their progress through the forest was very slow and on Wednesday night they arrived at their camp somewhere west of the Delaware River . In this camp there were several other Indians and they built a great fire to celebrate their triumph . They then stripped all the chi ldren naked and whipped them around the fire and also inflicted other cruelties .

. nu Mrs Coleman , being worn out with fatigue and able to endure the sigh t of her children suffering while

Off she was powerless to help them , crept unobserved into the forest to die ; but after wandering about for some time , discovered a light at a distance and decided to make her way to it .

After a fatiguing j ourney , groping her way over

S h e li rocks and fallen trees , drew near the ght and found that it shone from an Indian Wigwam . She could see through the opening that it was occupied by an aged

t o squaw , and not knowing what else do , threw herself on Indi an hospitality . She was very agreeably sur prised when the squaw addressed he r in broken Eng lish and made her welcome . Mrs . Coleman learned that the Indian woman had lived for a time among the white people and was partially civilized . She then related her sad experience to her hostess , who tried every way to make her comfortable . This squaw was known by the 3 4 Indi ans as wPeter Nell and lived all alone in her wig wm n the . a i ilderness ’ Peter Nell understood Mrs . Coleman s weak condi tion and made her some venison soup after the manner of white people , and after supper arranged a bed of leaves Spread with skins for her to sleep on . The squaw assured her that the Indians should not W harm her , and she spent several days in the igwam .

When she was strong enough , Peter Nell made prepa ration and accompanied her back to her friends in

Orange County . The fate of the other woman and the children remains a mystery .

MIDDLETOWN SETTLED .

One of the first settlers in Middletown was Capt . Dan 1 4 9 . iel Stringham , who married Abigail Horton 7 They had a family Of ten children and all of them were born in that , then small hamlet . One of their sons , Silas 1 9 Horton Stringham , born 7 7 , became a noted naval ff “ ” O icer , serving on the frigates President and Guer ” rier and rising to the rank of Admiral . He is said to

: 1 8 1 2 have taken an active part in three wars the war of , 1 8 the Mexican war and the Rebellion . He died in 76 . Some of the refugees who fled across Long Island at ’ 1 6 the time of Gen . Putnam s defeat in 77 , settled in

Orange and Ulster Counties , some in the vicinity of

B loomin b u r h Middletown and some near g g , which was then in Ulster County . T T SULLIVAN COUN Y FORMED FROM ULS ER .

1 809 Up to the year , Sullivan County was a part of

Ulster , and Deerpark was a part of Mamakating ; thus Brant ’ s raid on Minisink was in Ulster County and the battle of Minisink was fought in that County while it extended from the Hudson to the Delaware . 3 5 SOME KINGSTON RECORDS

’ ’ Rec d in Kingston 1 5 th D ec r 1 79 4 of Henry Put nam one of the Collectors of Mam a coting by the hands Of l Albert Roosa , Ten pounds , seven shil ings and five on E . . E pense , county tax of the current year Wm . l ”

CO . . mendorf , Treas

TT T INDIAN SE LEMEN S .

In the year 1 776 there were known to be three Indian settlements in Ulster County— one about a mile south of B loom in b u r h - a g g , ruled over by a chief called Tot

O f paugh ; another about a mile north Wurtsboro , known “ ” as the Little Y augh House ; and a third near West

m . brookville , about four iles south of Wurtsboro A road was constructed by Ananias Sacket from

BI am a ka tin - g westward , passing about three quarters of a mile south of Lord ’ s Pond and continuing to Nathan ’

n . Kin e s Flatts From that place Capt . Dorrance made a road to Cochecton for five pounds per mile , a distance

- of about thirty three miles .

AN ORANGE COUNTY SETTLER

Henry Reynolds became a clerk in a store in Peeks kill and afterward owned a store of his own . He was

e there in the trying days of the Revolution . In the y ar 1 777 , when Peekskill was invaded by the British , his

the store , among other buildings of settlement , was burned , and he was forced to flee with his wife and five ’ children . He next settled at Smith s Cove , Orange

County , and engaged in farming . He early j oined the “ ” Minute Men and was with Gen . Wayne in the attack on Stony Point .

3 6 He suffered many outrages from *Claudius Smith and

a a re his f mous Tory band , who were afterward pp hended , and several of them , including their leader , were 2 2 d 1 9 hanged in Goshen on the day of January , 77 , for robbery , sedition and murder .

CAPTURE OF STONY POINT .

t G . a Washington sent en Wayne , who made a night

on 1 6 1 9 . di tack the fort July , 77 Wayne vided his forces in two di visions to make the attack from opposite dirce tions . He was discovered , however , by the guard , who “ called out tauntingly , Come on , you rebels , we are wait ” “ ’ ” ! e 1 ing for you Wayne answered , We ll be ther Both divisions charged doub lequick and gained an entrance

r r before the garrison could be p ope tly posted .

Wayne was wounded , but called to his men to bear him into the fort . There was sharp fighting, but the British soon surrendered and six hundred prisoners and f valuable army stores fell into the hands O the colonists .

SETTLEMENT OF WYOMING AND COCHECTON .

‘ James I . granted a vast strip of land in Am erica to 1 6 2 0 the Plymouth Company in the year , which was nn afterward confirmed by Charles I I . to the Co ecticut n 6 1 6 3 . i colo y in According to the description , th s strip was sixty miles wide and extended from the Atlantic to of the Pacific Ocean , with the exception a part of New York whi ch intervened between Conn ecticut and the

Delaware River . In 1 75 3 about 2 00 people of Connecticut formed a

Of Company , and sent an agent to attend the council the

It i s sa id that Smi th kicked off his shoes while st anding on th e gal caus e h e sa h e wi s e t m a a a r of h i m o s e o e s o er sh e a v i n l w , b id h d k li th , h g s hi s ad end p rophe ied s . 1 1 1 5 4 Six Nations at Albany , July , , 7 , to purchase the

Wyoming lands of the Indians .

This association of people , called the Susquehanna

Company , proceeded to the Wyoming region and formed a settlement . They hid their tools and farming implements in the Fall and returned to Connecticut to spend the Winter .

The next Spring they drove cattle , hogs and sheep through the wilderness and resumed their farming . About the same time an association calling themselves the Delaware Company , from Connecticut , purchased a vast tract of land in the Delaware Valley of the same

1 5 5 e Indian tribes , and in 7 proc eded to found a settle ment on both sides Of the river at Cochecton . In 1 76 8 the Six Nations at a council held at Fort Stanwix conveyed the same lands to the Pennsylvania proprietors that they had sold to the Susquehanna and Delaware Companies ; thus much trouble arose not only between the two colonies O f Connecticut and P enn syl

i . van a , but between the settlers and the Indians The I riqu oi s claimed a supremacy over the Delaware

Old tribes and to settle an grudge , burned their chief ,

eed u scun n T y g , in his cabi and then made the Delawares believe that the Yankees did it . This treachery greatly Irritated the different tribes in 1 63 the vicinity , and in 7 they unearthed the hatchet and drove the people from the Wyoming settlement . Some Of these refugees fled to Cochecton and warned the in i habitants that the Indians were com ng , and all the

- women and children were collected in the block houses .

The attack on the fort was delayed for some time , but the Savages finally came and surprised and killed two men , Moses Thomas , Sr . , and Hilkiah Willis , who were

- outside the block house . Then they attacked the fort , but found it so well defended that th ev relinquished the 3 8 siege , after which they pursued and killed some cattle ,

- - burned the grist mill , saw mill and some other buildings .

After the destructive band had left , the settlers were very much discouraged and would have abandoned the settlement if a tribe of friendly Indians had not v olun teered their assistance in case of another invasion .

These Indians , who were known as the Cushetunk , 1 made their pledge good in 777 during the Revolution , when word reached the settlement that a band Of I n W dians and Tories ere advancing up the river . An English woman by the name of Land took her infant in her arms and with the aid of her Oldest son

O ff drove her cattle into the woods , where she remained

r all night , leaving her other four child en alone in the house . The Indians broke into the house very early in the morning and awoke the two girls by tickling their feet with a spear . A certain chief of the Tuscaroras by the

O f name Capt . John had Often visited the settlement , and one of the girls by the name of Rebecca , supposing it to be he , held out her hand and said in a very cheerful “ ? ” voice , How do you do , Capt . John The chief then asked her if she knew Capt . John . “ She answered , I know him , but I see I am mis taken . The innocence and frankness of the child touched the heart of the Savage and he informed her that they were Mohawks who had come to drive the

on people from the vallev , and told her to put her clothes and go and warn the people to flee before they were all l ki led . The girl did a s she was told and many rushed to the river and fled in boats down to Minisink . TH T H L E FA E OF A FOOLIS GIR .

One mother succeeded in getting all her children into the boat but one foolish girl , who did not realize the danger and sauntered behi nd . After the boat was started down stream some distance , this mother dis

on covered her child standing the bank of the river , wringing herwhands and crying piteously . The woman was frantic ith grief and tried to induce the men to stop the boat and take in the child ; but they argued that the boat was already overloaded and besides some of the Al l Savages were coming in their canoes in hot pursuit .

di Of r the plea ngs the mothe did not get the boat stopped , so the settlers soon disappeared , leaving the weeping child standing on the shore .

O f That was the last the mother ever saw the child , and although she succeeded in making her escape , and lived for many years she never could erase from her memory - the sad image of her deserted girl crying On the river bank . When Rebecca came back home after warning the people and witnessing several scenes of murder and pil lage , she found the Indians had bound her little brother ,

hi m . Abel , and taken captive with them

The Savages , finding that an armed force was collect ’ b lOck- C ing at the house , fled up alkin s Creek , where

Of they encountered a body the Cushetunk Indians , who were not onl y friends of the whites but of the cause Of liberty , and they tried to get the Mohawks to release

b o . the y, but without avail

’ The friendly Indians arrived at L and s house about

. n w the time Mrs Land and her other so came home ith th e cattle and reported the route the raiders had taken . u i kl A p rsu ng party was quic y formed , consisting of sev eral settlers from the fort and all the Cushetunk Indians

40

CHAPTER V

S TORY OF CAPT . CUDDEBAC K . HE TELLS OF THE SERVICES OF THE VIGILANCE COMMIT — TEE E! PERIENCE ON A TRIP TO COCHECTON . Word came to Minisink from Cochecton that some of the Brooks family of that place had been murdered by the Indians and that a certain Tory was accused Of

com having something to do with it . The vigilance mittee accordingly set out late the same day for that dis f tant settlement . There were three O us in the party and as it was in the spring Of the year the streams were very high and we had much trouble in crossing many of them . Night overtook us on the Old Cochecton Trail wf' e e before we half way , and as we were passing an old

Indian camping ground , I decided that we should spend the night there . While passing a pond on our way , we had shot some ducks , and we made ready to roast them for our supper . We saw a black cloud in the west about the time we had finished our supper , and as there was some bark which the Indians had used for a Wigwam piled near , we thought it was best to build some kind of shelter , so as to keep dry . We put up some poles and spread the bark on them as best we could , making it high enough to sleep under i but not h gh enough to stand in . After we had settled down for the night the rain fell in torrents and it became very dark . We could hear i the wolves howl ng all around us . They , no doubt , had been attracted by the entrails and roasted bones Of the

o ducks which we had thoughtlessly thrown utside , and 4 3 one . Of our party , a Slave , became very much frightened

We all fell asleep , along toward morning, when a huge panther gave a hideous yell within a few feet O f our tent , and the slave j umped up with such force that he knocked the tent down on top Of us .

There we were in the drenching rain , with our guns h wet so they were no use to us , and the only t ing left — for us t o do was for each one to pick up a pine knot

ou r torch and other things and travel on . We traveled the remainder of the night and part Of the next day ' ’ w and reached Cochecton about noon . I ent to the Brook ’ s home and asked the family what had caused the Indians to attack them . I asked them if they had been practicing the Golden Rule with the Indians , and they answered they thought they had . By questioning them I found that one of their oxen ’ had destroyed the Indian s corn on the flats . I asked them if they had any corn . They answered that they “ i had . I said . Did you agree to give the Ind ans some corn in place Of what had been destroyed ? ’ This they f ‘ . o refused to answer One the boys said , A Tory told the Indians that the beast was good for the damage and a band O f them came and drove the ox away with

one of them . My father followed and the Indian boys

fired an arrow which wounded father , and he died sev ” eral days after . “ I finally apprehended the Tory and was proceeding with him to Minisink , when the Brooks boys interfered , and it was with great difficulty that we succeeded in sav ing his life , they were so determined and so revengeful . The Tory afterward made me a present of a very handsome powder - horn and bullet - pouch for interferin g ” and protecting him .

44 PRISONERS TAKEN FROM PAUPACK BY THE MOHAWKS .

Of Just after the battle Wyoming , four men , Reuben

Jones , Jasper and Stephen Parish , and Stephen Kim E ble , were surrounded at Paupack ddy and taken pris oners into the Mohawk Country and suffered many hardships .

no t Stephen Kimble , being very strong, gave out under the burden of plunder the Indians compelled him to carry , and died on the j ourney . Jasper Parish mar ried an Indian wife and remained with the I riqu ois . Stephen Parish became an Indian doctor and returned after peace was declared . He practiced in his own com munity as such , but finally went back among the Sav ages and died there . Reuben Jones was a very large and powerful man and was treated with much respect by the Indians . He stayed only a few months , for he began early to plan a mode of escape . In relating his experience after he “ reached home he said , I found the young braves were

- very fond of running foot races , and I began practicing with them . Although I found I could outrun most of them , I generally allowed them to beat me . All the time I was saving up a portion of my allowance of dried venison for my anticipated long j ourney . Finally one day I having filled m y pockets and clothing with veni

a . son , I challenged young Indian to a decisive race “ We started and I allowed the youth to keep up until we got out Of sight . I then left him far behind and never saw that Indi an again . I struck out for the headwaters of the Delaware and followed down to Big

Eddy (Narrowsburg ) thence across to Paupack . I had i many narrow escapes from wild an mals , and although I ate nothing but the venison I did not suffer much from ” hunger .

4 5 Jones claimed that an Indian by the name of Canope , who pretended to be friendly to the whites , led him and his companions into the trap and the Mohawks sprung it . Canope was secretly murdered after the war was over , and , although the crime was laid to a man by the name of Haines , it was thought that Jones had some ’ thing to do with it . Jones Eddy on the Delaware is said to be named after this adventurous pioneer .

T Y . TT LIBER Y, N . , SE LED .

1 82 8 Isaac Horton built a mill at Liberty Falls , , and began making flour . The wolves were so plentiful and bold that many of the settlers became discouraged .

Mr . Horton salted his flock of sheep and left them se cure , as he supposed , for the night . In the morning great was hi s surprise to find his entire flock gone . The wolves had attacked them at night and he found some

Of them along the fences and in the adj oining woods , * partly devoured . The descendants of the Horton fam ily are very numerous and very many of them are promi nent citizens Of several States of our country . The 1 8 6 family held a reunion at the Centennial of 7 , where the descendants gathered from nearly all parts of the

Union .

One of their number , a minister , preached a sermon at that reunion from a Bible which was brought over in “ ” the Mayflower .

S om e o f th ei r a ncestors h a d settled on Long I sla nd p ri or t o th e Rev o n wa o e t o re rea a cross th e s a n nd n G n u am s l ution a whe e . P t blig d t t i l d , v n no ro ec on for th e a r ots a a ns th e n s m a n of t ose lea i g p t ti p t i g i t E gli h , y h o fled rom t e r om es o o n i n th e a e of th e a rm un t e e e p pl f h i h , f ll wi g w k y, til h y could find su itable la nd for settlem ent i n S ulli v an (then a p a rt of Ulster ) wr u th e t en er m a n m a e t e r a o and O range Counti es . V y y d h i y th gh h u rn n om es t a ngle d wilderness by th e light of thei r b i g h . 46 H T A BEAR UN .

In the year 1 8 1 9 a man known as Uncle Billy lived

h Thom in Forestburgh , w ich was formerly included in p son . He was returning home one evening and discov ered a large bear track in the snow . A hun t was planned and the next morning he and two other young men started in pursuit . The trail was soon found and easily followed westward toward the Mongaup . “ Uncle Billy ” carried his rifle and one of the others had an ax . As they drew near the Mongaup River , they found the snow very much trodden and the pion eer hunters soon discovered a large dark and deep hole under a ledge Of rocks . “ Uncle Billy procured a pole and having split the end began prodding and twisting it in the opening . He then withdrew it and found hair on it , but could not ir rita te Bruin enough to bring him ou t . He then sharp ened the pole , and using it for a spear , soon brought ff about the desired e ect , for Bruin grabbed the end of i the pole in his mouth and started for the open ng , fore “ ” ing Uncle Billy before him . The Old pioneer then ’ seized his rifle and when the bear s head appeared , he

fired , causing the fierce animal to drop to the bottom d with a growl and thud . His two companions now a

' o vised him to return h me , declaring that if either of them should attempt to enter the den it would be cer

b e tain death , as Bruin was j ust wounded enough to

Old come ugly . But the hunter , after some reflection , decided to have his com panions lower him into the den i by the feet , at the same time giv ng them instruction to pull him up quickly sho uld he sound an alarm .

The plan was successful , for he found the bear was com an dead . He then laid hold on his game and his p ions drew both Uncle Billy and the bear to the top . 47 They were arranging to depart when they were a t tracted by a noise in the den , and in a few minutes the head of a smaller bear appeared at the openi ng . “ Uncle Billy ” was ready with his gun and a well directed bullet caused the mate also to fall back into t . ou . the hole She , too , was soon dragged They then tied the feet Of the bears and the large one was c arried

one on a pole between two , and the small by the other member of the party . In this way they reached the road where they met a man with a sled . They induced him e to take them and their game home , wh re they and their families enj oyed a bear steak for supper .

T OF TH TT T WH T L AN INCIDEN E SE LEMEN OF I E AKE ,

o LL S U IVAN COUNTY .

A family by the name of Glass settled at what is now

i White Lake , early in the n neteenth century . In the

1 806 Old year , their little son James , then ten years , was Sent to carry a basket of dinner to some wood choppers about a mile distant in the forest . In going , he found his way all right , but in returning home he missed the

e path and beca me lost . He wand red about all the after noon and sank down at night on a bed of leaves entirely e exhausted . He trav lled for ten days , sleeping on a leafy bed each night , and proceeding the next morning in search O f his home . One night he was awakened by the bleat of a deer ; but in a moment heard the loud shriek of a catamount and saw the fierce ani mal pursu t o ing a little fawn , which , no doubt , fell a prey the sav age beast and satisfied his hunger , thus saving the life of the poor lost boy . Although the child was weak with ment and Platt Pelton , from Putnam County , located

‘ there and started a tannery , grinding his bark by horse power . Maj or Abraham Brownson and several others came from Connecticut about the same time and in creased the settlers . As soon as the Newburg and e 1 81 0 d Coch cton turnpike was completed , in , many a d n itio s were made to the pioneer settlement . The town O f Thompson was settled at Thompsonville

. . 1 9 5 by Judge Wm A Thompson in 7 , and named in his 1 8 . 09 honor He was Judge of Ulster County , and in ,

Off when Sullivan was set , he was appointed the first

Judge of Sullivan County .

CHILDREN LOST IN THE FOREST .

. P a . Mrs Mumford , of Wayne county , , once sent her ’ two little girls , aged six and four years , to a neighbor s , and in returning they lost their way a nd wandered Off in the woods . The parents became very much fright ened when it began to grow dark the few settlers collected and spent the entire night searching for them , i but without success . The next day and the next n ght

on the search was resumed , and finally , the third day , “ ” Mr . Mumford heard Trip , the little dog that was with the girls , bark , and called him . The dog came to his m Of aster , but the girls , fearing the voice was that an

Indian , hid in a clump of bushes . ! The anxious father then began calling , Debora Sarah !” and soon the little ones recognized the voice as

O f . that their father , and came from their hiding place They were nearly naked and so weak they could scarcely walk . ’ e They were taken home , where the moth r s tears of grief were changed to a ccl am a tions ' of j oy and thanks giving to the Heavenly Parent who watched Over and 5 0 saved her dear little ones , notwithstanding the fact they

were sleeping in the wilderness , surrounded by ravenous

wild beasts . The children told how they had made a bed of leaves beside a large log each night and after they lay down “ to sleep , how little Trip had lain down at their feet

to keep watch . One night they were awakened by hear “ w o ing little Trip growl . They looked up and saw t

large wolves looking over the log at them . Their little “ ” guard barked so savagely that the big dogs , as the

children called them , ran away . They told how they had found berries to eat when they were so tired and

weak with hunger that they could travel no further .

HOW PROVIDENCE MADE PROVISION FOR THE PIONEERS

FROM CONNECTICUT .

Although these early settlers were far from any mar i ket , they were well suppl ed with meat from the forest ,

a b u nd fish from the river and lakes , and sugar from the ant maple groves .

f - . O Mr Drinker , a Q uaker , sent a box maple sugar to Robert Morris of Philadelphia with a request that it be forwarded to the President Of the United States . His tory does not state how it was sent ; but no doubt it went to Philadelphia on a raft of spar timber . The box was forwarded as requested and the President courteously acknowledged the gift as follows

1 8 1 90. New York June , 7 — S ir z Mr . Morris has presented me , in your name ,

Of - with a box maple sugar , which I am much pleased to

find Of S O good a quality . I request y ou to accept my thanks for this mark of attention ; and being persuaded that considerable benefit may be derived to our country from a due prosecution of this promising Obj ect of in 5 1 dustr y, I wish every success to its cultivation , which the

e persons concerned in it can th mselves desire . I am ,

Sir , your most obedient servant , “ George Washington .

“ to S O The Q uaker remarked a friend , thou seeth how I am advanced to a correspondence with the King of ” America .

SHEHAWKEN FOUNDED .

Shehawken (Hancock ) , the salt emporium , was founded at an early date and other settlements grew out Of C the perseverance of the sturdy onnecticut pioneers . An association of settlers returned to Connecticut one autumn to spend the Winter and left one family by the name of Stanton in their log cabin , twelve miles from any neighbor . The family were reduced almost to star vation in the Winter , when a hunter by the name of

Church came along and found them . At first he did

f re not know what to do to —relieve the su ferers , but he membered seeing an elk track on the road , and as the snow was very deep he soon overtook and shot it and

th e . gave it to destitute family , and thus saved their lives — DESCRIPTION OF JOSEPH BRANT A MOHAWK CHIEF .

' His personal appearance and bearing were well calcu lated to inspire the respect and Obedience of his savage C followers . aptain Jeremiah Snyder , who , with his son , E lias , was made prisoner near Saugerties , and taken to N a iagara , thus described this f mous chief “ He was good looking . of fierce aspect , tall and rather

- spare , well spoken and apparently about thirty years of age . He wore moccasins elegantly trimmed with beads ,

- n leggings and a breech cloth of superfi e blue , a short green coat , with two Silver epaulets , and a small round B laced hat . y his side was an elegantly silver mounted cutlass ; and his blanket of blue cloth (purposely 5 2

dropped into the chair on which he sat to display hi s epaulets ) was gorgeously adorned with a border of red .

His language was very insulting .

Brant has been denounced as an inhuman wretch . Even an English author attributes to him the atrocities of Wyoming . But great inj ustice has been done him . The charge of cruelty he always repelled with much indignation and a great number of instances can be a d duced to show that although in battle he generally gave full scope to the murderous propensities of his follow ers , he endeavored to mitigate the horrors of war when ever he could do S O without destroying his influence with 1 . 9 his own race When he invaded Minisink in 77 , he

a nd marked the aprons of little girls with his totem , thus kept them from harm . By stratagem he saved Col .

Old o . E Harper , an sch olmate , from the gauntlet ven in battle he was ruled by the principles of Masonry . In 1 780 he returned from a raid on H a rpersfield by the way of the Delaware , when he rebuked the Oneidas , who m remained friendly to the A ericans , for cruelty to non combatants . He then wrote them the following letter in the Iroquois language :

0 B e it known to yo u Bostonians that all the inhabitants here of Of whom I had taken captives , I carry but few them with me , and much greater part , who are feeble and incapable of war ,

I have set them at Liberty . It is a gr eat shame to abuse the feeble ones . I have always said so ever since we commenced to kill you . Many prisoners I have released , therefore you have ou greatly roused my wrath , in that y continue to abuse those

w . e . ou h o are like p risoners Let it be no long r So far y are

a s ou s o men well as we , and if y still persist to do , I know not what may happen hereafter .

( Signed) Joseph Brant .

1 5 1 80. On the Delaware , April , 7

2 1 1 88 Previous to August , 7 , Colonel Brant wrote a 5 3 O u a a letter from q g to Colonel Jacob Klock , commander ’e militi a of a regiment of Tryon County , from which we make this extract : “ I am sorry , notwithstanding all the gentle usage we have from time to time given the prisoners we have taken from you and even letting many of them go home after we made (them ) prisoners , that you who bowast of being a civilized people have treated our people ho were so unfortunate as to fall in your hands in a most inhuman manner , beating them after you had bound them ; but if you persist in waging war after that manner , we will ere long convince you that our lenity proceeded from ”

m . hu anity , not fear

Providence made Brant an adroit strategist , and his native talent was strengthened and sharpened by the society and the learning Of E uropeans . He fell like a

- thunder bolt upon his enemies and destroyed them . His blows were equally unexpected and disastrous . We do not propose to give a full account of his acts f here . It is suf icient for our purpose to record no more than has a direct bearing on our own locality . 1 8 In October , 77 , he crossed the wilderness from the n e Delaware to the Neversink , and passing dow the latt r ,

P n H is on the thirteenth of the month invaded ee p ack . approach was discovered and a maj ority Of the inha b i tants fled to the blockhouses . Many were killed , among them was an Old man named Swartwout and four of his

. . P een ack sons James , another son , escaped In the p

e blockhouse were many women and children , and but nin

. C men Captain Abraham uddeback , the commander , caused the women to don men ’ s attire and parade with his squad of militia in such a way that the enemy were “ ” led to believe that the fort was strongly garrisoned .

* Ch ange d 1 784 to Mont gom ery Co the struggle until the savage was glad to retreat . It is said that the same Indian was shot at Lackawaxen on a horse stolen from Minisink . ADDRESS BY THE AUTHOR ON THE INVASION AND

TT TH . H . . . . 22 19 1 1 . BA LE OF MINISINK BEFORE E M V S FEB ,

con During the Revolutionary war the Indian confederacy , wa s sisting of the Six Nations , located in Central New York

o and in the M hawk and Genesee valleys , and during the pre

ff o liminary di erences between England and the C lonies , which T . o led up to that war , they remained neutral use their own expressi on “ The big tree was planted at Alb any to which the chain of friendship was made fast and the council fire of the Indian con federacy continued to burn until the breaking out of the war in The most powerful and warlike Of these Indians were the b i — Mohawks , who were su divided into three tr bes the Wolf , the Bear and the Tortoise . Among the Wolf tribe there was a ’ young chief known as Brant s Joseph , who had been educated

e at the Wheelock school in Connecticut , which develop d into

Dartmouth College . He had also visited England and studied the parliamentary rules and war tactics of th e mother country . o In England he received marked attention and , up n being

o promoted to the rank of C lonel in the British army , was easily persuaded to return to this country and raise an army among

on his own nation , who were inclined to side with England , account of repo rts circulated among them by English traders w o that the Colonial army a s about to invade the M hawk

Country . This army was commissioned at Fort Niagara , to make foraging expeditions in the surrounding country and secure supplies from the enemy . o wo h Brant at times associated with Buttler , a T ry had was m escaped from an Alb any pri son and very much e bittered h ad r a gainst the colonists . He made several dest uctive raids

r o r at Oriskany , Che ry Valley and Wy ming , bu ning buildings and murdering inhabitants ; and in the Summer of 1 778 ex

s D tended hi s depredations a s far a the elaware Valley , where he procured some plunder from Cochecton and Minisink , the only towns Of any note at that time in the upper Minisink valley , and escaped without molestation . 5 6 1 t Early in July , 779 , a very strong expedition was fitted ou under the same wary chief , who , by his deeds of barbarity

o among the c lonists , chilled the very blood in their veins , wherever the name wof Brant was mentioned . This expedition a s also c ommissioned at Fort Niagara and

consisted of a strong troop of Indian and Tory cavalry , and a large band of Indian runners and these were to be follow ed

o f by a large fleet canoeists , who followed up the Genesee valley t o S u s u enh a nna the q carrying place , carried their canoes over and descended the Susquehanna to the Delaware carrying place ; thence down the Delaware valley to Minisink . i s There no certainty , however , that the canoeists proceeded any further down the Delaware than the old Lackawaxen ford . Several spies who lay near Brant ’ s army the night following

a s a w the b ttle of Minisink , report that they the enemy on the

rem ov m next day g their wounded in canoes up the river .

of on e On account the raid Minisink the year befor , Count Pulaski had been stationed there with a troop of cavalry and had endeared himself to the people by nearly a year of watch

. ws a fulness among them He , however , recalled in the early

Summer by Gen . Washington , to aid in suppressing hostilities

along the southern coasts . This left the isolated villages Of

v i i Cochecton and Minisink unprotected , except through a g Old lance committee , which traveled the Cochecton trail between

of out the two hamlets occasionally , watching for signs Indian

rages and Tory atrocities .

wa Minisink at that time s a small scattered hamlet of about

or twenty families , with several forts blockhouses , to which

of the people retreated in case an Indian outbreak or invasion . These hardy pioneers lived mostly by farming and s tockra is

of ing, most them keeping slaves to perform the manual hard

labor . 2 0th o f 1 779 hi s On the July , , when Brant and savage

e o f th e horde cam in sight place , the people were attending a funeral of one of their numberwand the first warning they had of the approach Of an enemy a s the smoke rising from their burning buildings . The women and children made a rush for the blockhouse and

to of the men made a feeble defense , only fall a prey , many

t o . of them , the tomahawk Many the slaves who sought to con ceal the stock on the farms were made captives and forced 5 7 e to aid as stock driv rs and plunder bearers . N o less than

e twenty buildings , including the church , s veral sawmills , houses and barns , were burned and many of the people killed and scalped .

The enemy having secured much plunder, such as bedding, provisions , horses and cattle , seized several captives , mostly women , children and slaves and began a hasty retreat up the

Delaware River . They sent their prisoners and plunder in

o f 2 0th advance and encamped the night the at Grassy Brook , a small stream flowing into the Mongaup about five miles above

P ort Jervis . The speaker then digressed to tell the contemporaneous i events transpir ng with the Colonial forces , particularly as to ’ of l the taking Stony Point . Co . H a th orn s militia was at

Warwick , following that victory , when word came from Mini sink that the Indians were ravaging and burning the place a nd

o he gave orders for a f rced march to their a id . He continued :

T T CH TO US EN MAR ES DEFENSE OF MINISINK .

. r Col Tusten , who was in command of the Goshen militia , e ceiv ed a similar dispatch from Minisink and not only ordered hi s entire force to hasten to the defense , but called for vol unt eers ; and citizens left their shops , farms and stores to j oin

of o in pursuit Brant and his murder us band .

ff ov rt G . Col . Hathorn says in his O icial repo to Clinton that t h e when he arrived at Minisink , following day he found an ’ a rmy of about 1 2 0 men consisting of Col . Tust en s force from ’ Goshen and Maj . Meeker s from New Jersey . A small force

o which had come d wn the river j oined him later , increasing hi forces t o about 1 5 0 men . The force from Coch ecton and vicinity was of inestimable ’ H a th orn s e value to army , because they had a v ry thorough f Of . o knowledge the country , roads , streams , etc , the upper

o on Delaware Vall ey . Hathorn was informed about no n the

wa s 2 l s t o f July b y the Cochecton scouts that Brant march I ng up the ri ver with prisoners and plunder and res olved on im a mediate pursuit . The Delaware being very crooked stream and the scouts knowing of thwe Old Cochecton trail running a s h nearly direct over the hills , it determined to pus forward

L a ckwa x en along the trail and if possible reach the ford first , t o give battle at that point and secure the prisoners and 5 8 plunder. TU S TEN MAR CHES TO D EFENS E O F MI N I S INK

The valiant arm y put forth every effort and by marchi ng until twelve o ’ clock at night succeeded in reaching Skinner’ s

now L och a da for Mills , the beautiful and encamped the night

- within three and one half miles Of the enemy , who had reached the mouth of Halfway Brook , now Barryville , and were within

‘ four miles of the ford . l 2 2 The next morning , July , after a hurried breakfast , the Colonial militia pushed forward and came upon the enemy ’ s camp fires , which were still smoldering , indicating that the foe was but a short distance in advance . They were , however , surprised t o find that such a vast extent of ground had been occupied by Brant and for the first time realized that he had

w. a much larger force than their o n

o A council was again held am ng the Officers , questioning the wisdom of proceeding farther , but a bravado movement , led by

t o . Maj . Meeker , soon caused the pursuers resume their march

n Of e Hathor , knowing the treachery Indian warfare , ord red his men to leave their horses and heavy equipage behind and keep on the high grou nd and they accordingly picked their way along the mountain side overlooking the Delaware Valley . They ’ had not proceeded far when they discovered Brant s force s

— O f o about three fourths a mile in advance , hurrying t ward the ford .

Capt . Tyler and some others advanced the idea that , as there b is a great bend in the Delaware j ust elow the ford , they could make time by going directly over the hill and they accordingly turned to the ri ght and followed a small ravine known as Dry ff Off . Brook , and made a last strenuous e ort to head the raiders

The Orange County militia was again disappointed , for when the men arrived in sight of the ford some of the Indians and much Of th eir spoil was across in Pennsylvania . A part of the

I n on stock , guarded by a strong force the rear , was yet the

' ‘ l i r m u a e nea r e h au s e th e e a m Th e u r j h s m a ch st h v ly x t d littl r y . p

was com m ence om e m e i n th e n . h e a ers e a a n su it d s ti ight T p p l ft by C pt i a nd nowi n h e o sess on of hi e cen a n ra am u e c a t s s s s S o Ab h C dd b k, p i d d t , h w r h h ou e o ames nc at a i s n wn t a th e a r eac e t e s f o c h t p ty d h J Fi h , wh t Fi h wunk i n m f a e on th e ea s s e of th e S h a a n e or re a s a nd t a vill , t id g , ti b kf t, h t on rom ere e crosse h e h e suppli ed t hem with sa lted p rovisi s . F h th y d t m oun a n and reac e th e ouse of a or ec er and en u s e on t i , h d h M j D k , th p h d H o m an m en o ra n e n r n n r . w ov e r th e Indi a t a il seve tee m iles fa rth e y f O g a nd u an i n ese effem na e a s can en u re‘ suc a t ram eucum S lliv , th i t d y , d h p , wun and na sac s ? bered ith g s k p k 5 9 east side of the river and Hathorn decided upon an immediate attack .

his m He hurriedly divided ar y into three divisions , placing one 3 00 on his 0 . about yards distant right flank , with C 1 Tusten one on hi s in command , and left flank , with Col . or Judge

Wisner in command . The division of the center Hathorn commanded in person , with Capt . Tyler leading an advanced

. e hi s picket line The captain unfortunately discharg d rifle , causing the Indians t o discover their pursuers before the flank divisions could b e properly posted and necessitated an im

of mediate advance by the division the center . Hawthorn t o ordered his men fix bayonets and advance , and when within “ ” about 3 00 yards shouted fire . The volley was v ery effective and caused many of the wounded to rush into the river without returning the fire . o hi s f Hath rn , by wbrilliant dash had recovered some o the a s t o stolen cattle and proceeding secure them , when he heard

n hi s firing behind him and lear ed , much to alarm , that the wary Brant had thrown hims elf in their rear and had attacked

one o u t of en the two flanked divisions , driving entirely the g a g em ent and the other down the hill precipitately toward the river . Brant then came ou t in full View and addressing himself to

o e of the Colonial c mmand r , demanded the surrender the entire army . Before the Mohawk had finished his demand a bullet from one of the militia pierced his belt and he immediately

of withdrew , but was soon afterward heard in tones thunder calling t o his retreating forces across the river t o return and j oin in the battle . The forces from Pennsylvania were soon seen recrossing the river and having collected in force began a sort of bush fi ring . n now Hathor was obliged to collect all his forces in one m of division and both ar ies began a series flank movements , each stri ving to gain the higher ground , until they reached an eminence nearly a mile from the river . The brave Capt . Tyler wa one of s killed in these flank movements and several were wounded . wh o t Hathorn perceived at this j uncture tha his men , were e suffering from heat and thirst , wer also very much fatigued his and withdrew t o a small plateau . Here he hastily collected

hi s wounded , drew up army into a hollow Square and threw up 60

. o Prof Twichell , in closing , read an extract fr m the * report of Col . Hathorn to Gov . Clinton depicting the terrors of the battle and commending the bravery of the men . He also quoted from his own forthcoming “ book History Of the Minisink Country , the follow ing

There was no glory in the battle of Minisink . For n the Colonists there was aught but defeat and disaster , and for their foe a partially satisfied thirst for human blood . Although the Colonists fought in a j ust cause and with unparalleled heroism to drive a plundering

a nd r foe frwom their h omes ecover their stolen stock , s there a no glory in the battle for them . For they felt their army was destrov ed and many of their comrades

Slain .

All who heard the Mohawk chief , when the battle was pressing hard on his braves , calling for those guarding the spoils across the river to return and reinforce him , never forgot the thunderous tones of his powerful voice . And there was no glory in the battle for the S avages and Tories , for although they gained a victory , in a

Of O f sense the word , yet the cries their wounded and the bodies of their dead on and about the battlefield convinced them that the victory was dearly bought .

“ ’ D ea r G ov ernor i t s not i n m o er t o o n out t o ou th e sa ree , y p w p i t y di g n wi n urroun a foe Wi t suc a a n u o a u a e s t u a o a s s e f bl i ti I , d d by , h h h df l v l a e m en not on a s so ers b ut a s e o c z ens a nd m em ers of bl , ly ldi f ll w iti b soc et a nd no n t o b e e ec e b ut th e a tc e S ea r a nd sca n i y, thi g xp t d h h t, p lpi g Th t rem en ou s e s a nd oo s ! th e fi en s i n th e confines of knife . e d y ll wh p All d th e n erna e on t one un t e cr cou not e cee . t o s I f l R gi , wi h i d y, ld x d it Add thi n n w th e cr es and et ons of th e oun e a rou m e ot to ea e t em a s i p iti w d d d , l v h , ea r ee s for th e un or una e oun e b eyond p a ra ll el or idea . My h t bl d f t t w d d H v r rcu m t ance e m e a t e con wh o e nt o t e r an s . o e e c s s f ll i h i h d w , i giv lit l T n n of os en rece e a ou n i n h i s t a n Mr . o er o se sol ti o . R dg w d G h iv d w d high n e cee n t rs m a n a n a em t o o t o fi nd som e a ter b ei g x di gly hi ty , ki g tt pt g w , n wh o r r en oo hi m th e a n and sa wa m et a n n a e s by I di , , v y f i dly, t k by h d id m h wa s h i s r soner and ou not u r him . e rec e a ro e p i w ld h t A w ll di t d b ll f nd r o nse n ra n a c one o f ou r m en pu t th e I ndi a n i nt o a dose a M . T w d b k o e som e e u m a n m a et b e oun i n th e rea s s t o th e lines . I h p littl h ity y y f d b t h rea e os wa s t o a em t o o n h a e s ou b e a t t e s s of t e s av g s . I h ld g t t l I tt pt p i t wh c e a no er i n r a er u r n th e out a ny offi cer or soldi e r o ex eed d th b v y d i g n TOO m u c ra s e ca nno b e en t em for tim e o f th e genera l a ct io . h p i t giv h t hei r a ttention i n receivi ng orders and al a crity i n executing th em . 62 ’ For there were n early as many of Brant s army slain

Of as the entire number _ Colonial troops engaged in the conflict . And although the Revolution lasted for four years after this battle they never made a subsequent raid on Minisink . They had made a raid on the unprotected inhabitants of the Minisink valley the year before and escaped with their plunder unmolested . But the battle of Minisink was such an effectual chastisement to them that they were glad to get back to Fort Niaga Had the ammunition of the whites held out a little longer they would have won a decisive victory and re covered their own . Their hearts were bleeding from the fact that all of their wounded whose suffering was not ended by the merciless tomahawk were left unat tended and unguarded to die a lingering death far from home and friends . And the disaster cast such a gloom over the entire Minisink region that it was many years before even an effort was made to collect and bury the dead . The fact that the whites were unable to recover their property depressed them very much ; but what wrung their hearts most and caused the bitterest sorrow was bearing the news to those bereaved that their loved ones were slain or dying Of wounds in a dense wilderness and left to the mercy of a savage foe or the ravages of wild animals . ACROSTIC

T B n mi n Tu s ten b th A u h or o e a e t . j , y

B ra very i s not i n s oundi ng words b ut deeds ;

er m a n s ou do not sa h i s ar . Ev y h ld , y, p t ot e er one t a s r es succee s N v y h t t iv d , u i n h on m on o f h i r J st t e c su ati s a t . ns er e er u er of our u s e A w v y q y y b y lif , n wh e n o n re Maki g those o qu stio m re si ce ; n th e di n or u o f a t e s r e I l ll b tl t if , a n oo N u ght b ut ga ll a t s pi rits give g d cheer.

Tust en l a id hi s sword a nd gu n a s ide 63 n er the s a o roc u on th e fie U d h d w k p ld, oo e hi s oun e and m se en e S th d w d d , hi lf, d i d ’ hi on am en e a e was a Till s l g l t d f t se led . er son ou ro for him a tea r Ev y sh ld d p , , ’ o w ea H os a r c ere as hi s er . N th pit l k, wh bi

CONFU SION OF DATES IN R EFEREN CE TO THE MINISINK B INVASION AND ATTLE .

to According records recently found by Victor M . Drake there must have be en at least a warning of ’ 1 or Brant s coming to Minisink as early as the 7th , h t ree days before he actually appeared . The order is as follows :

“ To : Y ou . t o wCaleb Goldsmith , Sergt are hereby requested arn your class and march to Minisink , hereof fail not as you will answer the county .

1 1 . Given under my hand this 7th day of July , 779

SA E N . MU L JO ES , Captain

one The fact that Benj amin Dunning , Of the class , was killed in the battle is evidence that this order was carried out . The alarm which caused this order may have come from some outposts where Br ant had made hi s appearance . TH M TTL E INISINK BA E . There are several reasons why the Minisink battle was one Of the most noted battles of the Revolution . ’ In the first place the alarm Of Brant s invasion and the ’ call for H ath orn s army to march to Minisink came j ust * after Gen . Washington had ordered that commander

* n Wa n on h ad anne th e ca ure of on o n and Gen. Ge . shi gt pl d pt St y P i t Anth ony Wa yne (Ma d Anthony) by a b rilli ant dash h ad ta ken the fort a ene on 5 or si x a s e ore and ca ptured 600 p risoners . As this h pp d ly d y b f n on was sen n a or th e b a ttle o f Mi nisink it i s supp ose d th a t Wa shi gt di g p on of ese r soners t o th e a on r son on th e D e a are en h e ti th p i E st p i l w , wh sent th e order t o th e Wa rwick comm ander for him t o fu rnish a guard of n or r was er s e 100 m en to accompa ny them t o their destinatio . Thi d v y unfortunate for H a thorn and his a rmy and there is not th e slightest doubt “ ” n rm an e th e or er h ad b ut th e F ather of hi s Country woul d h ave cou te d d d , b e known of th e urgent need of these three comp anies a t th e impending

e c t oo ace a fewa s a er. b attl whi h k pl d y l t 64 to detail one hundred men of hi s regiment for a guard

s to e cort British prisoners to Easton . This deprived h h Col . Hathorn of one company that e s ould have had

th e in battle , and it is evident that if he had marched against Brant with his entire army he would have won the battle and destroyed the devastating band . As it ’ H a th orn s f re afterward proved , according to Of icial

if . port , the ammunition had not run short , or if Col

- Seward , who was hurrying to his aid with ninety three men , had not been detained by a mutiny which arose among the soldiers , he most assuredly would have been a victor . In the second place the battle was fought in a rocky wilderness where the Indians who were accustomed to stratagem could take every advantage . b The incident of the attle related by Daniel Myers ,

Of ad one the survivors of the battle , gives some of the vantages taken by the Savages . Thi s incident also bears out Col . Hathorn in what he says in his report about

Brant being reinforced from Cochecton , for the Tories of that settlement had numerous slaves . Daniel Myers li ved many years after the battle and was one of the mi 1 com ttee appointed to gather the bones in 82 2 . H e “ said , The tightest place I got into in the battle was ’ j ust after Brant s reinforcements came . I was sta ti oned behind a tree with considerable open space around me on all sides , firing at the enemy whenever a head or even a feather appeared from behind a rock or tree . i All at once I saw a negro dart beh nd a large tree , after he had fired a shot at me which was evidently a running h shot and went wide of the mark . T is caused me t o move further around the tree and in an instant a ball from another direction struck the tree , which not only glanced and wounded me but filled my eyes with bark and dust . There I was for several moments between 65 two fires : an Indian on one side and a negro on the other , but I managed by taking advantage of the one ” with the empty gun to kill them both . When the re treat begun I managed to make my way to the river ” and swim across , holding my gun up with one arm . An other reason why this battle was noted was the fact that , although the Indians and Tories succeeded in routing the Orange County militia and murdering so ’ and many of them as prisoners , the enemy s loss in killed B wounded was so great that rant himself acknowledged , afterward , the battle was a great calamity to his army .

’ Col . Seward and others who lay near Brant s en ca m m ent p the night following the battle , and saw the Savages the next day bearing away the wounded in canoes , reported that his loss was very great . They said the ground where the enemy encamped the night Of July 2 2 d was strewn with bloody rags and plasters and clots of blood so that the whole surroundings gave evi dence of great suffering and a great number of dead and wounded . There has been a tendency among historians to pic ’ ture H athorn s retreat as a rout bordering almost on ’ annihilation ; but from that commander s own statement in reference to the retreat , the conditions have been mis represented . in He said , speaking about the enemy having forced “ the north line Of the hollow square : Here we gave them a severe gaul . Our peopwle , not being able to sup t li por the nes , retreated do n the hill precipitately t oward the river . The enemy kept up a constant fire on ” h wr u rn An d r wi ch et ed . ou as right , in another part Of his report he tells about rescuing some Of the stolen cattle and returning them to the owners at Minisink .

66 DEATH OF JUDGE WISNER .

Brant killed Gabriel Wisner with his own hand . In i after years , wh le on a visit to New York , he declared

S O that he found Wisner , when the battle was over , badly wounded that he could not live or be removed ; that if he was left alone on the field the wild beasts would devour him ; that he was in full possession of all his faculties ; that for a man to be eaten while alive by ravenous beasts was terrible ; and that to save Wisner

h i m from such a fate he engaged In conversation and , when unobserved , struck him dead . Such barbarous mercy may seem strange to us ; but it is not inconsistent

- with the character of a semi civilized Savage . l Captain Benj amin Vail was wounded in the batt e , and after the rout was found seated upon a rock and bleeding . He was killed while in this Situation by a

Tory . Several of the fugitives were shot while attempting to escape by swimming the Delaware . Of those en

- fiv e gaged in the battle , thirty escaped and forty , it is

i . known , were k lled The balance were taken prisoners th or perished while fugitives in e wilderness . Among

2 d Of the killed was Moses Thomas , , a son the pioneer

Of Old that name , who was shot near the Cushetunk blockhouse . The son was slain by a Tory named Cor neliu s Cole .

a c Maj or Wood of the militia , though not a Mason , n cide ta lly gave the Masonic Sign of distress . This was

r . Observed by B ant Faithful to his pledge , the red Master saved Wood ’ s life and gave him his own blanket him to protect from the night air while sleeping . He

* n wa a er eccent r c m a n a nd Ga b rie l Wi s er s v y i yea rs be fore th e b attle O I Mini si nk h e m a de him self very obnoxi ous t o the B riti sh crown by taki ng a sledge a nd b rea king a keystone which th e Englis h king h a d sent ov er f rom E urope for th e a rch i n th e j ail bu ildi ng th e people o f O ra nge n a t o en C ounty were constructi g G sh . 67 two fires : an Indian on one side and a negro on the other , but I managed by taking advantage of the one ” with the empty gun to kill them . both . When the re treat begun I managed to make my way to the river ” and swim across , holding my gun up with one arm . Another reason why this battle was noted was the fact that , although the Indians and Tories succeeded in routing the Orange County militia and murdering so ’ and many of them as prisoners , the enemy s loss in killed B wounded was so great that rant himself acknowledged , afterward , the battle was a great calamity to his army .

’ Col . Seward and others who lay near Brant s en ca m m ent p the night following the battle , and saw the Savages the next day bearing away the wounded in canoes , reported that his loss was very great . They s ai d the ground where the enemy encamped the night of July 2 2 d was strewn with bloody rags and plasters and clots of blood so that the whole surroundings gave evi dence O f great suffering and a great number of dead and wounded . There has been a tendency among historians to pic ’ ture H a thorn s retreat as a rout bordering almost on ’ annihilation ; but from that commander s own statement in reference to the retreat , the conditions have been mis represented . in He said , speaking about the enemy having forced “ the north line of the hollow square : Here we gave them a severe gaul . Our people , not being able to sup t i por the l nes , retreated down the hill precipitately t oward the river . The enemy kept up a constant fire on ” wh wr turn i ch e ed ou r as . right , And in another part of his report he tells about rescuing some Of the stolen cattle and returni ng them to the owners at Minisink .

66 subsequently discovered that Wood was not one O f th e brotherhood and denounced him as dishonorable , but

hi s spared his life . (After release , Wood assumed the

Obligations of thi s ancient and honorable fraternity . ) The blanket was accidentally damaged while in the pris ’ H . e oner s possession , which made Brant very angry then treated Wood with much harshness . One of the militia attempted to escape with th e

t o others , but was so exhausted he was obliged turn

n n r aside to rest . I a little while he saw one India afte another running in the direction hi s friends had gone . They continued to pass until a very powerful Savage

hi m th e . discovered , when man fired his last shot and fled

The red man did not follow . He was probably disabled

i i by the shot , if not killed . The name of th s m litiaman we believe was Cuddeback . 9k S am u el Of O f Helm , the Mamakating family that

G onsal u s name , and a grandson of Manuel , the first

Of settler that town , was wounded , but being an expert

. w a s woodman as well as Indian fighter , escaped He

hi s stationed behind a tree , when he saw an Indian thrust head fr om behind a neighboring trunk and peer around as if looki ng for a chance to shoot a patriot . The Sav

' age had on h is neck what appeared to be a b l a ck silk handkerchief . At this Helm fired . BI u ch to his satis faction , the Indian fell upon the ground , apparently

’ n F rom Q uinli n s S u lliva n Cou ty . H e m i n re a n th e a en ure t o ou r n orm an a rence as en l , l ti g dv t i f t (L w M t ) a h a on s m en of th e re s n en h e wa s unex e s id t e st i h t d ki wh p ctedly confronted z h n wru u o e m n n with th e m uz le of t e gu as t ly ridic l us . H l the m a a ged to a ec of l owan near th e a efie and fina h et t o e t o t e r er. g pi l d b ttl ld, lly iv h i w H n h wa a n s o n oo . e His tra il as m de pl i by bl d e k w e would b e fol hi H r o lowed and kille d if h e did not b affle s pursuers . e the e f re plunged n h v n na e t o a s o n some t a nc h n i to t e ri er a d m a g d p s d w di s e with t e cu rre t . d n ro A h e an c a e th v T en h e ot a s ore a n am o th e c s . s e S a h g h hid g k ti ip t d , n r h aw a es t rac e h im t o th e r er a e e e s t em o a r e con g k d iv b k , wh h h ld b i f sult a ti on and oo u a nd o n th e st ream . N ot see n h im t e t u rne l k p d w i g , h y d no m ore H ere h e m a na h nd h e wem . e t o o e flof ac a sa t ow b k , th g d st p n nd r m a ne un wa i bloo d from hi s wou d a e i d til it s sa fe to comm ence h s one nd ea r ourne a c to th e a e of th e ev ers n He l ly a w y j y b k v ll y N i k . ff r n reached it a fter m u ch su e i g . 68 dead ; but not much to his satisfaction , he himself was imm edi ately shot through one of his thighs by another ’ of Brant s men . The wound seemed to take away sen sation and strength from the limb , and Helm dropped

t o . the earth , but kept behind his natural breastwork

The Indian did not at once rush up to scalp Helm , being anxious to ascertain first whether it was safe to do so .

This gave the white man a chance to reload his rifle .

After dodging around a little , the other made a dash ’ for Helm s scalp ; but instead of getting it , received a bullet which put an end to his life .

Benj amin Whitaker , who afterwards lived and died at Deposit , was wounded during the day , but kept on fighting until he became sick and faint from the loss Of blood . He then retired to a safe place , where he staunched the blood with tow from his cartridge box , and binding up the wound with a handkerchief , again j oined eagerly in the fight . John Whitaker (a brother of Benj amin ) was in the hottest of the battle , and , although he received nine bul let holes through his hat and clothes , escaped uninj ured . Allusion has been made to Sullivan ’ s expedition a gainst the hostile tribes O f the Six Nations in the Sum

1 9 . rwa r in Wa s mer of 77 He passed through g , Mama kating and Deerpark ; crossed the Delaware ; followed E it down to aston ; then went to Wyoming , where his a rmy numbered three thousand ; from the latter place he conveyed his artillery and stores up the Susquehanna to

Tioga Point , where he arrived about fifteen days after

Of . the battle , near the mouth the Lackawaxen Here he waited for the di vision of his army under General James

. a Oh a ri e Clinton Clinton marched by the way of C naj ,

Lake Otsego and the Susquehanna to Tioga Point , d f 2 2 O . re which he reached on the August Brant , in turning to Canada , was too shrewd to follow the road 69 blocked by these forces . A few days after the battle on the banks of the Delaware , and while Clinton was delayewd at Lake Otsego , he fell upon a village in the BI Oh a k . Valley Therefore , he must have avoided the

Susquehanna and continued on up the Delaware , prob

or ably following the West Mohawk branch , and around ’ Clinton s rear . Abraham Bennett was a boy at the time Of the battle of Minisink ; but when Tusten was leaving Goshen he became very anxious to j oin the expedition against Brant ; and having had some experience in the fife and * drum corps , he begged his father , Benj amin Bennett ,

O f who was one the militia , to let him go as drummer boy . The drum corps did not go any farther than Mini sink . wThere they were advised by Capt . Tyler and his h o men , had come down the Delaware Valley from

Cochecton , to return home , as the march of the army would be through a vast wilderness and the hardships would be too great for their endurance .

A TH R ’ BRITISH E! AGGERATE H O N S DEFEAT .

The British in New York published a very ex agg er ated account of the Minisink battle , which is , in part , as “ follows : A person j ust arrived from Joseph Brant and

* en am n B enne wa s se ere oun e i n th e t and en th e B j i tt v ly w d d high , wh re rea e a n a ter th e a e h e esou one o f hi s com a n ons t o a id t t b g , f b ttl , b ght p i h i i n n h i Th woun e m an c un t o hi s r en n n m m a esca e . e ki g s p d d l g f i d , thi ki g t h at if h e could rea ch water a nd sl ake h i s thi rst h e would h ave strength suffici ent to get a wa y into th e forest a nd hide for th e night and p rocee d e su ccee e i n et n as fa r a s a t owa rd h om e th e next m orning . Th y d d g ti g sp ring (supp ose d t o b e th e l a rge one ea st of th e pla teau on th e Twichell h n c m n c ose u on t em fa rm ) when th ey hea rd t e e em y o i g l p h . Mr enne e n er m u c e a u s e a nd no n a h i s a t e . B tt, b i g v y h xh t d k wi g wh t f ou b e re hi s oc e oo rom h i s oc e a nd a n n t o hi s w ld , d w p k tb k f p k t h di g it “ r en sa ee for ou r e a nd ou reac os en e s t o m f i d , id, Fl y lif , if y h G h , giv thi y ” i n nd fled b ut e Hi s com an on re uc an too rom h s a a wif . p i , l t tly, k it f h d , h w r n th e ea e rea c e h i s ea rs a nd h e e ore e a s out of ea b f h i g, d th y ll h d Hi s n nn wa s a c e th e crue om a a . knew B enj am i B e ett s di p t h d by l t h wk d fri end rea che d hom e a fter great su ff ering t o deliver th e p ocketb ook an h wa a o a nd h er ennet t a s e s b ring th e sorrowful news to Mrs . B t h t wid w n r an child re o ph s. 70 his brethren stated that Brant had with him only sixty

Indians and twenty white men . The same account gives “ the following returns : Among the principal imb abi

r . . tants killed were Col . Benj amin Tusten , J , Capt ’ Sam l Jones , Capt . Jno . Little , Capt . Jno . Wood , Capt .

Duncan , Capt . Benj . Vail , Capt . Reat Tyler , Adj . ’ ’

N a h l . . . t Fink , Lieut Benj Dunning, Lieut Sam l

Knapp , Lieut . Jno . Wood , Lieut . Abraham Shepherd ,

G . Justice ab Wisner , Justice Roger Townsend , Justice ’ ’ Wm . Barker , Com r Jas . Knapp , Com r Jas . Moshier \ l I . G . . a and ilbert Vail Wounded , Maj Hans Decker , j ’ O f 1 4 9 Sam l Meeker O f the Minisink Militia . Out that — went out 3 0 returned missing ’ H a th orn s report of the missing gives 2 1 men . It seems a delicate task to reconcile either of these reports

th e G h with names inscribed on the old os en monument , 4 which are 4 in number . It has also been claimed that some of 4 4 names ' the there inscribed have been found on old deeds and records which were executed b y them long after th e battle was fought ; but as the commander himself was there when

Old m the monu ent was erected and laid the cornerstone , and was , no doubt , consulted with reference to the num ber of the slain , we cannot dispute the record on the enduring stone .

It would seem that Col . Hathorn made his report from the soldi ers and citizens who were m issm g from G Warwick , oshen and the immediate vicinity , and after ward learned O f the other 2 3 men ; because he does not seem to have included Matthew Terwilliger , of Mini

Of i sink , and several others Cochecton and vic nity in his report . Another version which might aff ord a rea

- sonable conciliation , is that during the forty three years which elapsed between the battle and the burial all those who may have died from their wounds received in that 7 1 engagement may have been counted worthy to have their names placed on the monument to perpetuate their memory . ’ A PRISONER S PERIL .

In the evening after the battle the monster Brant was proceeding to tie Maj . Wood by brute force . The “ : Maj or remonstrated , said I am a gentleman and ” b e promise not to escape . He was not tied but laid tween two Indians , and told that should he attempt to escape he should be tomahawked . The blanket on which he lay took fire in the night , but he dared not

e move lest the tomahawk should cl ave hi s brain .

He lay still until the fire reached his feet . He then kicked it out , without disturbing his guard . It was Brant ’ s blanket and ever after the Chief treated him very harshly . When Maj . Wood asked Brant why he maltreated him so , Brant , flying into a passion , replied w “ ! ith an oath , Because you burnt my blanket Wood ’ s life was spared by accidentally giving the

Masonic Sign to Brant , who was a member of that order . When the Mohawk learned that Wood was not a Mason he treated the prisoner with withering scorn . Wood lived to return to his family in Goshen after the close of the war . ’ Through the courtesy of Att y J . W . Gott of Goshen , who is a descendant of Col . Tusten , the author is able to give the legible parts of Wood ’ s Journal which he brought back with him from Canada .

t 2 0 1 779 I lef home July ye , , and was taken the twenty

Menesi n second , about eighteen miles above g after a severe conflict which laster almost the whole day . I received two

one one wounds , before I was taken and after I was taken , and had the m ortific a ti on of seeing several o f my countrymen tomahawked and o ne after he had been a prisoner s ome time — the 2 3 m a r ch t to Ka sh a t on from thence up the Kukh ou s 72 Ku kh ou s 2 ~ — o Branch to , where we arrived 7 fr m thence to the

S u s u eh a na h — At q River this place Capt . Brant left us and went

up the river with a small scout and I was left with Capt . Wm . ff . O Johnson , an Indian , who used kindly We set down the “ 3 1 Tu s cororor river and ye John , an Indian chief died of — his wounds . a Ch om ong an Indian town His gun I 1 0 u f lay at this place till ye of Aug st , during which I suf ered

much with hunger . I was obliged to eat hides that was S I was sent away in the night to an other Indian town called

h o S kon o t . of . At this place I was left in care Capt huff , a

white man . Left this place ye 1 3 in the mo rning and was made 5 o b e to run or six miles with ut stopping , with three Indians — hind me and two before accuse of this was an alarm . I ar rived a t Catherine town the same day I was again put in care ’ t s o f a white man and left this place ye 1 6 . Met B u tl er rangers and a number O f Indians goin to meet the American ” army . ye 1 7 reached an Indian town called nnel Orchard .

e (At this point the page is illegible . ) The unfortunat prisoner — speaks Of a lake a n Indian town and a b oat near a river under

. O f the command of Lieut Fry , and allowance of half a pint

oatmeal each day . Here received some clothing , for he was

stripped when taken . Was made to row when weak with

hunger . Saw Col . Stacy , who was taken prisoner at Cherry

f e Valley . Drew cloth or shirt but was a l ong tim before he

could get it made . Was for some time clad with all articles

of clothing except pants . Finally arrived at Fort Niagara was

escorted t o large stone house by guard . Complains of being

confined in dungeon with several others with very bad air . Was

removed to Montreal and from thence to St . Johns . (The

O f o latter part book is gone , but it iws kn wn from history that Wood was exchanged for a prisoner h o was confined at Albany and return ed to Goshen about 1 783 at the close of the R ev olu

tion . It is intimated by some letters , written by Maj . Wood

s . which are also in po session of Mr Gott , that the Continental Congress by a special act made provision for the widows and orphans caused by the battle O f Minisink and some other battles o f the Revolution by Offering large tracts of Government land

t o such as would move on it and occupy it .

* w wh wo n a nd m i Tu scororor o n no ou t a s th e c e o a s u e s J h , d b , hi f w d d n H a orn for ra nt for th e omm a n e r s a s i n h i s re or t a ke by C01. th B ; C d y p t “ n h a n r nt wh o Th n a n e re u e r t e comm Of a t o Gov . n on e s Cli t , I di w d d B , ” w or oun i n h a c on . a s eith er killed w ded t e ti 73 TH TH TH TH E GA ERING OF E BONES OF E SLAIN .

The following extract is from the I ndep endent R e u b li ca n G 2 9 1 82 2 p of oshen , dated April , “All the bones that could be found of the brave men who fell in the battle of Minisink were collected from the battle ground on Wednesday last and brought to the village on the

. w no day following They are in possession of the committee , with whom they will remain until the a niv er s a ry of the day upon which the battle was fought .

nor . In securing the bones , neither pains expense were spared The part y tra veled about forty miles the first day and half of that distance was a complete wildern ess . They put up for ’ the night at Mrs . Watkins , who lived about six miles from the battle ground t o which they proceeded the next morning .

Some left their horses behind , it being very difficult to get along with a horse . n The country around was a complete wilder ess , scarcely ex i n h b iti g a trace of human footsteps . The battle was com menced on the bank of the Delaware op p os ite the mouth o f the Lackawack and terminated ab out three quarters of a mile from the river . It was a matter of astonish ment t o many of the party when they were shown the c ourse f taken by our troops . Some o the descents are really fright

of on ful . Most the bones were found the ground where the t battle was fought ; but some were found some dis ance away , which undoubtedly belonged to the wounded who had died from ” hunger and fatigue . All of the bones of the unburied slain were not found 1 82 2 by the Orange County Committee in April , , for about twenty years after some hunters reported to the

Y . citizens of Barryville , N . , that other bones had been located , and these citizens organized a party to go to the battleground and collect them and bring them to that town . They then set apart a certain day and ar ranged for public services in whi ch many public men

e took part . After the ceremonies and in accordanc with the programme the bones were then interred in the old 74

a niz ed g at Minisink to visit the place of the confli ct . In returning they stopped in the house of Joseph Cowen at Handsome Eddy and related what they had

of seen on the battleground . In some places parts e sk letons were preserved by being in swampy places , in others by being under ledges . One body was dis covered near where the present monument now stands , with a rude wall around it , as if honored by a rude burial n o account of some gallant deed .

Joseph Carpenter , who lived on the Beaver brook , “ where the old Cochecton Trail crossed that stream , and who helped the Orange County Committee in gath ering the bones , told of this particular incident , and pointed out the rude sepulchre to the late S amuel West

of Y . . ulan , N Y Traces of this enclosure were quite

1 8 9 misunder plain until 7 , the workmen , through some standing , used these stones as well as other parts of the breastworks in building the monument . The author has every reason to believe that the heroic * Dr . Tusten may have been honored by Brant and his followers and their appreciation of bravery shown in that way

INCIDENTS OF THE ROUT AND RETREAT .

Capt . Abraham Cuddeback was called to consult with

‘

Dr . Tusten about trying to rally the men j ust as the retreat began , and consequently was the last man to a . w leave the ground He s very hotly pursued by the S avages and ran in the direction his men had gone until

‘ he was entirely exhausted . He then stepped a short distance out of the path , cocked his gun and waited for I n some time without being discovered . He saw the

* D r u n wa u ro a of ra n e oun a t th e t me of h i s ea T s e s r e . t S g t O g C ty i d th i n He a e a nd se era and held other p rom inent p ositi ons soci ety . left wif v l

n h n ne er wh er a r . c re t e ou es o f c sa e hild , y g t whi h v f th 76 dians one after another running in the direction the white had gone . Finally a large and powerful Savage turned and caught a glimpse of him , when he fired his di last shot and fled . The In an did not follow , so he was supposed to be either killed or severely wounded . The Captain continued his course toward the river until he came to very steep rocks . He then slid down where he found a good place of concealment . Here he stayed until it grew dark , when he proceeded home .

John Wallace , of Minisink , was severely wounded

. and became separated from his, captain , in the retreat During the battle these two men managed to keep to gether and each acted as a guard of the other . Occa sionally the captain would warn his companion to keep

an back , but he would exclaim as he sallied out seeking “ ” “ other opportunity to fire . I want to get at them . If

I can only get sight of them . The next day Captain Cuddeback reached Minisink and reported all he knew of John Wallace to the anxious wife and children . For three days they mourned for the missing man , when unexpectedly he came home k his hi with three deers ins on back , to the great j oy of s family and friends . He had hunted on his way home and feasted on roasted venison .

HATHOR N ’ S D T TH L TH GEN . AD RESS A E BURIA OF E BONES

T H 22 1822 . A GOS EN, JULY ,

o f At the end three and forty years , we have assembled to p erform the s a d rites of sepulture t o the bones of our country

. s uflici n men and kindred But these alone are not e t ; policy has united with the gratitude o f nations in erecting some

of of memorial the virtues those , who died in defending their country . Monuments to the brave are mementoes to their descendants ; th e honors they record are stars to the patriot in the path of glory . Beneath the mausoleum whose foundation

w wa s r of . we no lay , repose all that ea thly patriots and heroes 77 b c This honor has een long their lue , but circumstances , which it is unnecessary for me to recount , have prevented an earlier

o f of display the gratitude their country . Having command on that melancholy occasion , which bereft the nation o f s o many — of its brightest o rnaments having been the companion of ff their su ering in a pathless desert , and a witness of their valor

fo e against a savage of superior numbers , I approach the duty assigned me with mingled feeling of sadness and pleasure . May this monument endure with the liberties of ou r country ; when they perish , this land will be no longer worthy to hold m within its boso the consecrated bones of it s heroes . L . W T TH D ADDRESS OF DR I SON (ORA OR OF E AY) , DE LIVERED TO ABOUT PEOPLE ON THE

SAME OCCASION .

F or ty- three years ago this day and at this very hour of the day , the brave men , whose bones are enclosed in these

no t r for coffins , were only hazarding , but sac ificing their lives of the protection their wives , their children , their homes , and

. ou re their country You have before y , fellow citizens , the

of of o i o f mains some those heroes , whose blo d paid the pr ce our fo r freedom and independence ; they fell in battle , at that r period , when this nation , through pe ils the most tremendous , wa — a ol s struggling into existence t a time when an d and f wa s i r o g gantic monarchy in the t ue spirit despotic power ,

u s putting forth all her energies , to hold in a state of vassalage

of r o f it s and destroy for ever the cause libe ty , at the moment dawn on the new World .

o not o f nor But I d now recount the deeds valor , the counsel o f of fo r o u r wisdom , which were made the means procuring

i s h e ro country all the blessings , wh ch now enj oys in such p

o on fusion . On this topic a thousand tongues were el quent , the o late anniversary of our Independence . Nor d I now call your “ attention to the benign provid ential administration o f the ” o f of fo r Prince the kings the earth , whose arm wrought us deliverance ; though an ample theme that well deserve t o occupy

o f t more the public attention , and to awaken more grati ude , in the celebration o f ou r great national festival .

h e o f There i s one feature of t policy our enemy , in manag ing her most unj ust and unnatural warfare against us , which " 78 merits special notice , as immediately connected with the dis astrous event over which we are called to mourn— I mean her more than inhuman employment o f the tomahawk and scalp — ing knife of the Savages t o butcher our peaceful citizens a

r policy which stains forever the p ide of British glory .

In ancient times when war was waged against any nation , hoary - aged women and children were equally the obj ect of its

o destructive fury with the warrior in the field f battle . The

o f or cruel feature war has been softened , rather obliterated , by the progress of civilization ; and by common consent of civil i z ed o f nations , the soldier in arms only is the obj ect attack , while the unarmed citizen o f every class remains unmolested a law of nations which divests war o f more than half its ho rrors . But this amelioration in the laws of war has not reached the — savages o f our wilderness who spare no age nor s ex all are the obj ects of their indiscriminate butchery . Their tomahawk

o f sinks into the head the sucking child , while reeking with blood of the mother . Such was the warfare to which the British “ cabinet allied itself , shaking hands with the savage scalping

” ‘ knife and tomahawk . Notwithstanding the loud remonstrance of its o f most enlightened statesmen , the parliament Great Britain employed the savage bords to murder in cold blood the ' our unoffending women and children of western frontiers . All that the most sanguinary tyrant could have desired , did the savage allies o f ou r enemies perpetrate . The blood o f murdered

o thousands yet cries f r vengeance on the British throne . Who ff can imagine , much less recount , the terrors and su erings of our r weste n people , while the Indian tomahawk was raised over

o r ? s ee o f their heads bathed in their blood Yet, I the pillars smoke ascend from their burning cottages along the weste rn border from the plains o f Kentucky to the mountains of the — Minisink the flames o f their houses glaring on the darkness

of of midnight , and hear the screams women and children

shimb ers awakened from their by the blaze of their dwellings ,

o f . Y es and the warwhoop the Savage , all this was more than realized .

C o One hieftain was distinguished ab ve all others , in this — I ol . murderous carnage mean C Joseph Brant . His father

m hi s w H e s was a Ger an and mother a Mohawk Indian . . a at an early age placed in Dartmouth College , where he received

a c many kind attentions , and possessing no ordinary powers , 79 quired a good education ; and thus he was dandled on the knees ,

th da u h and sucked e breast , of that country , whose sons and g B riti sh ed ters he was by cruelty , commissioned to massacre .

Early in the Revolutionary War , he received from George ’ t o III a Colonel s commission , appointing him the command of

r n the six , in the northe n and wester parts of New York . It “ wh o was he is styled by Campbell , in a note to his Gertrude ” “ ” of Wyoming , the monster Brant and who was a leader in the

of dreadful massacre , which desolated the blooming fields fair 1 Wyoming in the Autumn of 778 . The ferocity of his savage nature was not tamed by educa — tion i n him the bl ood o f the barbarian extinguished every spark of civilization that might have been kindled in his con s t it uti on . He was more cunning than the fox and fier cer than f ' the tiger . With thr ee hundred o his warriors he set out from

1 t o Niagara in June , 779 , fall upon the western frontiers of m this state . There was also under his wco mand , painted like h o Indians , about two hundred Tories , , through courtesy , “ ff ” “ we often hear called , disa ected , the friends of the British ” o old Government , etc . I prefer to call them by the go d Revo “ ” lu ti ona r . y name , Tories on After the middle of July , they appeared the west of Mini

on t o sink , like a dark cloud hanging the mountain p , ready to break on the plain below , in thunder and lightning , tempest n and hail . On the mor ing of the twentieth , the inhabitants were awakened from their slumbers b y the flames of their dwellin g s , and fled in consternation . Their farms were laid waste and their cattle and other of property plundered by a detachment his execrable band , whom Brant had sent out for the work of robbery and murder .

Col . re On the evening of the same day , Tusten of Goshen ,

of c eiv ed by express , intelligence of the events the morning, f and issued orders to the o ficers of his regiment , to meet him

f - firs t o a s on the morning o the twenty , with as many v lunteers they could raise , at Minisink , which he had fixed as the place of rendezvous . The officers , generally , with the small force which they could raise and equip on so short a notice , o met the Colonel at the place app inted , where they held a f council o war , and discussed the question whether they should

Col . pursue the Savages or n o t . Tusten wisely opposed the

wa com a s s pursuit , Brant , a skillful warrior , probably the 80 ’ mander , as the enemy s force appeared to be much superior to a s i them , and they had with them many Tor es who were well

o o acquainted with the w ods ; while they had nly a small force , ex were ill supplied with ammunition , and at the same time

ect ed . i of p reinforcement The maj or ty , however , were in favor

wo h o pursuing the Indians , they said w uld not fight , and from

whom they should endeavo r to recover the plunder . In the

midst of these deliberations , Maj . Meeker mounted his horse, i “ flour shed his sword , and said , Let the brave men follow me ;

the cowards may stay behind . As may be readily thought , this decided the question ; they all took up the line of march and proceeded that evening seventeen miles and encamped for

the night . On the next morning they were j oined by a small f o Col . o r reinf rcement under Hathorn the Wa wick regiment ,

f Col . com who , being an older o ficer than Tusten , took the

mand . When they had advanced a few miles to Halfway

en Brook , they came upon the place where the Indians had d camped the preceding night , and another council was hel

. wa s there . Cols Hathorn , Tusten and others whose valor

n u a s gover ed by pr dence , were opposed to advancing farther ,

of x of the number Indian fires , and the e tent ground occupied by their encampment , removed all doubt as to the superiority

of the force of the enemy . Here the same scene which broke up — r o re f . the fo mer c uncil was acted , and with the same e fect

Capt . Tyler , who had some knowledge of the woods , was sent of e forward at the head a small scouting party , to reconnoitr

of e the movements the enemy , and give notice of the b st e grounds for attacking him . But he had not advanced far b

a fore he was killed , circumstance which created considerable

on t alarm . As our troops were marching north the hills wes

of th e n the Delaware , about nine in mor ing , they discovered the

Indians , advancing leisurely along the bank of the river , about

- three quarters of a mile distant . Brant had sent forward the plunder under an escort to a

fording place of the Delaware , near the mouth of the Lacka

. o n wack , where he intended to cross the river . Col Hath r

. w wished to intercept him before he reached that place O ing

th e to intervening woods and hills , two armies soon lost sight

of each other , and Brant , instead of advancing along the bank f o the Delaware , wheeled to the right , and passing up a deep

ravine , over which our troops had marched , and thus he , cros 8 1 of o o n sing our line march , sh wed himself our rear , about ’ ten o clock . By this skillful manoeuver he not only took u s by surprise his l . but chose own ground for commencing the attack . Co

Hathorn , as the men were ill supplied with ammunition , issued

a n . fire order like that of Gen Putnam at Bunker Hill , not to wa s t a single shot until the enemy near enough o make it take

eff ect . Just at that moment an Indian was seen riding a horse that on had been stolen from Minisink the twentieth , and was known t o one of our men who immediately fired on him and killed

him . The fire soon became general . At the commencement ’ H a rn s o about fifty of Col . th o men were cut ff from the main

not body and could be brought into the engagement , leaving between eighty and ninety men only t o contend with the whole of force the enemy , five times their number . wEvery thing that the most determined bravery could effect a s effected . Soon after the commencement of the battle they were completely surrounded by the Savages on the summit of

l e h the hi l , descending on all sid s , and the ground whic they occupied among the rocks and bushes was about an acre in

b e extent, which they maintained in an obstinate conflict from

tween ten and eleven in the morning , until late in the after

noon . The wounded were collected in a secure place under a

o f . rock , to the number seventeen ; where Col Tusten , who was

a skilled surgeon , dressed their wounds .

S h a d it not on o deadly was our fire , that began to slacken

of o f a d account the failure ammunition , Brant afterward mitt ed that he would have been compell ed to retreat . Several

attempts to break into our lines had failed , but j ust as the fire e wo one h u b gan to slacken , man had g arded the northwest wh angle of the hollow square and o had kept up from behind a

rock , a destructive fire upon the enemy fell , and the Indian and

Tory crew broke in upon our troops like a re 5 1 stless deluge .

The yell of the Savages , the screams of the wounded calling

upon their companions not to forsake them , and the groans o f the dying presented a scene o f horror which beggars all ot . Col . n description Tusten probably fell , determined to

abandon th e wounded . All the rest fled in every direction , and

more were killed in the flight than fell in the battle . Some D o a t swam across the elaware , while thers were drowned in

tempting t o cross . 82

mains , too long have we been ungrateful , we acknowledge . But oh ! my voice cannot reach you ; you cannot hear me ; I ought

not thus to address you . The living my voice can reach ; you will permit me t o address the noble sentiments of your soul s and invite you to emulate the example o f these hero es in deeds

of . noble daring, should your country ever call The young now m in and those around me under ar s , may see our country

for volved in danger, that will require even the sacrifice of life

her safety .

’ ff ou But you will su er me to remind y , that in order to sacri ’ fice ou r re life rationally , though in country s righteous cause ,

quires more than what is called patriotism and heroism . To

i s meet death boldly , in any cause , while the soul in its natural b enmity against Heaven , is no etter than the rashness of a n mad man ; it is rushing upon misery unutterable and eter al , from some blind impulse or the wlight applause of an hour . It i s only by faith in Jesus Christ h o died for the salvation of e sinners , that any human being can fac death calmly , collect

edly and rationally . Who can tell what consolation religion may have ministered t o those who expired in the long agonies

e o f ? of death , after the battl Minisink , without any human aid

None other could have done . Great as their bodily pains must

have been , future prospects may have imparted much allevia

tion . How intense would their anguish have been , had the prospects b eyond the hour of death been only dark and

alarming . h But , fellow citizen s , thoug you should never be called to

of expose your lives in the field battle , though you should con

ti nu e o f e of to the close life amid scen s peace , in the bosoms of your families and die having your cheeks bathed with the

a ff sympathetic tears of the most ectionate , the most tender

hearted relatives , and my hope and prayer is , that you enj oy

fo r all these , yet they are poor and frigid consolations a dying

n . man , if he has no e other Whether , then , Heaven has destined

or re your country to peace war in your days , it is wise to be p

o pared for death , applying in time to the at ning blood of the s on of s a nc t ific a ti on God for redemption , and the and consola

of I tion the Etern al Spirit , to carry you in triumphs , may “ s a — for y) more than real , through death yes , through death , ” it is appointed unto all men once t o die . In a few years these n w o thousands who stand around us , shall all sink into the 84 earth on which you stand ; the clods of the valley shall cover ‘ ou n ot one y and be left alive . Whilst this day it is your de ou f r corum , that y remember with sympathetic emotions o s o row the fall of the excellent citizens whose bones you now — inter remember yourselves .

You know that when you die your souls survive , and that your bodies , too , shall live again . These dry bones can live , they will live again , they await , and your remains soon to fol low to the tomb , shall await there the call of that Creator who formed the soul and the body to appear before the j udgment seat of Christ .

d r While we look back to their eath , let us also look fo ward “ to ou r own and to their resurrection on that day for which ” all other days were made . It is hastening ; we must witness

not . its awful solemnities , like those of this day It will not be ushered in by the sound of such artillery as you have to - day

o f heard ; but the trump God , the Archangel , reaching to the

of o f th e depths the ocean and the solemn silence grave , whose

n en tenants shall all start into life , raised by the omnipote t erg i es that shall descend in the voice of the tru mpet . Then shall

Eruptions , earthquakes , comets , lightnings play Their various engines ; all at once disgorge

Their blazing magazines .

— b e You shall not then , as to day , called to attend the inter t o ment of a few bones , but wait on the funeral of the material — — univers e the interm ent of the world we inhabit the interment

- w Of her attendant moon the interment of yonder sun no shin ing gloriously in mid - heaven and the interment of every star that burns by night in the blue vault of heaven . Secured in

of the favor the Almighty Creator , by the Redeemer Of man , may we all be prepared for waiting upon the funeral obsequies o f earth and the heavens in peace and safety .

SURVIVORS O F THE BATTLE

Some of whom attended the obs equies at Goshen

H ATH N . . CO L . JO N H OR of Warwick , N Y

MA J H PP . . . JO N PO INO , Somerville , N J

AJ . . . M MEEKER , N J

E V I TT . . DEWI , N J

TT . . MOSES DEWI , N J 85 A .) T . B T R TR G r RO ER A MS ON , Flo ida , N . Y . MA J . HN D JO WOO , Goshen , N . Y . T PH N TH S E E SMI , Goshen , N . Y .

HA . G C S WEEKS , oshen , N . Y .

S RGT . A B D TH E C LE GOL SMI , Goshen , N . Y .

APT . B AHA DD BA C A R M CU E CK , Minisink , N . Y . AN Y D IEL M ERS , Minisink , N . Y . H A A JO N W LL CE , Minisink , N . Y . H old JO N HOWELL ( sailor) , Minisink , N . Y .

NAT H AN AI Y JO B LE , Wawayanda , N Y .

B H N N A SO M CO KLI , Lackawaxen , Pa . AN u MOSES KILL , Pa pack , Pa .

A Ma na ka tin S MUEL HELM , g , N . Y . J A H TA BEN MIN W I KER , Deposit , N . Y . HN H TA R JO W I KE , Deposit , N . Y . THE OLD MONUMENT REPLACED BY A NEW AND MORE TL COS Y ONE .

. . C Dr Merrit H ash , who was a descendant of one Of the survivors of the Wyoming massacre , bequeathed the sum of toward the erection of a more suitable and impressive monument to take the place of the one O f l first erected over the bones the Goshen Mi itia , and in 1 86 2 the present Minisink monument at Goshen was erected and dedicated .

w - The old monument a s presented to John Edward Howell of Goshen and was donated by him to the Sul m 1 8 9 livan County Com ittee of the celebration in 7 , to be erected on the battleground in that coun ty . * f An e fort has recently been made to conform to Mr . ’ Howell s wishes by resetting the Old monum ent at the

Hospital Rock on the actual battlefield where Dr . Tus ten and his wounded were massacred .

Th e old m onum ent stood a t th e rea r of th e ch u rch and wh en th e p res h wn h n m n wre c e t e e a s c a e t o t e o o c it ent m onu e t a s e t d sit h g d p s iti whi h Th e c a n e a m a i n 1 862 a er n h r ou . w n wo cu e ea r t e ou H se s e o c s pi C t h g d , ft d r ea r ut h wa u offin c th e bones h a been b uri e d fo ty y s ; b t e t o w ln t c s whi h conta i ned th e rem a i ns of th e honored dea d were found t o b e i n a n ex cell ent stat e o f p reservati on a nd were ca re fully a nd rev e rently interred un e r th e resen m os n m onum ent c i s en on th co er of i s d p t i p i g , whi h giv e v th n n a m onum en t o H enr W sner one of th e oo os en a so co a s . b k . G h l t i t y G i , n n signers of th e D ecla ra t ion of I ndep e de ce. 8 6 CHAPTER V I

GO S HE N CELEBRATION OF 1 8 62 .

! T CT M CH ETC. E RA S FRO SPEE ES, A part of the programm e was as follows

Prayer by Rev . George Potts , New York City . Reception of Orange and Sullivan County Committees with address of Mis D . Jno . . E s . avid F . Gedney Oration by C Dimmick , q

cella neous a ddreses S of S l . by society , ons Orange and ul ivan On account o f the condition of the country then engaged in

o wa s the bl ody Civil War , it impossible to restrain the speak

ers t o scenes of Minisink during the Revolution . “ Rev . Dr . Potts prayed , O Divine Ruler , protect the brave men who are defending the cause of the Union upon the battle

of field , and strike from the temple liberty the sacrilegious hand ” of the traitor ! “

. . 0 Mr David F Gedney said , N human being can lift the h veil which now envelops our native land . I trust s e will

emerge from her d arkness radiant with starry brightness . “

. . S . Mr A Van Duzer said , We have come here to meet the

of our of loved other days , to rekindle within hearts the fires ! patriotism and to Offer prayer for the brave departed . Alas f woe a what a chalice o and desolation h s been presented to the lips of the Ameri can people . I hear the voices of those whose

u s r bones lie under that icy marble , calling to to march fo ward with cold steel and belching cannon until this accursed rebel

li on is subdued . My thoughts inevitably run forward into

i s our coming years . It now blessed privilege to teach the — rebellion a never ending lesson . Future generations will erect monuments to the memory of the noble army of martyrs who ” have fall en in it s path .

87 E E E TH BATTL FI LD .

B Y J . w H H . T ES . M JO NS ON, Q , C AIR AN . The Minisink Battle occupies its proper page in American

2 2 d o f 1 i s history , and the day July , 779 , acknowledged as the day on which that sanguinary battle was fought . The field of the battle is also well understood by the public f w e t in general , while a have recently sought o raise a question a s s to i t locality . It is desirable that such a question be carefully considered and rightfully settled , and that all reasonable doubt in regard t o of a matter such importance be dispelled . It i s a lamentable fact that the history of the battle is defi cient in many essential particulars , and that by an unpardon able n egligence much information has been irretrievably lost , and which if once collected and preserved by those who p os sessed the opportunity , would now be hailed as a valuable pos session . A number Of the men actually engaged in the conflict lived and circulated among their former neighbors for years after ward , and the mean s of information thereby presented , to

o f t o gether with others equal certainty , but serve prove the indifference of mankind in regard to matters of such lively interest to those living in after years . But whatever doubt may surround many incidents connected

one with it , the fact is established that the place entitled to

o f the distinction being the field of , the Minisink Battle is situ w f of no o ate in what is the town Highland , County Sullivan ,

S of and tate New York , and in lots number sixteen and seven teen in the s eventh division of the Minisink Patent . By an air line th e distance of the field from the village of Barryville in

2 88 or —fifth s s aid town of Highland is chains , three and three

one- o f miles , and about four and half miles by the usual route

ut one one travel . From Lackawaxen it is distant abo and fourth miles by road , and is elevated above the level of the Dela ware River at that place not less than feet . i s of The field itself a plateau formed by a ledge rock , most of which i s covered by earth to a depth sufficient to support the of growth of shrubbery . The edges the ledge present a pro jecti on towards the southeast , southwest and northwest , and

- r . when viewed together fo m , most nearly , a semi circle Toward 88 1 5 the southeast the face of the ledge is somewhat broken , to 1 8 feet high and may be ascended o r descended without much difficulty . Towards the southwest it is in part composed O f broken rock , while another part exhibits a steep hill some 2 5 feet in height . The imperfect breastwork of the whites so hastily erected 1 may still be traced , and which as late as 83 9 was so distinct as to leave no doubt of its direction and extent , or the ground occupied by those it was intended to shield .

That we have not mistaken the battlefield , let the following evidence be respectfully submitted When the bones of the slain were collected and removed to

for Goshen burial , they were found upon this plateau and at f the base of the ledge o which it is composed .

of ? m ow Is there proof the assertion If I may refer to y n m personal acquirements , I answer that my infor ation enables me to answer affirmatively ; and that others may j udge o f it s sufficiency , I give the evidence by which I have been convinced . John Carpenter formerly owned and resided up on what is known as the B eaver Brook farm situate in the town of High land , and where the waters of the Beaver Brook and Dry Brook unite with the Delaware River ; the farm on which he was born m and grew to manhood , and whereon , as we are infor ed by a

of 1 782 member the family , his father settled in , three years after the battle .

w o f e f . a s o Mr Carpenter a man an active , i nt lligent mind , hi s inquiring habits , retentive memory , easy and accurate in d communications , and probably reached the perio of his ma jority n ear the beginning of this nineteenth century . of 1 83 9 of In the autumn , I called upon him at his place residence and asked him to Show me the ground on which the

w . Minisink Battle a s fought He kindly consented and led the way up and along the valley of the D ry Brook where neither road nor pathway had yet been opened for about the distance

n one— e o of o e and fourth miles , until we enter d up n the plateau t o a s I have described . This he designated me the battlefield and conversed upon m a ny incidents cownnected with i t . s a s b e Here , ixty years after the battle , to seen the frail breastwork which the few brave men in the hour of peril and in the anxiety of their hearts had erected in the presence of the

89 savage foe , with each and every stone , apparently , in the posi

tion their hardy hands had placed them .

of - Joseph Carp enter , a brother the gentleman before

named , once owned and resided upon a farm situate along the

e same Beaver Brook , two miles up the stream , and wh re the Old

. few Cochecton road crosses the same He was a very years

younger than his brother ; settled here about the same time , and the foregoing statement respecting the habits and abilities of th n e o e is equally true of the other . 1 843 In the year I first heard that this Mr . Joseph Carpen ter had assisted in collecting the bon es of the heroes from the r battleground , and at an ea ly day thereafter I j ourneyed to the

. w place of Mr Carpenter and learned from him that such a s the f fact . I info rmed him that I felt a degree o solicitude in regard

wa s to the battlefield and the events associated with it , anxious m to acquire whatever reliable infor ation subsisted , and that I would cheerfully pay him fo r his time and labor if he would a c

' l a nd iv e r company me to the battlefie d , g me such info mation as he possessed relative t o the collection of the bon es and t o all

r &c . &c . other matters pe taining to the ground , the battle , , He S th e appointed the following aturday for j ourney , and sug

gested that I be at his place at an early hour of that day . I carefully attended to the appointment and arrived at hi s house ’ at 9 o clock a . m . not His good lady (Aunt Dorcas) , than whom a kinder did

for live , provided us an ample lunch and we commenced our

of . . appointed j ourney . On leaving the premises Mr C we passed some distance up and along the old Cochecton road , and then through a pathless wild until we arrived upon this same

o plateau , where we remained , expl ring the ground and Sur of roundings , searching for relics and rehearsing traditions the

of . battle , until the sun was nearing the brow the western hill

w . a s Here a s what the second Mr Carpenter reco gnized the

- ground on which ill requited bravery grappled with savage fury ,

t o only die , and to remember in dying for their country and own t oo home . Here , , was the spot from which he with his reverent hands helped to gather the whitened remains of the men who died that liberty and right might survive , and that e th e h a d they might be united in a common s pulchre as in life y . been united in a common purpos e . Here at the base of the ledge forming the northwest extrem

(90

s t it u t i on w now it s n hich spreads grateful shadows over us , u der

o f r a like form gove nment , with institutions ennobled and im proved by the constantly increasing intelligence and virtue of

the times .

a s And now , the gentle western breezes unfurls yonder chaste ,

ro ou p ud ensign of Republican Sovereignty , we confide in y to hope with us that it will ever float over a land and a people

that are free , and that all the myriads which shall yet arise from the bosom Of coming centuries will own a n oble and virtu ou s pride in the protection it secures . TH M T E ONU MEN .

The monument is composed of stones gather ed from the

fla s t n s o e f battlefield , excepting the two g which cap the dif er

o . ent section s , and the boulder which forms the cr wn All these

o were Obtained from Capt . L . F . J hnston at the mouth of

Beaver Brook , and by his procurement drawn first to Lacka

waxen and thence up the acclivity t o the battlefield . The flag

one one- stones are each five inches thick , the five and half and

o f the other four feet square . The boulder is white sandstone

and weighs about pounds .

I o f n the center the lower section of the monument , and

directly beneath the large flagstone , was placed a black wal nut box which was brought from the Southern States by Abel

S E . n . s Myers , q , upon his retur from the late war , and whose

wa s of grandfather a brother the Daniel Myers who acted such a

prominent part in the Minisink battle . In the box is a paper containing the names o f the Committee of Arrangements and others interested and assisting in th e erec

tion of the monument .

W OF WH T R . PRAYE BY REV. J . B ILLIAMS I E LAKE ,

LL C T . U . S IVAN OUN Y, N Y

O Lord of hosts ! we desire to worship Thee on this mountain . Thou art a g reat King and all people should be silent before

u s Thee . It befits to adore Thee this day Of commemoration o f e ou r of departed hero s , while we lift up hearts to the God ou r fathers in the midst of these woods and rocks , and templed

of hills , which are themselves the proof the presence , and power, o and maj esty of our G d . 92

’ ta of . and righteousness become the s bility the times Send , we pray Thee , national prosperity . ! Bless , O Lord all ranks and classes Of society . Bless the President of the United States and give him wisdom to guide i the o fficult affairs of State . Bless the members of Congress ; many they be good men and rule in the fear of God .

Bless aged fathers , mothers and the children present . May

s ee d w the next generation better ays than ever their fathers s a , the nation increasing in virtue , morality and religion until it a sh ll become the glory Of all lands .

ou r o f Be pleased , Father in heaven , to guide the tongues the

ou r speakers that they may utter words advisedly , that hearts

for may be strengthened every good purpose , and may gratitude

fill every soul . We rem emb er ft hi s day that ou r lives are short and uncer ” e ? t oo tain h re are they When we , , shall pass away and all the mighty dead may ou r latter end be peace gathering be with the blood - bought

“ I n throng And to Thy blessed name , through

Christ Jesus , e all the praise , world without end . Amen .

B Y H T . W . J. DD T W ORA ION ON M GROO OF MI LE O N , G T ORAN E COUN Y, N . Y.

: - on Fellow Citizens One hunwdred years ago to day , the Spot no o f where we are assembled , in the town Highland , Sullivan

- Y . fiv e County , N . , forty brave men gave up their lives at the f ” o e . call duty , and for the prot ction of their homes If it be

r of true as some believe , that the spi its the departed are con

of scious of the conduct the living, we may well suppose that all who were present on that ever memorable day are now wit

nes sin . g with the deepest interest , our proceedings May this thought inspire us t o the utterance of such words as Shall fitly commemorate their deeds . We are not here simply to express our admiration of the

w o f o f men who ere killed in the battle Minisink , but all who

. now fought in that engagement Death has overtaken them all , and we must remember and recog nize the fact , that he who survives the performance of a great duty ought to be awarded equal praise with him who loses his life before the contest i s ended . 94 b As we recur to the attle of Minisink , three names at once occur t o our minds a s the most prominent act ors in that sanguin

. : . r . ary contest , viz Cols Tusten , Hatho n and Brant ’ Th e record of this day s proceedings would not be complete wr h t ou t making a passing notice of these commanders .

. on 1 43 Col Benj amin Tusten was born Long Island in 7 , and

- ws of . consequently a thirty six y ears old at the time the battle Hi s father moved into Orange County when the s on was but three years old , and settled about three miles from the village

Of Goshen . Young Tusten , after a thorough academic educa

am tion , studied medicine and bec e a prominent and successful

o f ro physician and surgeon . He continued the practice his p fes si on , having the confidence and esteem of the entire com

‘

hi s dea th . munity in which he lived , until the time of Like most

w . a s really great men , he modest and unassuming in his manners He early took g round in favor O f the independence of the

not Colonies , but he was permitted to live to witness the con summation of his hopes . n a Colonel , afterwards , General Joh Hathorn , was a true p

ws of . a triot and a man sterling integ rity He , at the time of of the battle , about the same age Tusten and Brant , and although the result of the eng ag ement was disastrous to hi s

m no one o hi s com and , ever questi ned bravery

hi s O f b e The fact that little band untrained soldiers were a l , for s o Of many hours , to resist the attack an enemy that greatly

o f ri outnumbered them , is evidence that he was a man supe or military genius . The high estimate placed upon his character and ability by the citizens of that day , is shown by the fact that

wa s f he repeatedly chosen to represent them in the halls o State 2 2 1 82 2 i . d and National leg slation On the day of July , 0 , forty three years after the battle—the occasion being the laying of

. Y . Of Co . the foundation a monument at Goshen , Orange , N , to commemorate the sacrifices o f the men whose bones had then — for the first time been gathered from the field o f battl e Gen . Hathorn spoke a s follows “At the end of three and forty years we have assembled to perform the s a d rites of sepulture to the bones o f ou r country

no . men and kindred . But these alone are t sufficient Policy h a s united with the gratitude of nations in erecting some memo rial of the virtues Of those who died defending their country . Monuments to the brave are mementoes to their descendants ; 95 the honors they record are stars to the patriot in the path of glory . Beneath the mausoleum whose foundation we now lay , repose all that was earthly of patriots and heroes . This honor has been long their due , but circumstances which it is u nneces sary for me to recount have prevented an earlier display of this

. on gratitude Having commanded that melancholy occasion , which bereft the nation of so many o f its brightest ornaments having been the companion of their sufferings in a pathless desert , and a witness of their valor against a savage foe of n superior numbers , I approach the duty assig ed me with mingled

e feelings of sadness and pleasure . May this monument endur

o f : with the liberties our country when they perish , this land will no longer be worthy to hold within its bosom the consecrated ” bones of its heroes .

o These noble w rds , and falling from the lips of the venerable

old on commander , then about eighty years , and such an occa

a . sion , must h ve been greatly impressive

s h b in Jo ep Brant , the Mohawk Chief , was orn in Ohio about 42 2 4 1 1 80 . 7 , and died November , 7 He was frequently spoken of o as a Shawnee by birth and only a Mohawk by adopti n , and it has also been said that he was a son o f Sir William Johnson . 1 775 Having taken a part in the campaign of Lake George in , and in various subsequent conflicts , he officiated after Sir Wm . ’

. Gu ri Johnson s death as secretary of Col y Johnson , Supe ntend ' - Genera l of e ent the Indians , and wh n the American Revolution

wa s began , he instrumental in exciting the Indians against the

Colonies . His presence at the battle of Wyoming is doubtful , though he took part in that of Cherry Valley and other san

v o w rec ei ed ith g uina ry engag ements . He was great distincti on on his tour t o England in 1 776 and was attached to the military service of Sir Guy Carlton in Canada . He opposed the confed era t i o n of th e Indians which led to the expedition o f Gen .

Wayne , and did all he could to prevent peace between the Indians

v w e h o e er and the United States . He was , , zealously devot d to

of ff the welfare his own people , and conspicuous for his e orts to prevent the introduction of ardent spirits among them . He d was a brave warrior and note for his ability , as testified by his correspondence . d Duri ng his stay in England he collected fun s for a church , which was the first one built in Upper Canada . He there also “ ” “ published the Book of Common Prayer and the Gospel of 96

“ e - homes ; some taking shelt r in the block houses , or forts , as

. h they were called A number , owever , were killed , houses and r i o e r . N O f wa s ba ns were burned , h rses and cattl d ven away ef ort

t o made at this time to pursue the invaders , buwt guard against the repetition of this outrage Count Pulaski a s stationed there with a battalion of cavalry . 1 77 h In February , 9 , he was ordered with his troops to Sout

Carolina . It is probable that Brant was soon informed that the frontier was again unprotected , and organized a second raid into that regi on . He reached the vicinity of what is now called Cuddeback

of o f 1 ville , near the line Orange County , on the night the 9th of

1 . July , 779 This time his approach was more rapid and stealthy and l e the know edge of his presence in the neighborhood , befor day

o n . break the next m rning , caused the greatest conster ation

S e i b - th ers tt oo ome succe ded in reach ng the lock houses , p k“ ‘

d r er d. refuge in the woo s , while many were c uelly murd e After n bur ing and plundering at will , Brant marched hastily back ,

o m laden with sp ils , to Grassy Brook , a small strea which emp

th e ties into the Mongaup a few miles from Delaware , where he rej oined a portion of hi s command which had been left there . It will be seen by this fact that he h a d a much larger force than he deemed necessary for the destruction and plunder o f the settlement , but he anticipated pursuit and thus guarded against capture and defeat .

The news of this terri ble disaster having reached Col . Tu s t en ou 2 0th e to th e the , he at once issu d orders several officers Of hi s regiment t o meet him the next m ornI ng with a s many vol “ unt eers a s . they could muster , at the lower neighborhood About one hundred and fifty officers and men appeared at the time and place named , and early , probably before daybreak ,

e . pushed forward under Col . Tust n toward the Neversink ow At the place n called Finchville on the east side of

a wa n u nk S h g mountain , they had breakfast and were supplied with some provisions for the campaign .

e After the long and w ary march Of that day , following the

for n trail o f the retreating foe , they encamped the night at Ski ’ th e of . ner s mill , about three miles from mouth Halfway Brook

On the morning of the 2 2 d they were j oined by Col . Hath

98 orn of the Warwick regiment , with a few men , and he being the f senior o ficer took command .

Advancing to Halfway Brook , now Barryville , they came

of h upon the Indian encampment the previous nig t , and it was evident that Brant was near . In order to ascertain his exact position and his contemplated place of crossing the Delaware ,

Captains Tyler and Cuddeback were sent forward .

h is Tyler was soon shot , and after a short delay caused by

. r s w a death , Col Hatho n advanced , and as soon as he the main

of body the enemy leisurely approaching the ford , near the mouth of the Lackawaxen ( some had crossed and others were a crossing with the plunder) , he left the Indi n trail and turned h in to the right , intending by a rapid marc over these hills to t erc ept Brant at the ford . The wily Indian had discovered his pursuers and a nti cipa t

ob ou r ing their j ect , marched his forces quickly up this ravine to

b Col . left , there y placing himself in the rear of Hathorn and preventing about fifty of his men , who had fallen behind in the march , from j oining him . And now we have the contending forces in close proximity to each other .

The Americans , numbering about ninety , occupied the small plateau o n which we are assembled . The ledge of rocks which

s ee ou r t o you a little to right , and extending around the monu ment yonder , formed the southerly boundary of the battlefield .

The Indians and Tories came up from the ravine to the left , o r o northerly fr m this stand , and extended their line around to the west . 0 ! What an hour o f supreme peril waswthat for the little Spartan band thus environed by the very j a s of death .

t o What a scene for us contemplate , looking back through the vista of an hund red years ! Who shall tell us Of that day

s o and hour , fraught with deepest interest to those men and the dear ones they had left at home ?

re Their voices are hushed in death , and their spirits have

w . s turned to the God h o gave them The u n above us is silent these rocks and hills will not their lasting silence break—the whisperings o f the wind through the branches of the trees about

o f us we do not understand , and the mirrored waters yonder Delaware have not retain ed the shadows and impressions o f

that day . 99 If these mute witnesses could but speak , how gladly would we be silent and listen to their eloquence ; grander far than ever fell from human lips . But we must content ourselves with such information a s

v came from the sur ivors of that fearful contest , and which now occupy a prominent page in the histories Of Orange and Sullivan Counties ; to which histories we are largely indebted for the statement of facts contained in this address concern ing the bat "e of tle Minisink and the events immediately preceding it .

o Brant , realizing the dium that must ever rest upon his name by reason of his inhuman and barbarous treatment of the h wounded and elpless who fell into his hands after the battle , attempted to palliate these wrongs by a statement made , many

a years after , to the effect that before the battle began , he p

ea red hi s p in full view of the Americans , and told them that

r force was superior to them , and that if they would sur ender he would protect them . That he could then control his warriors ,

— o but after blood shed he could n t answer for the result .

Assuming this statement to be strictly true , we do not won

ol n der that C . Hathor declined to intrust his command to the tender care of the friends on whose hands the blood of loving n mothers and innocent children had scarcely dried . It was the i “ v it a ti on t o of the spider to the fly , and I do not hesitate here express the opinion that if it had been accepted , not one of that band of patriots would ever have escaped to tell a tale O f horrors

- more heart rending than the history of that day now records . Brant could then have g iven his own version o f the affair with out fear o f contradiction . The history o f the Indian character i s written in the mid

o f n night glare bur ing houses , with the tomahawk and scalping

h . knife , dipped in the blood of women and c ildren ’ The battle really began about eleven o clock , by the Indians advancing from the North , but they were promptly repulsed and held in check while some o f the men hastily threw up a sort of — - of u r e one breast work sticks and p tu ned Ston s , about hundred and fifty feet from the southerly extremity of the plateau . The wa s location of this defensive line , but a few years ago , dis t inctly marked .

* H or of ran e oun am ue W . a er . H s or of u a n ist y . O g C ty by S l E g i t y S lliv

u n an . County by J a m es E . Q i l 1 00 must not be forgotten on t his occasion . I refer to the families o f these men . What has been said of the wevents of that terrible day is a matter of public history ; yet h o but God keeps the record of broken hearts , and numbers the falling tears ?

- If to day we could read that record , our deepest sympathies would be stirred by the untold anguish of the wives and children that day made widows and fatherless .

H B H . T C . TT M T ADDRESS BY ON AR UR U S OF ON ICELLO , N . Y .

FELLOW CITI! ENS : To day in the fairest village o f our sister

County of Orange , a mighty throng have assembled around a

r eu marble shaft , upon which they read a legend , ca ved in the

ou 2 2 d 1 during stone , that the July , 779 , the Patriots whose

ri on names are there insc bed , fell in a bloody struggle the distant heights of Minisink , after deeds Of mighty valor , and that under neath repose the gathered and precious ashes of the heroic dead . It is well that thwe last resting - place of those brave men should o n . be among their kindred , and amid their childhood scenes We are standing t o- day upon the very spot where those patriots fell . The soil beneath our feet was crimsoned with their — . one a o o blood These hills , hundred years g to day , looked d wn and saw the grandest spectacle this earth affords—the death of the patriot who dies for his country . Here they struggled ,

i one . fought and died ; Americans , patr ots , heroes every Shall

on we , shall we , this memorable day , with mournful visage

urn linger n ear their funeral , and drape it with the chaplets of

? no ! N o no for the dead Ah , tears , cypress the patriot dead ;

To e not . for they die , but live forever all men in ev ry age , their lives are an example , their deaths an inspiration . Let us banish

every note of woe . Let these hills which heard their death

of groans , resound with the loud huzzas and acclamations us

i s i their countrymen , proud that it g ven to us , after a hundred

r e r on years have olled away , to commemorate th ir valo the field

w . where it a s so gloriously displayed

not of We envy the citizens Orange that if true manhood , lofty courage and ardent patriotism were here made conspicuous on that eventful day , that the fame and glory belongs to their

o f honored sires . AS sons Sullivan we are content that our soil

w . a s consecrated by their blood 1 02 — To day our maids and matrons bring fragrant flowers that bloom among our hemlock hills , and strew them over every spot where those brave heroes fell . They drop their tears for those who died to shield the wives , the daughters and the mothers Of o that stormy time from the torments of a merciless Indian foe ; and as their tears fall upon the flowers , behold , they breathe forth a sweeter perfume and blush with a brighter hue and then ’ from these , with tender hands , they wreath a hero s garland , and lay with reverence on yon monumental pile . What mort al tongue or pen can fitly chronicle the heroism f wh o n o and fortitude those galla t men , fought and died upon this gory field one hundred years a g o to - day ?

fire- e We see them at their sides , in those troubl d revolution ary times , when the startling news is brought to them that — u — Brant the cruel , plundering , murdero s Brant the dusky demon who gloated over his murdered victims amid the smoking — ruins of Cherry Valley and Wyoming that Brant and his i l treacherous , uncivilized braves were hover ng near the peacefu l homes which then smiled in this wi derness , leaving blackened ashes and human blood t o mark his scourging path . The tocsin ” “ ” of alarm is sounded : To arms ! To arms ! they cry ; and to

o f r of the sound fife and d um , mid the tears the loved ones they left behind , and followed by their prayers , they marched away

o t meet and stem the irresistible current , which was demolishing

— of the hearth stones , and sweeping away the lives their country men in its bloody tide . They marched through the pathl ess ’ sun one wilderness , and neath a burning July , hundred years — ago t o day they met the foe . They fought ; they were outnum bered ; alas ! they were conquered ; but not until half their littl e band lay dead upon this historic field ; not until they had a c complished a feat of arms which will blaze forever upown the page s o f our history ; not until they had illustrated h o American

t o patriots could fight and die , when opposed a hireling savage — horde , let loose upon them by the power which sought thank — God ! in vain to crush the independent spi ri t Of American freemen . f wh o o ! Shades the dead , died in honor here Soldiers , heroes ,

o f ! patriots Minisink Your gallant deeds , your unselfish

ri for sac fices , your intrepid valor , your immortal deaths are not gotten and unprized in this generation by your countrymen .

a nd e cons e Assembled here , we honor revere your m mories , and 1 03 r u crate this battle g o nd , through all time , to your honor and your fame . We mark this spot with a cenotaph , rugged and

r unpretending , for such in life ye were , quar ied by reverent

o hands from out of these hills , imm rtalized by your deeds for evermore . The first beams of th e morning sun will gild it with

o splendor and a hal will be shed around it by his evening rays .

There let it remain untouched forever , save by the gentle sum mer breeze and the wild winter storm .

— Mrs . Jonathan Corey , aged eighty three years , was now sit i n ting upon the stand a chair once owned by Col . Tusten , of whom Mrs . Corey is a relative .

u Judge Butts then in polite and appropriate lang age , pre sented the aged lady with a beautiful basket of flowers , taste fully and artistically prepared by Mrs . J . W . Johnson , bearing 1 in the center the figures 779 formed with scarlet flowers . “ e The Judg also , and in a touching manner , referred to the ” old arm chair of lVI rs . Corey and the memories with which it stood connected .

. m on m Mrs Corey , stepping beside the Chair an the platfor , and in full view of the audience , requested from him a public announcement o f her gratitude and her acknowledgments for the kindness shown her . The Chairman then on b ehalf of the aged lady and in c ompli

: ance with her request , spoke as follows

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN : On behalf of our aged friend Mrs . m Corey , I present to you her acknowledg ents for the attentions

of thus extended to her , and likewise for the presentation this beautiful floral gift , bestowed in a manner so appropriate and polite . w no I hold to your view this relic of ancient days , in the shape of a chair , once owned and used in the family of Col . Tus ten , second in command at this battle , and who with seventeen of his faithful followers met death by the tomahawk in Indian

e hands , beneath yonder l dge whose gray and frowning side stands the enduring witness of the barbaric scenes perpetrated at

o f re re its base . It bears the unerring marks the relic it is p sented to be , and I hold it to your view with all the reverence and admiration its history dem a nds .

o f Here too stands the aged possessor it now , directly san 1 04 should ever and anon keep alive the sacred fires of freedom by assembling on the day and in the place where those brave Spar

f u of tans o fered p their lives in defence their liberties and homes . ‘ Tis well to stand upon the ground that drank the blood , — o f wh o even unto death , of full one half all the brave command

on met the Indian horde , led by the wily Brant on this very

- e . plateau , j ust one hundr d years ago to day Led on by Brant ,

s a on - I y ; yes , he led by twenty seven Tories (as history and tradition tell us) who were worse than the barbarous savages themselves ; and they again hissed on by British promise of ’ gold , power , and possession Of their neighbors houses and prop ert of o f y, as the price their treason , against the sacred right

o . liberty , both p litical and religious ’ for w Tis well those who have dra n the sword in their coun ’ old try s cause to now and again take down the trusty friend ,

wa s o n t burnish it , and teach the rising generation that liberty

ri bought without a p ce ; and if , as in this case , the actual par ’ ti ci a nt s for p have all passed away , tis well their children and — grand and great grand children to do likewise ; and gatherings like this are like unto a brightening up of the Old blade . History has failed t o do j ustice t o the men who so gallantly offered up their lives on the battle field of Minisink ; although a very full account of their san guinary conflict may be found in

t o r O1. the archives at Albany , as reported the Gove nor by C

Hathorn immediately after . From this and tradition it would seem that Brant conceived the idea of ex t errnina ting the people of o Minisink , which included that section Of country where P rt

ow - v n fi e Jervis stands , some twenty miles down the Delaware i f River . Gathering h s braves to the number o about one hun d - red and forty , and some twenty seven white Tories , he stealthily

of on made his way into the quiet little hamlet Minisink , the

2 0th or n 2 1 s t , at night , early in the mor ing of the , muwrderinwg r t o sa every man , woman and child in their way , and bu ning

one mills , grist mill and the only church in the settlement , w t e of which stood on what is no Main Street in h village Port

Jervis . From my best information there were only two build ings left standing in all that thri fty settlement ; on e a stone house on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware and a similar

ow n . structure yet standing in what i s n called Germantow

a s a s a s They were both built and used forts , well dwellings ,

wh o t o were barricaded and defended by the people fled them for 1 06 protection against the savage horde . On heari ng of the

slaughter of their neighbors , the brave men Of Goshen and

vicinity assembled , enrolled themselves under the command of

Col . Tusten , and they were again j oined by another company

. n under Col Hathor , and all marched to Minisink , where they

were j oined by the few men left in the place , a few also from and New Jersey Pennsylvania , and immediately Started in pur f suit O the savage fo e . The Indians and whites encamped s ome

on of 2 l s t three miles apart the night the , about three miles

east of this place . Next morning early found our men again

of in pursuit the enemy , who was leisurely making his way up

the river, and pretending to cross it yonder at my right , about one mile distant at the confluence of the Delaware and Lacka

. t o waxen Rivers According some accounts , the Indians were

our surprised by men , while other and more probable accounts

represent Brant as aware of the pursuit , and onl y pretending i to cross the river with his plunder , wh le he had marched the

d of main bo y his men around yonder hill , thus coming in the rear of our men and cutting O ff their retreat ; at the same time fore

on a s s ee ing them to take their position this plateau , you it , with that perpendicular ledge o f some twenty feet in height in

“ their rear and saving them from any danger of an attack from that direction . That this is the ex ac t spot on which the battle was fought

o there is no doubt, from the fact that there are men up n the ground t o - day who were here when the bones of the slain were gathered and taken t o Goshen and inte rred with imposing cere

o monies . Again there are th se still living who have visited the

ground with men who participated in the battle . h Having liwved all my life in t is vicinity , I have sought after particulars ith some pain Some thirty - seven years ago I clos ed the eyes of Ab sol om

Conklin in death at the age of eighty . He was over fifteen years

old of hi s at the time the battle , and he with father and mother

on of lived j ust yonder point at the mouth the Lackawaxen , where hi s father had built the first l og house in this section and

cleared a few acres of land . The Old man lived with my father h ow l at the time of his death , and never tired te ling me they were compelled to leave their rude home and descend the Dela ware River in a canoe on account of the Indians becoming

H o . w threatening, only a short time before the battle they 1 07 stopped on the Pennsylvania side of the river , opposite Mini ink ; how his father j oined the militia in pursuit of Brant ; how they fought until late in the afterno on of a very h ot day with out water ; when their ammunition became exhausted they were compelled to retreat— his father running to the Delaware at

wrm s min Otter Eddy , g the same and making his way back to his family . How they soon moved back ; how he had gone to the battle ground with his father and s aw the bones of those who died . w a h o Again Br nt , at and after that time held a commis

on k sion in the British army , a certain occasion in New Yor

o f City after peace was declared , gave his version the battle ,

thi S ° in brief , like He said the whites took a position on an elevated plateau

on e ou on with a small round hill on their left (the y see my left , n o doubt) ; that before bringing o n a general engagement he

ou r sent out a white flag , which was met by one from side ; that he rode around yonder hill to the flags and told our men they had better surr ender and he would treat them as prisoners of

t o war ; that his force was far superior ours , and if a general

wa s battl e s brought on he would not be able to restrain hi savage warriors ; that while thus in parley a bullet came whistling by his side and cut his sword belt ; that he then threw himself from

for . his horse , retreated to his men and drew them up battle

no Be that as it may , there is doubt our men occupied this — r half acre of ground , with ude breast works of stone , logs and — brush hastily thrown up , running in a semi circle from the point of yonder rock around by this stand to the top of yonder ledge .

rn of Col . Col . Hatho in his report to the Governor speaks Tusten ( a practicing physician ) establishing a hospital under a high rock in the rear of our line ; that he had a number of patients and was also wounded himself .

o It is probable when our men broke , the brave Col nel was tomahawked together with his patients , as seventeen skeletons were found bleaching beneath that rock at my right when the bones o f the slain were removed to their final resting place at

a . Goshen , Or nge County , New York

This celebration , friends , is truly a success . Such a vast con course Of peopl e was never assembled at Lackawaxen before . To

h a d the committee which has this work in charge , too much

c ommit ee of praise cannot be given . I am told a five or six 1 08 preceded me , my mind has been irresistably carried back to th e — o f our a early days country hundred years back , when upon

o of our this spot where now we stand , the best bl od Revolution

for u s for w ary Fathers was spilled and the liberties we no enj oy . It was a day in the history of our revoluti onary struggle which will never b e forgotten . It was a period when subj ugation — stared our little army in the face ~ when a successful foe lined

o f D of the banks your beautiful elaware , at the base this moun

of tain , where we now stand , when the enemies freedom were exulting in the anticipat ed overthrow of o ur destitute and almost exhausted army . But the patriotism of a Washington again cheered their drooping spirits , animated anew their en feebled bodies , and kindled in their bosoms an inextinguishab le

of o f h flame liberty and love independence , that not ing could subdue .

no There is need , after what you have already heard , for me to allude in detail to the brave deeds of those whose memories — we to day meet to honor and embalm . Their heroic deeds , their

for dauntless courage , their zealous patriotism will never be gotten s o long as American hearts live and America i s a nation .

The names Of Tusten and Hathorn , with their equally heroic

of comrades of the rank and file , are the inheritance us all , and we honor ourselves in thus paying our patriotic tribute to their “ ’ l ” memory . After life s fitfu fever they Sleep well ; and here where this lofty peak kisses the clouds , here where the bones

for o n lay years , here where the sunbeams first gl w in the mor ing, it i s fitting that a monument t o their mem ory should be erected ; it i s to meet that we should celebrate their fame .

t o I But in the few moments allotted me , cannot forbear saying a few words on a subj ect beautifully alluded to by your i distinguished orator , in relation to the vigilance and foster ng o care necessary t o retain our civil and religious liberty . If y u would secure these blessings a s an inheritance t o your children

ou t o o a hundred years hence , y cannot strongly guardwagainst wr n it s r . o n corruption in all fo ms My obse vation , and a ar ing voice coming from the sepulchre of many nations , leads me to apprehend that unless we are zealous in this direction , we may ' a s yet fa ll from ou r high estate . Look at the facts they now

ou . exist around y , and tell me if there is not danger Consider

1 1 0 the nature and tendency of the means so often employed t o de i n feat the popular will the choice of our rules . While men o f all parties have united in the cry of bribery

and corruption , all have been , to a greater or less extent guilty .

I speak of all parties , and I affirm that notwithstanding the

of care and vigilance the real friends of truth and virtue , the

f h a s e - right Of su frage b en shamefully abused , the ballot box has b een prostituted , the Constitution and the laws have been

of violated , the principles morality and the character of the

Nation have been dishonored . Such are the effects o f that reck if not less spirit which , restrained and kept within proper bounds , may yet Shake the temple of liberty from the foundation to the top stone , and extinguish its sacred flames on American altars . I apprehend that in these latter days t oo many of us go for

o ur ou r . w a s ou r party , too few for country There a time when fathers were noted for an inflexible dete rmination to sustain the

of Constitution and the laws the land , but I strongly suspect that another and different standard exists in many places and especially in ou r most populous cities . The individual who will give the most money to secure the success of his party,will occupy the highest place in the estimation of many of the

w . of hi s o n e voters political cre d Indeed , the man who can obtain the largest number of votes by political intrigue or de

c e ti on i s . p , thought by many to possess an enviable distinction

Such a prominence i s one that noble minds should scorn . The man who employs such means to eff ect th e triumph o f hi of hi s s party , strikes a daring blow at the institutions Coun

a . try . He is Shameless assassin of virtue and liberty He would

of t o pull down the great pillars the Constitution , and cast the ’ winds the scattered pages of hi s Country s laws . But I must close . I need not , I cannowt Speak particularly a s ou o e t o Of the duties which , individuals , y your Country ,

ou s ee but I pray y , to it , that they are discharged with incor

u s . ruptib l e integrity . A great responsibility rests upon Our influence will be felt by those who shall come after u s . The manner in which we live and act , and improve the privileges we

t o possess , will tend shape the character and destiny Of the ou r rising generation , and if we discharge whole duty , we shall be a hundred years hence what we now are , a free and inde pendent people . 1 1 1 Away then with that time- serving policy which would live but for the passing hour . We should act with reference to the

of b est interests of humanity , irrespective personal ease or grati

fica t i om It is for us to live for truth and virtue , for liberty

o r . and u Country Thus live and thus act , and America Shall be in the future , as in the past , great , prosperous and free .

1 1 2 drunken , that he might take away your land , that he mi ght posses s your furs . “ The palefaces bought land to a certain mountain and claimed miles beyond when they came to possess it . “ Our fathers smoked the pipe of peace in this forest .

I call on them as my witnesses . “ Because I have given my voice against the palefaces

r w and their fi e at er you have bound me with thongs and

- the war club is about to descend on my head . But while ‘ ’ e the great fath r of waters continues to flow , you and your children will mourn over the innocent blood of Red

Jacket . You and they will meditate on the truth of his

Council . “ He sought to re move from your midst your greatest i enemy , that your warriors m ght be strong in battle , that your chiefs might be wise in council , and that your young men might be swift in the chase . “ He has done his duty . He has given warning

fir wr e a te against the destruction of his people by , and they have refused to listen to his voice . “ Red Jacket will look on the sun for the last time . him He is now ready to depart . His father will meet and commend him . His tongue will be forever silent .

There will be no tears shed over his grave . “ But the dripping dews from the weeping- willow shall

- perpetuate his memory , and the song bird of the forest W ” sing praises of his orth .

(It is needless to say Red Jacket was acquitted . )

! T T T H’ H E RAC S FROM ECUMSE S SPEEC .

This great Chief happened to be stamping his feet in E anger at the time a great earthquake occurred . ver afterward when an earthquake shook the Indian wig “ ” e wams they said , T cumseh is stamping his foot , and

1 1 4 at night when they saw a meteor shoot across the sky “ they said , It is the soul of Tecumseh , which cannot rest until the palefaces are driven from his hunting ” grounds . He was heard to chide his people with the “ command : Lay aside the soft blankets of wool and h don the Skins of the forest . The Great Fat er is angry when he hears th e noise of your muskets . Put away the thunder of the white man and take up again the bow and the hatchet !”

TRIBUTE TO GEN . JACKSON .

During the Creek war on one of the battlefields , an

Indian baby was found clinging to its dead mother . The “ squaws in the camp said , Kill the papoose , for all its kin ” h are dead . But the General took t e babe to his own tent and mixed some sugar and water and kept it alive “ ” until it could be sent to the hermitage . It there found a home and was loved like a son until he died at the age of seventeen years .

L ’ T ORD DUNMORE S VIC ORY . G While Lord Dunmore was overnor of Virginia , that

Province extended to the Ohio River . During the early part of the Revolutionary troubles , a Cayuga Chief named Logan and his tribe remained neutral , but in

1 4 ob b ers O f May , 77 , a party of land j were robbed some I n horses near the Ohio River , and it was laid to the dians . The Captain , Michael Cresap , sought revenge by murdering many Indians who evidently had nothing to do with the the ft . They in turn began retaliation by attacking the pioneers on the frontier , burning their buildings and murdering many white people . Lord

Dunmore sent Gen . Lewis with Provincial troops who attacked the red warriors at the confluence of the 1 1 5 n w Ka h a a and Ohio Rivers , and the Indians were severely defeated in what is known as the “ battle of ” anh aw K a , after which they were forced to Sign a treaty of peace .

Logan refused to attend the conference , but addressed a speech by the mouth of Col . Gibson to Lord Dun more .

L ’ D C OGAN S EFEN E .

I appeal to any white man to say if he ever entered ’ Logan s cabin hungry and he gave him not meat ; if he m ever came cold and naked and he clothed hi not . Dur

e ing the last and bloody war , Logan r mained idle in his cabin , an advocate of peace . Such was my love for the whi tes that my countrymen pointed to my Wigwam as ‘ they passed and said , Logan is the friend of the white ’ man . “ I had ever thought to have lived with you but for — the inj ury of one man Capt . Cresap . The last spring, re in cold blood and unprovoked , he murdered all the l a tions of Logan ; not even sparing his woman and chil dren . There runs not a drop of his blood in any living creature . “ This called on me for revenge . I have sought it . I have killed many . I have fully glutted my vengeance . “ For my country , I rej oice at the beams of peace , but do not harbor a thought that mine is the j oy of fear .

Logan never felt fear . He will not turn on his heel to ? N ot save his life . Who is there to mourn for Logan

one . “ Logan will no longer oppose making peace with the white man . You are sensible . He never knew what fear — is that he never turned his back in the day of battle .

N O one has more love for the white man than I have . The war we have had with them has been long and bloody on both sides . Rivers of blood have run on both 1 1 6

Q OOTH TH TT T M ANNIVERSARY OF E SE LEMEN OF INISINK .

From th e P ort Jerv i s E v eni n G a z ette Ju l 3 ( g , y 2 ,

The second annual mi d - summ er meeting of the Mini sink Valley Historical Society at Caudebec Park , Tues day , was even more of a success than that which we were privileged to chronicle last year .

To commence with , the weather was most propitious and the descendants of the Huguenots and the Hol landers beheld the lands of their forefathers under the most favorable circumstances .

The first train , of seven cars , left the Main street depot precisely on time and rolled up the valley of the Neversink without accident or incident O f an unhappy n nature . In that train were ma y whose ancestors had been residents Of this valley for generations in years gone by ; had traversed this now happy and peaceful “ valley terror - stricken at the dreaded alarm of The I n !” r dians are coming Hatless and coatless , in thei fln i tl ocks o brawny arms clasping their long , peering int wood and thicket for stealthy ambuscades , dreading yet expecting the war - whoop and the gleam of the glistening

- tomahawk in the hands of a stealthily red skinned brave , they fled with their weeping families swiftly yet noise lessly through fields‘ blue with flax or waving with m broo corn , to the forts scattered among the long sepa

O f . rated settlements . Such were the scenes long ago Now the scythe sweeps over the graves of the sleeping to red men , thicket and wood have given place wide and

- ea r fertile fields , and the war whoop rings no more in the of brave men or weeping women . Extended as may be the train of thought induced by the ride to Caudebec Park , the ride itself is a short one , and the whistle O f the engine soon wakes the slumbering echoes in the hills about Cuddebackville . The ca rs are quickly unloaded and the silent monu

‘ i l s ments in the cemetery on the hill where The rude fore ” fathers of the hamlet sleep look down on another but

peaceful invasion of this historic ground . Those who compose this party are habituated to the sober mi en which comes with years and there is little straggling till

the Park is reached . Dinner was the next and most natural step in the

and i proceedings of the day , wh le baskets were unloaded

and tables selected , those who were unemployed lounged lazily under the tall trees or strolled in social conversa

tion to and fro . The grave and reverend seigniors grouped themselves on the platform and attended to the brief but interest ing business meeting . Dinner was on the respective tables at the time ap pointed and from the looks of the laden baskets one woul d have appreciated for a time the privileges of a busy bee .

Up at the hotel , Landlord Levi Cuddeback and a corps of assistants in cool - looking white and light - col m ored costumes , inistered to the wants of successive tables full of hungry guests , with every good thing which the season produced . Trains from Summitville and Port Jervis brought in additional hundreds , and carriages and wagons of all

m u okl e i sizes added their mickle to the , till at the beg n ning Of the literary exercises the seats on the platform were all well filled and groups of congenial spirits had appropriated all the shaded spots within the sound of ’ the speakers voices .

C . DD U . ADDRESS BY . E C EBACK

w . 1 a s 1 86 E s . In an estimate made by Peter E Gumaer, q , “ ” of author of the History of Deerpark , the increase of the i of population from the orig nal settlers that town . He states 1 1 9 hi s wa s that enumeration carefully made from hi s own knowl edge down t o the third generation t o which generation he b e

f for longed , and upon a slightly diminished rate o increase the

. AS of hi s con succeeding generations a result investigation , he cluded that the number of families of such descendants then on the stage of action , was not less than A new generation has come upon the scene since that calcula wa s of tion made , and upon the same ratio increase which he

e not s adopted , the numb r of families must now be le s than and the actual living descendants of the first settlers o f the town of Deerpark , not less than a number nearly

. ow sufficient to form the population of a new State Those n in this valley , and the contiguous neighborhoods , are but a handful compared with the multitud e scattered through all the

States and Territories .

An illustration is found in the family whose name I bear , and whose numbers remaining in the valley are perhaps greater than

f . e o any other family of the original stock Jacob Cudd back , of the patenteew, had five sons and eleven grandsons , yet all no the name residing in this town or anywhere in this vicinity , have descended from but two of his grandsons , Abraham and

o f Benj amin , and many even their descendants have found homes in distant places . The emigration from this vicinity commenced about one hun

a o . dred years g , soon after the close of the Revolutionary war

wa s t o It at first directed principally the fertile military w e e N e lands of central York , and the settl rs by migration , t o s ought to d o as their fathers had done , endeavor improve the condition of themselves and their families by locating in less crowded distri cts . ’ I w s ix t a s at that time , a long weeks j ourney through the o o wilderness , performed Sl wly over hard r ads and through — gloomy forests with ox teams and prairie schooners . The whole k n a t a les wa s w S a e of distri ct in the vicinity O asco and Lakes , thus colonized by emigrants from this section . The settlers of c arried with them the habits and faith their fathers , and in wa s due time a church of their denomination erected among th em . wh o of N ot withstanding this exodus , by reason which many u s might claim kinship with , and a right to participate in this wo th e V a s n t celeb rati on a re absent , Minisink alley depopulated 1 2 0

i and sincer ty and honesty , which is refreshing in these later

times .

A s of might have been expected , the war the Revolution

of on found the inhabitants the valley , almost to a man the Side o f popular rights and against the oppressions of the mother

. o f w country The most the present town of Deer Park a s then f M i t o a n a ka tin . included in the prec nc g John Young , Presi

O f m tt of dent the Com i ee that town , reported that the Revo lu ti ona r ou t y Pledge sent by the Provincial Convention , to all

o f for the precincts and counties the State , signatures , had been unanimously signed by all the freeholders and inhabitants o f the f . o o f precinct All its leading men , were members the Com

mitt ee of of Safety ; their bravest and best young men , some went out to the conflict with the British invaders and the

t o n . o f of Indians , never retur Three the residents the town ,

Jacob R . Dewitt , Abraham Cuddeback and Abraham Westfall , ’ carried Captains commissions in the defence of their country .

In the peaceful years which have elapsed , Since that great

r not st uggle , much opportunity has been given for the display o f those great qualities of leadership which great cri ses call f ou t . o The descendants the early settlers have perhaps , with diminished zeal , followed in the path of their ancestors . We

s a may safely y that no more peaceful , honest , and industrious o r honorable fa rming com munity exists than that which h a s

o continued to oc cupy the Minisink Valley . We d not claim that among them are t o be found any great soldiers or statesmen ’ wh s a i s o have excited the world s admiration , but what we do y — this and upon such persons depends , after all , the happiness

o f o f communities and commonwealths , that they have supplied

O f of a succession men who , in private station , in furtherance

a s ffi of o f public interests , o cers the church , in the discharge their duties in the vari ous Offices of town and county a dmini s

a ti on t r , and occasionally in Legislative Halls , have worthily

filled the duties o f their day and generation . Their n ame and memories we revere and honor .

H . D T L G . SPEEC BY REV R . A MA E

D T B AND D O F T H N R . E M PR SI EN , MEM ERS FRIEN S E MINISI K VALLEY HI S TORICAL SOCIETY

t o ou t o - on It affords me peculiar satisfaction meet y day , 1 2 2 o o f in ground so historic , and on an occasi n such thrilling — t eres t to participate with you in the festive celebration of the

2 00th Anniversary of the S ettlement of this valley .

Your hearts must throb with joy and thankfulness . The day o 1 1 1 is well ch sen , it being also the th Anniversary of an event to be com mem orated by the people o f this region of country

forever .

4 h of The t July belongs to the whole Nation . On that day the men of the Revolution put down in black and white and published to the world the principles upon which this free

o government was established . Every b y in the land from Maine to California is entitled to burn his fingers and scorch his eye ’ brows for his country s gl ory .

2 2 nd of But the July , may be said especially , to belong to the people of Sullivan and Orange and Sussex and the sections

Y o contiguous . u have wisely arranged t o use this day to Show to the rising generation what stamp of men they were who

— en settled in this valley their hardy frames , their patient

o f durance privations , their stalwart virtues , their heroic suf

feri n s o g , that their posterity might enj y what under a gracious

Providence h a s been secured to them . — The battle o f Minisink was waged against vast Odds under — great disadvantage O f position under the scorching rays of a ’ — To sun o r . whole day s mid summer , without food water be

wa s on e sure it disastrous , in sense , to the patriots who fought

on of it , yet it inscribed their names a scroll honor , which will

cause them t o be held in everlasting remembrance .

This society h a s a grand mission and i s nobly fulfilling it .

Y ou are reviving names which ought never be permitted to die .

Y o of u are searching out the manly characteristics the fathers ,

which may well be imitated by your children . You are putting

on o rec rd thrilling events , and marking the places where they Y occurred so plainly that they can never be lost . ou are tracing

u t of o the o by means ancient d cuments and reliable traditions , progress of the people in domestic comforts and public mora ls r a s and religious p ivileges and agricultural improvements , well

a s . in matters mechanical , educational and professional Y ou have undertaken t o put all this in permanent form for

wh o ou . the benefit of those come after y I have c ome from my distant hom e purposely t o c ongr a t u

- o Mr . co on late y u President , and your laborers , the fidelity 1 2 3 and enthusiasm in which you are doing your work and the magnificent success which has attended your eff orts in the short period Of your existence as a Society . Similar organizations in different parts of the country have heard o f your success and are rej oicing in your prosperity .

wo a s n t o Your undertaking begu n a moment t o soon . Much that would have been o f intens e interest to posterity has f . s o o already been irrevocably lost But much the past , can r yet be reached and prese ved , which a few more years Of neglect

ou t o would consign to oblivion , that y have every inducement push on your inquiries .

one not Your motto is a grand , and could be more expressive “ ” of E t a t rib u s et ost erit a t e r your work p , p ; conce ning both the fathers and the children .

of The value the past to the present and the future , begins

. n to be appreciated Its influence upon character , upo insti — t u ti ons , upon inventions , upon discoveries nay , upon every thing that pertains to human progress . We are stimulated by that which is good , and warned against that which is bad . f w We are now amazed at the general indif erence hich formerly prevailed with regard to the generations which have

m e f gone before us . So o us seemed content to remain wholly

. w ignorant of our progenitors There are scores of men n o — w of - th e h o know nothing even their grand parents where v lived , what they did , or where they were buried . They are fortunate t o be able even to tell you their names . Many of the old grave - yards have gone into forgetfulness and decay . Moss and brambles , and upheaving frosts have been permitted to destroy precious memori es . Names and dates , which would have been valuable to the present age , have been undecipherable . of Important documents , full history have been counted as — rubbish stuffed into old barrels and conveyed to the garr et . of Ultimately they fell into the hands the boys , with which t o make a bon - fire to celebrate a Democratic or Republican victory ; or else they were given t o the rag- man in exchange — for a tin whistle or a Christmas ho rn or other j im - cracks old books o f rare type and rarer contents have gone the same way . Even the Old family Bible with it s metal tipped cwover a nd its e a s Clasps , it s crude pictures , and precious r cords , care lessly thrown into a heap of rubbish ; and replaced with some 1 2 4

i o actors c nnected with them . Th ei r records of the men and of women their time are invaluable to us . f Blessed among you be the memory o Peter Gumaer . He deserves a grand and imperishable monument .

' Tl e Minisink Valley Historical Society could no t have done — a better thing than it has done i n according to that noble man the honor of which he is worthy— putting his writing in permanent form to be read and admired through out the country .

Cu ddeb a cks wa r w S t ou t s Gu m a er s The and , and and Van Ettens w r I n e ens , and Van Vliets , and Van Go dons , and Van g , Aukens and Van ( and all the other Vans ) , as well as the Dewitts

D eP u s rwll Te i i ers Ku kenda lls and Coles , and y , and g , and y , and

r tw Co ri h t s Deckers , and Hornbecks , and Westfalls , and g , and S ch oonov er s — , and Westbrooks and everybody else , ought to ’ keep that author s name and character , and works in everlasting remembrance .

o I have perused that b ok with profound admiration , both of the writer and the contents . I regard it a great misfortune that the Talmage name does no t once occur between the lids .

I do not ask you , Mr . President , to print another edition for

o f m o the purpose supplying the o issi n , but you will permit me to Show v ou that my family name would have b een there but for a sad dispensation o f Providence which caused the re moval of my progenitors from the lower part of this vallev

1 80. in 7 They lived in Montague in Revolutionary times , tak ing a very active part in the defense o f this region against the

ou bloody invasions of the Indians and refugees . If y ever have ’ opportunity to print Judge Clark s account of the relation o f

of the men Sussex to the people of this valley , the Talmage name will no doubt have a place in the book .

- My great grandfather (Thos . Talmage ) , was advanced in

o f years , but managed to take some care his farm while his sons w -n o n were away with their muskets . My grandfather , the

(Thos . Talmage was a young man who lived with his “ on r e e father a fa m locat d , as he describes it , on the W st Branch ’ of the Pepper Cotton , about two miles above Westbrook s ” Mills (wherever that may be ) . My grandfather was a very

wa s smart young man . He had a splendid little wife before he

- one twenty years Old , and a fine baby before he was twenty , and twelve more children afte rward . He beat his father in that

for th e old respect , man , though he had two wives , yet only 1 2 6 had eleven children all told . My own father , David Talmage , kept up the reputation of the family by giving twelve children

o f to the world . My grandfather came age in the stirring times

1 7 . of 76 He , with an older brother , was enrolled with the militia , and was Often in camp with your fathers waiting the

o f attacks the Indians . He was the orderly sergeant of his company and faithfully warned out his comrades when notified by his commander to gather them at the rendezvous , because ”

. 1 7 8 the Indians were coming In June , 7 , he records that “ ” on he was the fields with his company some twelve days , daily

' i i . d m ss ed expecting an attack They were to their homes , but in July there was another call . With a burning fever upon him u n he threaded his way thro gh the wilder ess on horseback , to

out hi s warn company , but became unconscious by the way , and — was brought home by the instinct o f his horse was lifted from m the saddle in delirium , and was in a dying condition for cae “ ” three months , with What was then called the long fever , after e wards the typhus . His father and three sisters were smitt n with the same malady , and though the old man recovered , the

- one sisters , aged fourteen , seventeen and twenty respectively , within three months were buried in a grave—yard near West ’ brook s Mills . My grandfather Providentially escaped the fate of many of his neighbors in the dreadful struggle o f those times .

His oldest brother , however , was with the men of Minisink , and

o o f 2 2 1 9 laid his b dy with theirs on the fatal battle July , 77 , a testimon y t o his fidelity to his country in the days of her peril . Some o f you are doubtless aware that Talmage blood mingled with the blood Of your fathers near Lackawaxen . You have read ’ my uncle Daniel s n ame with those of his comrades on the monu ment at G oshen . The family became so disheartened by the misfortunes that

1 80 out r befell them , that in 7 they sold and eturned to the region whence they had come ; though Daniel left a widow and

four sons in Sussex , and from them have doubtless descended the Talmages of that county . This grandfather , whom I well remember for I was a good deal with him in my early boyho od

old of ( I was thirteen years when he died ) , was a sort Peter

Gumaer . A carpenter by trade—having erected a number of prominent

hi s one buildings in time , of which was the Court House at

Somerville in 1 798 . Yet for the most of his life he was a plain 1 2 7 o f farmer , but made much use his pen . Of course in those days only comparatively few writings were published . It is only lately that I became info rmed that many of hi s manuscripts both in prose and verse have been preserved . Their literary

a s ability h astonished me . I have no doubt that much of the f o of r . contents his garret , went the way all gar ets But the ’ of wn o records his and his father s family , births , residences , deaths and places of burials are marvelously minute and are proved t o be correct all the way to 1 82 9 only five years b e

. N w fore his death o you need n ot put this and that together o t n and figure u my age for I am a young man yet . By o e of hi s MSS . I lately went t o the Presbyterian church yard of New — Brunswick and found the graves of my great grand parents Whose names and places o f interment I had never known b e — ’ fore alth ough they had lain there since 1 785 and 90 and I had passed near them one hundred times while in college and the

Theological S eminary of that city . One of his papers penned in 1 8 1 4 gives an account of what he term s “The extraordinary Providences which happened to ” for me in the course o f my life . He says he wrote them out the

of hi s of a e benefit children , he being then sixty years g and in a feeble state of health and anticipating that his dissolution was near at hand though he lived nearly twenty years longer . Many of the incidents he noted down are of public interest and may yet be o f profit to some Historical Society . Such men are valuable in their generation and their methods ought t o stimulate us to put on paper for posterity our ex p eri ences and the notable events of ou r respective neighborhoods .

o u Mr . President , y will pardon my apparent egotism in appropriating so much time which might have been better occupied . I thank the audience for indulging me so long and hearing me so patiently . My apology for this protracted speech is my kinship with the people o f this valley as a natural inheritance from my ancestors and the delightful memories connected with my nearly ten years residence among you . May the revived associations and the grand festivities of this day unite our hearts more closely together a s citizens o f a com mon civil heritage and give decided impetus to the work

(achievements ) of the Minisink Valley Historical Society . 1 2 8

of Wa l a ck S a nd s t on farmers p , y and Montague , and the mer of s chants Port Jervi , assumed greater proportions and have continued in c onstantly increas ing amount until th e present day .

of Fa rnum s Conklin s S The names the , the g , and the t . Johns were familiar to every school boy and girl in the l ower Dela e or w ware Vall y , forty fifty years ago , because it a s to them

of a n that their fathers sold the products their farms , d from them they purchased in exchange such general merchandise a s their needs required .

These townships , described by your historian , Peter E . “ ” a s o Gumaer , the lower neighborho d , are also historic ground , c n both in local reminis e ces and in public history . The town of Wa l a ck of ship p was the home Judge Timothy Symmes , of o S and the birth place J hn Cleve Symmes , Jr . Judge ymmes 1 1 1 presided in Sussex Common Pleas from 777 to 79 , succeeding

o o Wa l a ck his br ther J hn , who also resided in p , and resigned the position of Judge to accept an appointment on the bench

S . of the upreme Court Maria , a daughter Of Judge Symmes , wa s of th e the wife President William Henry Harrison , and

of ri our grandmother his excellency , Benj amin Har son , present

. 1 3 . Chief Magistrate Here too , in 7 7 , Rev George Wilhelm

Ma nciu s on e o f organized the four Reformed Dutch churches , o f ; Wa l a ck the Minisink Valley the. p church situated in the “ ” th e on b e bend of Delaware River and the Old Mine Road ,

r t o i s fore refe red , and the same spot upon which the present

Reformed church now stands . The township of S a ndys t on was made historical because of the

- e fact , that within her boundaries there were committed som of the most horrible Indian atrocities in the Delaware Valley . Here lived the brave Captain Johannes Westbrook on the farm

E . w s h o owned by the late Jacob Westbrook , q , and erected

wa s a s o thereon a stone dwelling house , which also used a f rt ,

ft - and in which were numerous po holes , from which they could

fire upon an approaching en emy .

ri . wa s Montague i s also ch in historical reminiscences It the

of ta S home Cap in himer , Captain Bonnell and Captain Peter — Westbrook the latter falling a victim t o Indian atrocities in ws a e o e of 1 779 . In later years it the birthplac and h m that

- r the e Gov . . distinguished statesman and j ou nalist , lat ex Wm t oo 1 3 wa s e R of I . 7 7 e Bross , llinois Here , , in organiz d the 180 i s formed Dutch Church of Minisink , and in this township m located the famous Minisink Island , in the Delaware River , fro which possibly your Historical Society takes its name ; nor i s

“ this all ; in still later years some of th e best blood and b rain Of the successful men of your growing city o f Port Jervis h a s com e

ou S a nd s t on to y from the farm homes of Montague , y and Wal

. ou pack They have furnished to y laborers , mechanics and brainy business men ; they have furnished to you merchants and editors , lawyers and j udges , bank presidents and doctors , while “ ” s that noble institution , the Hunt Memorial Ho pital , will long remain a s an enduring m onument to a S a ndys ton boy . They have furnished t o s ome of your young men excellent wives and sweethearts ; to some of your young ladies excellent husbands

o n o t e and h mes , and last , though l ast , they have furnished that

- o f many sided business man , the present Mayor your rival — of . . city Tri States , the Honorable William A Drake But more than all thi s they have furnished for your own city of Port

one o f th e Jervis , , or two , the best Mayors you have ever had , in persons of my disting uished friends , Honorable William H .

N ea r a s s . p , and the Honorable Abram Shimer h . t e Without controversy , therefore , Mr President , great are

‘ of Mont a u e S a nd s t on Wa l a ck townships g , y and p ; great are the

e Tri - rival citi s of States and Port Jervis , and one of the great est and grandest organizations o f them both is the Minisink

Valley Historical Society .

remI Mr . President ; may I be indulged in a brief personal nis cence ? While for more than twenty years I have been a resi

of dent Of the town Newton , the Delaware Valley has to me

. w o tender recollections and associations It a s the land f my birth , and the home of my father and mother , and in that beauti ful valley fo r many long years have they been quietly resting

on of and sleeping , the grassy banks the Delaware Valley , and ’ o f that old Reformed Dutch Church , Minisink was my father s

church home , and there , away back in the days of my childhood , I listened t o the first gospel sermon that I ever heard from

o f r . . the lips the devoted Ch istian minister , Rev Cornelius E

- Elting , whose memory I revere to day . A few years later , when

o for left an orphan , I found a happy and h spitable home , four w s a s years , in that same valley , with one who for many year his wh o wa s one Of your best citizens , and amiable companion ,

- to me a s kind and good a s a mother . One year ago t o day that 1 3 1 b friend , and enefactor cordially grasped my hand , in this beauti

ful grove , bade me welcome to the festivities of that celebration — and sat by my side on this platform ; but to day , he too is quietly

resting and sleeping in your city of the dead , on the b ank of

that same Delaware River , near which he was born eighty years

a g o .

Mr . President , I reverence the memory of Amos Van Etten and commend to the young men to—day his life and character as worthy O f emulation .

. I thank you Mr President , and gentlemen of the Committee , . for the privilege of looking in your faces and j oining in the

o festivities of t day , on this historical spot . I extend t o you the cordial greetings of your sister County of Sussex and close with the hope and expectation that in the years that are t o

v come , your beautiful city Of Port Jer is , and the Minisink s Valley Historical Society , will continue to pro per as in the — past , and the young men of to day,and those that follow them , will emulate your example in maintaining this organization and thereby perp etuate the memory of the heroic dead of the Mini sink Valley for all future time .

ADDRESS OF REV . A . A . HAINES .

MR . D T AD A D T : PRESI EN , L IES N GEN LEMEN The American people are soon to celebrate the 4 00th anniversary of the di S cov ery of this continent b y Columbus . The memorable vo y age of 1 492 revealed a new world to civilized nations and made the records of modern history far diffefent from what they other

f h e wise would be . We can scarcely estimate the influence o t ’ landing of Columbus upon society and upon the world s p ro

v n gress . And if a great historical event deser es recog ition , few have greater importance . Halfway back between the coming of the great discoverer and

ou r . own times , took place the event we are now commemorating The settlement Of this then secluded valley has had its influence in shaping the great facts of American history . For two hun dred years after the continent was revealed this region remained unchanged , its primeval forests undisturbed save by the wild beasts which abounded in them and the r ed hunters who reg arded this as their very Paradise . They Shot the deer , killed the wild

and . fowl , drew the abundant fish from the waters The smoke 1 3 2

ou r h a s ment , under which Republic grown to become the mighty

- . fiv e Nation it now is Doubling every twenty years , we have grown from t o and by the strides of pro gress we are making will soon be unsurpassed by any Nation

. it s Of the globe As we gaze on the National map , with forty S ou r four tates , hearts swell with admiration , and we bless God T that America is the land of ou r birth and our home . h e lines have fallen t o us in pleasant places and we have a go odly heri

- tage . From the favored position we now occupy we may gaze

e back upon thes two centuries closing , and pronounce themwto a be wonderful in the highest achievements of men . The first s

u for formative , ending with the wondro s gain , ourselves and for

of humanity , a Republic on a grand scale , whose Government

wa of . s for the people and not the benefit some royal family For a whole century we have been a living protest against the tyranny of kings and proclaiming that a great people may be happy and prosperous without a human sovereign . The world i s growing better through the influence that American example T . h e o exerts . That good will never perish w rld cannot go back to th e old ideas of the divine right of kings . N o soul that h a s nurtured into being some g reat thought h a s existed in vain . N o brave arm that h a s parried the blow o f tyranny has been b e uplifted uselessly . The broken shackles can never placed

on Of again the limbs the slave , but when progress is made it

f inffu ence e . o stands forev r The little rills , which had their S b e origin in ecluded neighborhoods and remote years , have come the mighty stream that must yet bear down ev ery system of of oppression and evil . Under the shadow these mountains n the youths of a past century developed into men , and lear ed

- their highest lessons fr om the forests and from God . Cities — t wh o h e could never have produced them these yeoman of land , owned the soil and cultivated it with their own hands . Small events become mighty in their results . The little rivulet as it

s flow . continues it becomes the unchecked river The Old Indian trail and the footway of the settler are made the wide public highway or give place to the railway with its engines and swift

it s a s moving trains . The past has influence upon the present , the present will upon the future . As we go onward we feel the — of b of pressure y gone days , as well as the attractions the here

- e of after glory Our hearts anticipate . The gather d strength the — of years behind is ours t o day . While we emulate the virtues 1 3 4 ou r - n ancestors , we have ten fold advantages above them to pla

do o o and , and in proportion to all u r opp rtunities must we live for God our and fellow men . The pion eers who came two hundred years ago sleep beneath the shadow of the mountain . Theirs is the long and peaceful of sleep men who acted well their part . Their dust is holy , their

owe for names are honored , and we to them a debt of gratitude all they did for u s . They labored and we have entered into their

v labors . They sowed the har est and we are reaping the bene

fits . Are they permitted from the spirit world to look back and behold the scenes of to - day ? Then may they and we re — wh j oice together they who planted and we o are reaping the ? n fruits of their toil . Could they forca s t the future They a ti cip a ted all this which our eyes have seen . Their hearts may never have thrilled with the j ubilation of triumphant success . w of s a Yet they the victory from afar , and started the march

n r events which tur ed the wilde ness into a fruitful field , and the Indian hunting grounds into the homes of a teeming p opul a f for t . O ion They were men faith , they had love to God , and ’ e their religiwon s sake had been exil d from their homes ; but here , on ne this continent , they claimed the land for Jesus and

of . felt the guiding hand Providence God was sustaining them ,

f w . and using them or his o n great and wondrous purpose We cann ot believe that all this was unperceived by them . They ’ Pi s a h s e e lived , they died , by dying like Moses on g top with y not dim nor their natural force abated . Moses saw all the goodly land and Lebanon , and from Gilead to the utmost sea . We can not s a ou r r y pilg im fathers who came from England , Holland

Go d and France , for freedom to worship , conceived all the g reat

of th e ness this Republic stretching from ocean to ocean , yet mighty kingdom was in their hearts and they believed that God would save the world through America . We have exceeded the fondest hopes whichever our ancestors

of ou r entertained , but the future land , the future will as much exceed all the past and all the present . Glories untold await the young men of our favored land . They have come to the king dom at Such a time as this when opportunities the most mag n fic nt i e are presented to us , and the avenues of usefulness and goodness are open on every side . Attainment is within the

o f all ' t o grasp their arms , and the full securing Of which a sanctified ambition prompts them . May the pious spirit which 1 3 5 filled the breasts o f our ancestors pervade the whole American “ Nation and then shall it be said of us , Happy the people whose

God . ou r is the Lord The Lord shall be God , and we Shall be his chosen heritage and a holy generation . H TT ADDRESS BY J . . VAN E EN .

f I S . . o The following the address of J Hixon Van Etten , Esq 2 B P a . a 2 i Milford , , delivered at Caudebec P rk , July , at the

Centennial celebration of the settlement , by the Hollanders and

Huguenots , of the Minisink Valley Involuntarily we b egin making history with ou r earliest breath . The very fact of our existence changes the currents of some life , animates some mind with new thoughts and aspira

' tions , and restrains , While it kindles , other desires and ambi — tions . A mere fi g ment o f the imagination a word casually

— a spoken , or omitted slip of some pen , and a new impress is stamped on the generation and goes deepening and widening

u . down thro gh time Jacob Jansen and the good Fraulein ,

Annet e Adria ns e j , soon to be Frau Jansen , when they stood

' of before the Dutch Dominie , had little thought of the result that union— beyond the sharing of each others j oys and sor

— of rows the better and the worse the present , or that within f five years their of spring , Jacob , would , by baptism , accident

or ally , some freak , or momentary design , become the founder o f ou wa new name , and place a descendant in the predicament y no 2 2 5 . see him , years afterwards Upon such a slender thread hangs the fact that I humbly

' represent one of the Oldest settlers O f thi s Minisink Valley . It is not my purpos e to trac e the wanderings of my ancestors or to point out the places they inhabited or the deeds fo r which they were conspicuou s . However interesting this might be to

do -t their immediate descendants , I not forge that there are many here who can also point to renowned ancestry and trace

o f . through many generations , a vein valor and of humor The historian dealing with cold facts traces the course of the past f and gives j ust estimate to the virtues o all . We sometimes cherish traditions handed from father t o s on roseate with tinges of pride and rounded and smoothed by tongues too kind to transmit the failings and follies or vices of those whom they revere . 1 3 6

o f o 1 2 r . ment my ancest r in the valley below Milfo d January ,

1 75 6 . . of of , Ben Franklin S ent to Capt Vanetta , the township S mithfield Upper , a letter instructing him to proceed to raise a

of t e company Of Foot consisting thir y abl men , including two S ergeants , with which he was to protect the inhabitants , assist ing them while they threshed ou t and secured their co rn and s couting on the outside of the settlement from time to tim e a s he j udged necessary . A line of forts had been established along the nworthern frontiers of the province from N orthkill t o H ndsh a y fort , the most northerly Of the chain , and at this oh i s ws a nn a place J VanwEtten , my great grandfather , stationed a i a s a sergeant . He s at th s time a young man about twenty of of four years of age , and as the record events that period r o eveals , t ok a prominent share in the dangers incident to

o . o i s fr ntier life Traditi n relates , and it verified by a stone r 1 2 w bea ing the inscription 7 7 no in the walls of a house belong ing to the family , said to have been taken from the chimney ow of n the first house erected by him , that he settled in what is D elaware township , about five miles below Milford , at that date ,

t o and from that day the present , the land has belonged to the

. wa wa s a s family He s commissioned captain and in command such at the battle of the Conesh a u gh . The s tate of feeling may be shown by the postscript o f a letter written to President Reed at that time , communicating intelligence of the fight “ — ’ Respective Sir I me now under difficulties of Mind ; what

D ermit ened the event will be God only knows . The people are re to Evacuate the Country , as there appears no prospect of ” lief by the Militia . — — Troublous times dark days the present in gloom , the future in doubt ; yet those men never faltered in their determina tion to do or die . Doubtless they had in mind the scenes and ev ents of Valley Forge where the Continental army had eu th e camped but three short years before . And as they heard of s truggles on the wider field for national life they were cheered a nd sustained in their efforts to repel a more insidious , lurking t rea ch and dangerous foe , the wily savage and his white and

rou e s coadj utor .

Y ou of , gentlemen the Historical Society , are engaged in a o noble effort . Had there been at an earlier peri d a realizing sense of the interest which would attach to the events of those 1 3 8 — times had the fo rmer generations preserved these traditions a nd written down the person al expressions of the actors in the o —w i dark and bloody dramas f those days e should have a h s of one tory full interest for every here , and not be groping

- s amwong the ashes and embers of the fast dying past . What i no doubtful and obscure , could by a line or a word from

not o t . those l ng gone , be made clear and cer ain ’ Holding my grandfather s hand , I passed in boyish wonder

Conesh a u h hi ment over the battlefield Of g , where s father com manded o f , and I heard the details that fight and the repetition ’ his a s of of father s version of its incidents , and well those the earlier times . But these tales created then but a passing in t erest of ow . n , and they are forever gone They were stories

— of hardships , privations , endurance , courage and danger the days when m en worked in the fields with their rifles by the1 r r sides , and the women in their household duties behind bar ed stockades and doors . But these generations have passed away f and with them a mine of valuable incidents and acts , and we to - day a re groping on the shores of that eternity into which

n - they have fallen , endeavoring to discer the foot prints and to read the characters they inscribed on the pages Of their day

i h a s and generation . It s well that this society undertaken to rescue from a fast- growing oblivion some facts and incidents

' a nd p reserv e them for future generations ; you will have the sincere thanks of your posterity . Our ancestors were religiously inclined and to their love for church , and to the fact that they were particular in the

r of obse vance those religious customs instilled in their minds , brought from the Fatherland , and in maintaining a connection with the church , and in early bringing their children to be baptized , we owe much of what we know of their names and connections .

Strangers in a wild and unbroken land , surrounded by hidden foe dangers , a in constant ambush , it waws natural that they on o n should rely an arm mightier than their , that they should ro have a fervid , clinging trust in God and look to Him for p t ecti on from dangers unseen . The chief element of value in thes e recollections lies in the fact that they bring before us the

of - of ri lessons Christian courage , of self denial , unfalte ng faith , of Of un unyielding conviction , unbending determination and

1 3 9 ’ flinch n i e g patriotism , which imbu d the lives and illumined the f characters o our ancestor s .

These anniversary days bring to us all an enj oyment . We

of cease from the cares business , and seek a respite from the of active labors our daily lives . These days are deeply sig n ific a nt and suggestive for every true citizen and descendant o f the early settlers of this valley . They remind us of one price less inheritance in that libert y and freedom for which the fathers fought and on blo ody fields and in desolate and starving camps suffered so many sacrifices . They remind us vividly that there were principles O f govern — o f ment that there was love home and kindred , for which — o men were willing to undergo self denial , persistent her ism , a courage o f conviction which could not falter in the face of

b e danger , which could not quenched by reverses nor over thrown by disaster , which did not waver under personal peril , which forgot hunger , poverty , cold and which endured with a noble fidelity even to death itself . Principles bought at such a price and with such sacrifices should be transmitted in all their original beauty and strength

ou r e to posterity , and it is for this that we should ch rish and honor these anniversary days— that we should recall the deeds — of daring done by our forefathers that we should recount their privations— that with grateful memory we should build mon uments commemorating their virtues and inscribe on the pages of our local hist ory their heroic deeds that we may point t o th e our children noble record , and that it may be to them a g rand and inspiring incentive t o emulate in all that was great and good the virtues of their ancestors . What we have to fear in these times is the perversion and con tracting o f these ideas of manliness and devotion to principles .

Peculiar perils ever increasing through the ignorance , cupidity and dem a g o g u ei s m of men seem to threaten us and our in

s titu ti on s . Anarchism wishes to pervert liberty of spe ech so as to include

inex ens ib l e o an utterly p license , and an unstable vi lation of law which if permitted would soon destroy the very foundations of social order . New theories as to the rights o f that wealth which each o f us is laying by as a solace in our feeble days and an in

ou r heritance for children , are springing up which , if allowed 1 40

CHAPTER V lll

PIONEER L IFE

A STORY OF THE PET FAWN .

1 1 1 2 I think it was about the year 77 or 77 , during the early settlement of the Minisink Valley on the Dela ware River , j ust after my father had finished cutting off - our back new ground , that we had a clearing bee , drawing stone and building fence . Wild animals , such

- as wolves , panthers , wild cats and foxes , were very troublesome to the farmers , and as a result many of these pioneers became very expert marksmen . We had j ust fin ished our di nner and sat around a u smoldering fire , smoking our pipes , while our g ns were stacked around a large stump near by . I had been telling about an art I had been practicing , in which I was beginning to count myself somewhat proficient ; that was whenever I was directing my aim , where there were more than one bird or animal , I watched for the instant o two or more came in range , then fired , s metimes killing two or more with one bullet . I had scarcely finished telling of my skill as a marks a man , when we were all startled by hideous howling to b e min and barking , which appeared co g from a n and all the t e d w swamp back of our cleari g , im ra ing nearer to us . w : N o i k Some one spoke up and said , Abe , I th n you ” will have an opportunity to try your art . I reached for my gun and listening for a moment or two , recog k niz ed the bar ing to be that of wolves . I ran to get d nearer the woods , in or er to have a better and closer 1 43 range over my mark and had j ust leveled my gun on a stump , when a little fawn appeared in the clearing and came running toward us , panting and snorting at every j ump . I then knew that it was pursued by wolves and decided to await the coming of the enemy . In another

h ui instant three wolves das ed into the opening , purs ng the fawn with a ferocity that chilled the blood in my veins .

I wt n h r n t n ai ed a ot e i s a t for the sa v ag e a nim a ls to c m nt r n wh e a l hr m o e i o a e n l t ee ca e u side b side a s g , p y th wr n n u r t r r i e e e li i o a et a cti c f y g p f g p e .

O f When my gun cracked , two the brutes tumbled over and began kicking the air , and the third one turned back limping and yelping toward the woods . The other men up to this time had forgotten their guns , but now came running toward me with their pieces “ ’ leveled . I shouted , Don t shoot the fawn ; always shoot “ the enemy . Shoot the wolf They all fired at th e receding wolf , but he was already partially hidden in the woods and their fire only served to frighten him and increase the speed of his retreat . The fawn seemed to realize that we had defended it and hung round the edge Of the cleari ng for several days . It finally found a faithful friend and protector in one of our cows , who had j ust parted with a veal calf . It ran for a while with the cattle around the fields and

finally came with them into the barnyard . In the course of a week or two , it became so tame that any one could go up to i t and pat it . The children began feeding and salting it and after that it got to be almost a nuis ance , following them Into the house and even taking victuals O ff the table .

O f One day an Indian , who was in the habit stopping at our house , met the little pet in the path near the edge n of the wood . The faw had forgotten all fear of man 1 44

di d up some spikes , which they , and we made a float of the logs on which we crossed to the other side . Dur ing the day some of the boys had caught some fish and in the evening built a fire to roast them . Although the

fire was well covered , there must have been some light ’ which attracted the enemy s attention to our position , for all at once a cannon ball struck in the bank beside u us , and a lo d booming noise in the distance revealed ’ the fact that we were a ta rget for the enemy s guns . “ All my men sprang up in a terrible state Of excite ment and ran up the river . I followed them for some distance and tried to halt them , but there was no use , they had deserted their post and left me . I returned to my place and performed the duties of the guard alone , which on account of the chain being supported in the middle by logs to keep it from sinking , it was necessary to tighten and loosen the windless with the rising and falling of the tide . In the morning Fort Montgomery was taken and I ’ found myself within the enemy s lines . They made me a h n flattering Offer to j oin t em , but I retreated and fou d

ex eri my way back to our camp , where I reported my p ence to my Colonel . A short time after that Washing

a t ton arrived the camp , and I was very much surprised when one of his bodyguard came to our tent and in quired for me . I , reluctantly , went to headquarters , fearing that the men deserting their post at the river might be laid to my negligence in some way , but I was greatly relieved when my Colonel met me at the entrance and informed me that I had won great favor with Gen .

Washington for my faithful performance of duty . He then took me in and introduced me to the one man of the Revolution , whom I had so much desired to see ,

G . en . George Washington The General came forward ‘ Of and with a hearty shake the hand said , Cuddeback , I 1 48 want to thank you at thi s tim e for a strict adherence to duty and recomm end that you receive the promotion you j ustly deserve . If we had more men like you this great ’ country of ours would soon be free . Then turning to ‘ : the Colonel , he addressed him as follows Colonel , you will see to it , that this man Cuddeback is promoted to the rank of Captain and given a company the first op ’ portuni ty . Washington then mounted his horse and galloped away ; his manly form swaying in the saddle and his sword clicking against his spurs at every bound .

' H H R N ’ GEN . AT O S OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE

BATTLE OF MINISINK .

A 2 1 . W RWICK , July 7 , 779 Gov T . CLIN ON

— I n r Dear Sir confo mity to the Military Law , I embrace this first opportunity to communicate to your excellency my proceedings on a late tou r of duty with my regiment . On the

2 1 s t i m evening Of the Of th s instant , I received an order fro i i ior. . r e u s t his excellency , Gen Washington , together with a q o f of t o one of the commissary prisoners , furnish hundred men my regiment for to g uard the British prisoners on their way to Easton , at the same time received an express from Minisink that the Indians were ravagi ng and burning the place .

of I ordered three companies my regiment , including the

of . exempt company , to parade for the purpose a guard The other three companies to march immediately to Minisink . On

2 2 md o f the I arrived with a part my people at Minisink , where l Co . of . I found Tusten , Goshen , and Maj Meeker , of New of e t Jersey , with parts their r gimen s , who had marched with about eighty men up the river a few miles . i I j oined th s party with about forty men , the whole amount m n t o one e . s ing hundred and twenty , officers included A py came in and informed me the enemy lay about four hours b e

s ix us . o a fore at Mongaup , miles distant from Our pe ple p p ea red in hi gh spirits . We marched in pursuit with an imten tion either to fall on them by surprise or t o gain in front and m ambush them . We were soon infor ed that they were on their 1 49 march up the river. I found it impracticab le t o surpri se them on he ground hat they n owwere and t ook my rou e along the t t t s Old Ke h etht on path . The Indians encamped at the mouth of ’ o Halfway Bro k . We encamped at 1 2 O clock at night at Skin ’ s a w ner s mill , three miles and a half from the enemy , where we

lay the remainder of the night . The mountains were s o ex ceedingly rugged and high we could not possible get at them as they had passed the grounds the most favorab le for u s to ’ attack them on before we could overtake them . Skinner s i s

about eighteen miles from Minisink . At daylight on the morn 2 3 rd our e ing of the , after leaving hors s and disengaging of

on e a t everything heavy , we marched with int ntion to make the

a n r ff tack the moment oppo tunity o ered . The Indians , prob

e of ably from some discovery th y had made us , marched with more alacrity than usual with an intention to get their prison

e . ers , cattl and plunder , taken at Minisink , over the river They had almost effec ted getting their cattle and baggage

- across , when we discovered them at Lackawack , twenty seven m miles from Minisink , so e Indians in the river and some had

r o got over . It was dete mined in Council t make an attack at

this place .

I therefore disposed of the men into three divisions , ordered

t n on Col . Tusten o command the o e the right and to take post about three hundred yards dist ance on an eminence to secure

our right ; sent Col . Wisner with another division to file out to r the left and to dispose of himself in the like manner . In orde

to prevent the enemy from gaining any advantage on our flank , the o ther division under my command to attack them with that

vigor necessary to S trike Terror in such a foe .

e Capt . Tyl r with the advanced guard unhappily discharged h i s piece before the division could be properly posted , which put

me under the necessity of bring ing on the action . I ordered my on or division to fix bayonets and push forcibly them , which s der being resolutely executed , put the Indians in the utmo t wh o t o th e confusion , great numbers took the river , fell from fl our ri emen well directed fire of our , and incessant blaze from h e an . t musketry , without returning y fire The divisions in

not o o hill rear, subj ect to order , br ke some advancing d wn the h e o . e t toward me , thers fled into the woods I soon perceiv d ’ enemy s rally on ou r right and recrossing the river to gain th e

t o all ' m c heights I found myself under the necessity rally y for e , 1 5 0

of One private New Jersey; Adj . Finch , Ensign Wood and one

o f - . e o private my regiment In the whole tw nty ne men .

S . everal wounded men are in I hope others will yet be found .

I one n received a wound on my head , in my leg and o e in my — o thigh slightly . The ne in my thigh from inattention is a little troublesome . Several spies that lay near the enemy the night following

u s O ff o the action , informed that they moved their w unded in canoes on the day following ; that on the ground where they lay

of there was great quantities blood , and the whole encampment ws a marked wwith wounded men . Great numbers of plasters and bloody rags a s found . Although we suffered by the loss of s o th e many brave men , the best for number without sensible ’ o error in the precinct . It s beyond d ubt the enemy suffered

o f much more . From the various parts the action can be col l ect ed of a greater number Indian dead than we lost , besides of i their wounded . The number Indians and Tories s not a s

i a 1 2 cert a ned s 0 0 1 0. ; some accounts y 9 , others , others 6 ws 3 m n a ol . S e C eward , of New Jersey , with 9 within five or si x on not miles of the action the Pennsylvania side , did I hear the firing , approached and lay near the ndians all night o of o e following , and fr m their conduct and groaning the w und d ga ve rise to the belief that they had been in some action where ff they had su ered , and would have attacked them around their o e of his i fire , but a mutiny arose am ng som people wh ch pre — vented a very unfortunate and to be lamented circumstance . I f in their situation he had attacked them , with the common

o f e s miles Providence , he must have succe ded and put them to total rout. ’ D n it s o ou t ou ear Gover or , not in my p wer to point to y w o a s e foe the disagreeable situation I in , surr und d by a , with of not a s a s s uch a handful valuable men , only soldiers but o f t h t o fellow citizens and members socie y , and not ing be ex — ec ed e . Th e trem en p t but the hatchet , sp ar and scalping knife wh o-o th e o f I n s dous yells and p , all the fiends in confines the

l one o not e . ferna Region , with united cry , c uld xceed it Add e not t o this the cries and petitions of the wound d around me ,

w a ra lled or . a s t o leave them , beyond p idea My heart bleeds e for the unfortunate w ounded who fell into th ir hands . How t o ever circumstances give me a lit le c nsolation . Mr . Roger his h Townsend , of Goshen , received a wound in t igh , being ex 1 5 2 wceeding ly thirsty making an attempt to go to find some water a s met by awn Indian who very friendly took him by the hand and said he a s hi s prisoner and would not hurt hi m A well

our directed ball from one of men put the Indian into a dose , and

Mr . Townsend ran back into the lines . I hope some littl e hu manity may yet be found in the brweasts of the Savages . I should be at the greatest loss a s I to attempt to point ou t any Officer o r soldier that exceeded another in bravery during the time of the general action . TOO much praise cannot be given to them for their atten tion in receiving or ders and alacrity in executing them .

o - I have acquiesced with C0 1. W odhull in ordering one eighth of ou r regiments t o Minisink as a temporary guard until your ’ excellency s pleasure i s known on the subj ect . of w a s The Indians were under the command Brant , who either killed or wounded in the action . They burnt Maj or ’ ’ ’ Decker s house and barn ; Sam l D avis s barn and mill ; Jacob ’ ’ V l ws Van eck s house and barn ; Dan l Van Okers barn (here a t wo s i o Indian k lled from a little f rt around the house which ’ wa s Ku ki nda ll s saved) Esquire y house and barn ; Simon West ’ ’ fall s house and barn ; the Church ; Peter Kuykinda ll s house ’ ert inu s n and barn ; M Decker s fort , house , bar and saw mills , ’ w and Nehemiah Patterson s s a mill ; killed and scalped Jere

V a noker D miah , aniel Cole, Ephraim Ferguson and one Tavern , n s and took with them several priso ers , mo tly children , with a

of e . S great number horses , cattl and valuable plunder ome of the cattle we rescued and returned t o the owners . I h ope your excellency will make allowances for the im hl ott s of perfect stile , razures and this line , whilst I have the

ri est eme honor to subsc be myself , with the most perfect , in haste , ’ E os Ob edt . S ev t . Your xcellency s M t , “ O H N ATH N C0 1. J H OR ,

1 5 3

cruelties . But Providence had designed that I should become a victim to their rage and that mercy should be made manifest in my deliverance . On the ni ght of the 2 l s of w t t o of . May , the spies , Mr John Davis and Mr .

our on Sutton , came to lodge at house and the morning of 2 2 d the , at daybreak when the horn blew at the block in house , which was sight Owf our house , and distant about t t o o . two hundred yards , the men g up and went out I was also awake and saw the door Open and thought when I was taken prisoner , that the scouts had left it t o open . I intended rise immediately , but having a child at the breast and it being awakened , I lay with it at the breast to get it t o sleep again and accidently fell asleep myself . The spies have since informed me that they returned to the house again and found that I was Sleeping ; that they softly fastened the door and went immedi ately to the blockhouse ; and those who examined the house after the scene was over , say both doors had the appearance of being broken open . The first thing I I i knew from falling asleep , was the nd ans pulling me k out of bed by my feet . I then loo ed up , and saw the

o one house full f Indians , every having his gun in his left hand and tom ahawk in his right . Beholding the t o danger I was in , I immediately j umped the floor on

u i . my feet , with the yo ng ch ld in my arms I then took

t o on h one a petticoat put , aving only the in which I slept ; but the Indians took it from me , and as many on times as I attempted to put it , they succeeded in tak ing it from me , so that I had to go j ust as I had been in i bed . While I was struggl ng with some Of the Savages

of i for clothing , others them went and took the two ch l dren out of another bed and immediately took the two feather beds to the door and emptied them . The Savages imm ediately began their work of plunder and devasta we e un e to Wh t e tion . at h y r abl carry with them , they 1 5 6 destroyed . While they were at their work I made to the door and succeeded in getting out . With one child in my arms and another by my side , but the other little boy was so much displeased by being so early disturbed in the morning, that he would not go to the door . When di I got out I saw Mr . Wolf , one of the sol ers , going to the spring for water , and beheld two or three of the Savages attempting to get between him and the block house ; but Mr . Wolf was unconscious of his danger for the Savages had not yet been discovered . I then gave a terrific scream , by which means Mr . Wolf discovered his danger and started to run for the blockhouse ; seven or eight Indians fired at him , but the only inj ury he received was a bullet in the arm , which broke it . He succeeded in maki ng his escape to the blockhouse . When I raised the alarm one of the Indians came up

w a to me with his tomaha k as though bout to take my life , a second came and placed his hand before my mouth and told me to hush , when a third came with a lifted tomahawk , and attempted to give me a blow ; but the first that came raised his tomahawk and averted the blow , and claimed me as his squaw . The Commissary , with his waiter , Slept in the storehouse near the block

Of house , and upon hearing the report the guns , came to the door to see what was the matter , and beholding the danger he was in made his escape to the blockhouse , but not without being discovered by the Indians , several

o of wh m fired at him , and one of the bullets went hi s through handkerchief , which was tied about his head

Off . and took some of his hair The handkerchief , with several bullet holes in it , he afterwards gave to me . The waiter on coming to the door was met by the Indians , who fired upon him and he received two bullet holes through his body and fell dead by the door . The Sav ages then set u p one of their tremendous and terrifying 1 5 7 t o yells , and pushed forward and attempted scalp the b u t man they had killed , they were prevented from exe euting their diabolical purpose by the heavy fire which was kept up through the portholes from the blockhouse . In this scene of horror and alarm I began to meditate an escape , and for that purpose I attempted to direct the attention of the Indians from me to the blockhouse , d in and thought if I coul succeed this , I would retreat

a to subterranean rock with which I was acquainted , which was in the run near where we were . For this pur pose I began to converse with some of those who were near me , respecting the strength of the blockhouse , the n e tc . number of men in it , , and being i formed that there were forty men there , and that they were excellent marksmen , they immediately came to the determination to retreat , and for this purpose they ran to those who were besieging the blockhouse and brought them away . They then began to flog me with their wiping — — sticks a stick for wiping a gun and to order

' me along . Thus what I intended as the means of my escape was the means of accelerating my departure in the hands of the Savages . But it was no doubt ordered by a kind Providence for the preservation of the fort and th e inhabitants in it ; for when the Sav ages gave u p th e atta! k and retreated . some of the men in the house h a d the last load Of am munition in their guns and there was no possibility of procuring any more , for it was all fastened up in the storehouse , which was inaccessible . The Indians , when they had flogged o me away al ng with them , took my oldest boy , a lad about five y ears old , along with them , for he was still at the door by my side . My middle boy , who was about three y ears of age , had by this time obtained a situation by the fire in the house and was crying bitterly to me not of to go , and making bitter complaints the depredations of the Savages . But these monsters were not willing 1 5 8 back over the horse , but was not materially inj ured .

He was taken up by one of the Indians , and we got to

of the bank the river , where they had secreted some bark canoes under the rocks opposite an island in the river . They attempted in vai n to make the horses take the river . After trying some time to effect this they left the horses behind them and took us in one of the canoes to the point of the island and there they left the canoes .

Here I beheld another hard scene , for as soon as we d had lande , my little boy , who was still mourning and lamenting about his little brother , and who complained that he was inj ured by the fall in descending the bank , Of was murdered . One the Indians ordered me along, probably , that I should not see the horrid deed about to be perpetrated . The other then took his tomahawk from hi s Of side , and with this instrument death , killed and i n scalped him . When I beheld this second scene of human butchery , I fell to the ground senseless , with my infant in my arms , it being under and its little hands in the hair of myhead . How long I remained in this state of insensibility , I know not . The first thing I remember was my raising my head from the ground and my feeling myself exceedingly overcome with sleep . I cast my eyes around and saw the scalp of my dear little boy fresh

Of bleeding from his head , in the hands of one the Sav ages . and sunk down to the earth again upon my infant child . The first thing I remember after witnessing this spectacle of woe , was the severe blows I was receiving

of one from the hands of the S avages , though at that

'

wt a ni n . time I was unconscious of the inj ury I a s su s i g

After a severe castigation , they assisted me in getting up , and supported me when I was up . Here I cannot help contemplating the peculiar inter

asilv position of Divine Providence in my behalf . How e they m ight have murdered me ! What a wonder their 1 60 ff ! cruelty did not lead them to e ect it But , instead of hid this , the scalp of my boy was from my View , and in to order to bring me to my senses , they took me back the river and led me in knee deep ; this had its intended

f . e fect . But the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel We now proceeded on our j ourney by crossing the island and comi ng to a shallow place where we could wade out and so arrived to the Indian side of the country . Here they pushed me in the river before them and had to conduct me through it . The water was up to my breast , but I suspended my child above the water and through the assistance of the Savages got safely out . From thence we rapidly proceeded forward and came to Big Buffalo ; here the stream was very rapid and the Indians had again to assist me . We then crossed Little Buffalo ’ mil at the very place where Mr . Sarver s l now stands and ascended the hill . I now felt weary of my life and had a full determina

om ake i ul tion t the Savages kill me , think ng death wo d be exceedingly welcome when compared with the

en fatigue , cruelties and miseries I had the prospect of during . f To have my purpose e fected I stood still , one of the Savages being before me and the other walking on b e hind me , and I took from my Shoulder a large powwder h o horn they made me carry , in addition to my child , was one year and four days old . I threw the horn on the ground , closed my eyes and expected every moment

o . to feel the deadly t mahawk But to my surprise , the i Ind ans took it up , cursed me bitterly , and put it on my Off shoulder again . I took it the second time and threw it on the ground and again closed my ev es as before with similar expectation , but to my great surprise they , with i ind gnant and frightful countenances , came and placed it on again . I took it off the third time and was de 1 61 t ermined to effect it ; and therefore threw it as far as I could on the rocks . One Savage immediately went after it , while the other one who claimed me as his squaw “ came up to me and said , Well done ; I did right , and was a good squaw and that the other was a lazy dog ; he might carry it himself I cannot now sufficiently admire the indulgent care of a gracious God , that at this moment preserved me amidst so many temptations from the tomahawk and scalping knife . The S avages now changed their positions , the one wh o i claimed me as his squaw going behind . Th s move

' ment I b eliev e was to prevent the other from doing me harm , and we came to the Salt Lick , about two miles above Butler , where was an Indian camp , arriving a lit tle before dark , and having no refreshments during the day .

The camp was made of stakes driven in the ground , mping and covered with chestnut bark and appeared to be long enough t o accommodate fifty men . The camp di had paths about it lea ng in different directions . That night they took me about three hundred yards from the camp , up a run into a large dark bottom , where they cut the brush in a thicket and placed a blanket on the ground and permitted me to sit down with my child . They then pinioned my arms back only with a little difficult liberty , so that it was with v that I managed my

re child . Here in this dreary situation , without fire or freshment , having my arms pinioned and my child to

k e ta e care of with a Savag on each side of me , who had

of killed two my dear children that day , I had to pass the first night of my captivity . in Ye mothers , who have never lost a child by an human Savage may nevertheless think a little (though it be a little ) what I endured and hence sympathize with 1 62

2 3 Of The next evening , Monday , on the return the other S avage they removed me to another place in the same valley and secured me as on the previous night , and on the morning of the 2 4th a flock Of birds and robins hovered over us and sung and said , at least in my

o Off . imagination , that I was to get up and g At day

one off break guard again went to watch the trail , and the one left to guard me appeared to be sleeping . When I perceived this I lay still and began to snore and he soon fell fast asleep . Then I concluded it was time to escape . I found it impossible to inj ure him , for my i child would need to be put down and might g ve a cry , so I contented myself with taking from a pillow - case of plunder from our house a short gown , handkerchief and

’ child s frock , and so made my escape ; the sun being then about half an hour high .

i o I took a d rection from h me at first , being guided I n by the birds before mentioned , and to deceive the dians , then took over the hill until I struck a creek

- whi ch I followed down stream . I soon discovered by the sun that I was on the wrong course , and sat down until the evening star made its appearance , and having marked out the course I should take next morning , I

O f . collected a bed leaves I laid me down and slept , though my feet being full of thorns were very painful and I still had had nothing to eat for myself and child . 2 5 w a The next morning , May , about daybreak I s aroused by the same flock of birds before mentioned , i which still continued with me , and having them to gu de

A S me through the wilderness . soon as sufficiently light ’ to find my way I started for the fourth day s trial of m hunger and fatigue . I made y way towards the Alle

h en g y River , and in the evening about the going down of the sun , a moderate rain set in . I could not collect a sufficient bed of leaves withou t 1 64 setting my little boy on the ground ; but as soon as I put him out of my arms he began to cry ; and I put him to the breast immediately and he became quiet . I then

and stood listened , and distinctly heard the footsteps of a man coming after me in the direction I had come ! Alarmed at my perilous situation and seeking a place i of safety , I providentially discovered a large tree wh ch

Of had fallen , into the tops which I crept , with my child in my arms and hid myself under the limbs . The darkness greatly assisted me and prevented de

t ection . The footsteps I heard were those of a Savage . He heard the cry of the child and came to the very

Spot where the child cried , and there he halted , put down hi s a gun , and was so near th t I heard the wiping stick strike against his gun distinctly . My getting in under the tree and sheltering myself and pressing my boy to my bosom got him warm and he most providentially fell

and asleep . All was quiet the Savage was listening for the cry he had heard before . My own heart was the only thing I feared for that beat so loud that I was a p prehensive it would betray me ; but after the Savage had stood and listened with the stillness of death for two

a hours , the sound of a bell and a cry like th t of a night owl , signals from his Savage companions , induced him to answer , and after he had given a most horrid yell ,

h O ff w ich was calculated to harrow up my soul , he went to j oin them . Lest they should conclude upon a second search I deemed it best to mowve from my place of con cea lm ent that night , so I thre my coat about my child and placed the end between my teeth and with my one arm and teeth I carried the child and with the other arm groped my way between the trees for a mile or two , and the re sat down at the root of a tree till the morning .

The night was cold and wet , and thus terminated the ffi fourth day of di culties , trials , hunger and danger . 1 65 2 6 Saturday , May , wet and exhausted , hungry and

on wretched , I started as soon as I could see , and that morning struck the waters of Pine Creek , and having crossed them discovered a path on the Opposite bank I n with moccasin tracks in it , evidently indicating that dians were j ust ahead of me . This alarmed me , but I followed on until I came to a hunter ’ s camp where the two men whose tracks I had been following had ki ndled

l eav m . a fire and breakfasted , g the fire burning I here became more alarmed and determined to leave the path . I then crossed a ridge towards S quaw Run and came upon another trail or path . I was here medi tating what to do ; and while I was thus musing I saw three deer coming towards me at full speed ; they turned

' to look at their pu rsu ers ; I lo oked too with all attention and saw the flash Of a gun and heard the report as soon as the gun was fired . I saw some dogs dart after them , and began to look about for a shelter , and made for a large log and hid myself behind it ; but most provi dentially I did not go clear to the log ; had I done so I might have lost my li fe by the bites of rattlesnakes ; for as I put my hand on the ground to raise myself , that I might see what had become of the hunters and who they were , I . saw a large heap of rattlesnakes and the top one was very large and coiled up very near my face and ready to bite me . This compelled me to leave this situation , let the consequences be what they might . I here again left my course and came to the head

of waters Squaw Run , which I followed the remainder f of the day . During the day it rained and I su fered much from both cold and hunger . My j aws were so far recovered that I was enabled to pluck some grapevine branches and chew them for a little sustenance . At night , within a mile of the Allegheny River and in a ’ tr o l od emendous rainstorm , I to k up my fifth night s g 1 66

? God are you He was one of my nearest neighbors , ’ ye t six days hardship had so altered my appearance that he did not know my voice or countenance .

When we landed , the people came running from the fort , and some assisted me , others took the child , and now that I felt I was safe I found myself unable to move or assist myself in any degree ; whereupon the people

Cor us . carried me to the house of Mr . t Here for the first time I burst into tears and my feel ing returned with all their poignancy . During my severest and most hear t- rending trial I could not shed

s . a tear before the Indian Had I done so , it might have cost me my life , for the Indians despise tears .

When they took m e into the house I fainted . Some of the people attempted to restore me and others b y Wo their kindness uld in all probability have killed me ,

’ had not Maj or l\I Culley arrived and ordered them t o take me out in the air , and that I should not have any m thing but the whey of butter ilk for a time , and that in very small quantities . After I revived the thorns were taken from my feet

e O f in great numb rs , some them having gone through and coming out on the top . The news soon spread of my arrival and my husband came to see me the same

Of evening . I gave an account of the murder my child on th e island , and on Wednesday morning a scout went ou t , according to my directions , and found the body

1 a nd buried it after being murdered n ne days .

1 68 CHAPTER ! I

Poems b y the Author.

THE TR I U MV I ATE .

of t The ship sta e with her shackled freight ,

Swept by a furious gale , Was drifting away from the harbor bay

With shattered mast and sail .

The Pilot Chief from the billowy reef ,

The cargo sought to save , But millions of souls in bondage shoals

Seemed doomed to a watery grave .

’ But the Pilot s zeal as he tur ned the wheel From the danger coast away Gave manly gri p to thrust the ship

In Emancipation bay .

There the fetters b roke and the galling yoke

Was buried beneath the s ea .

ow N naught remains of the slave in chains

For the bondman is s et free .

But the Pilot , great , was doomed to fate For the manacles he had riven “ But be assured that he endured , — And hi s pass port leads t o heaven .

May an angel band from the freedman land E ’ en from the great white throne

With songs , complete and music sweet

Their gratitude make known . 1 69 By gifts Of love , borne from above

To the Springfield Of the West , ’ To bedeck the tom b with Eden s bloo m

Where the martyred Lincoln rests .

And of all the brave who fought t o save The Union from her woes ’ Twas Garfield ’ s main that led the train

And grappled with her foes .

of From halls fame , he too became ’ s The nation honored chief ,

But crime combined with j ealous mind .

To bring him down t o grief .

’ Mid hopes and fears and falling tears

We watched his life depart , ’ — But Garfield s name untarnished name ,

Is graven on every heart .

Let those who prize the sacrifice Made by these hero wtowers h o With the soldier dead , fought and bled

Bedeck their graves with fl owers .

Fair Lake View Side great Cleveland ’ s pride Contains a h allowed spot Where the humblest swain may strength regain

And courage t o bear his lot .

McKinl e y too , the tried and true St o od foremost in th e fray Where North and South at the cannon mouth

Swept valiant lives away .

’ But , o er it all , there hung a pall , And as he rose t o fame Hi s artful foe with a misele blow

Drove anarchy to shame .

1 70

l A s th e o f gems , bosom the deep adorning,

sk Were the lights reflected from the y and shore.

The sentinel had finished his inspecting tour , “ ” ’ The all is well had echoed o er the deep ;

on Thus making all board feel more secure ,

And many of the crew retired to sleep .

While some in youthful dreams are home again , S urrounded by their friends and parents dear ,

Others struggle in the throes of death with men , ‘

Still others shed the penitential tear .

Then suddenly there comes a lightning flash ,

o f A peal thunder shakes the sea and shore , n The overhead a rumbling , stunning crash ,

o f And scores human beings are no more .

The flames illuminate the earth and Sky , And yet no post is deserted by the crew ;

The Officers the very elements defy , ’ The nation s pride should be her tried and true .

The boats are manned and managed with a skill ,

Which highly honors any naval fleet .

The wounded ones are rescued , and the ill

From the water and most dangerous retreat .

The noble ship is in the throes of death .

She disappears beneath the angry wave , And who can know if accident or wrath

Has buried her in this untimely grave .

i u The direful news s flashed thro ghout the land ,

And many forms are prostrate , some undone ; “ Wa s The queries raise , it a Spanish hand

That feign would have a bloody war begun .

’ ’ VV e ll trust the pilot of the nation s craft ’ ’ He s conned the nation s charts o f war and peace ; 1 72 ’ Invoiced the nation s cargo fore and aft ; ’ So should the nation s confidence in him increase .

Our sacred dead the harbor death have passed ,

Into the haven , peace , into eternal rest ,

Where he who would be first shall be the last ,

And he who would be humblest the best .

’ THE LONELY SOLDIER S GRAVE .

(Written for TH E CALL . )

What are those muffled tones which meet mine car ? Can this be martial music drawing near ? ’ Look yonder , tis an army almost here . See how the muskets glitter in the light !

r And now they quickly tu n and march to right ,

A S if there were some lurking fo e in sight .

Hark ! what report is that from yonder tree ? The smoke is dimly rising— can you see ?

It surely is some unseen enemy .

l . But from the ranks a so dier , staggering , falls “ !” l Halt the stern commander loudly wca ls , And all stand firm as great partition alls .

’ ” ? n Who s that has fallen comes the ster demand , ”

on . Poor Joe is dead , slain by y rebel band

Well , forward march , the army must not stand , ’ But , captain , he s my brother, may I stay ’ ” “ h e s ? ou Until buried If y wish you may , “ ” This way lads , with shovels , no delay .

hi s The brother lingers with sacred dead , ’ And o er the prostrate form he bows his head ,

And breathes the silent prayer his mother said . Then from the lifeless form upon the sand

off He takes the ring from the pulseless hand , ’ And thus obeys his mother s last command . 1 73 He also clips a lock of flaxen hair , The only other token he can bear

To soothe his mother in her deep despair ,

t o Just then the sappers hurried the place , And having turned the dead upon hi s face

s o Heaped high the verdant d and left in haste .

The maiden calmly watched the new made mound ,

A S r Oll ed days and weeks and months and years round ,

And looked upon the spot as hallowed ground . “ My brother may yet fall upon the plain , ” And one I love a s dear may yet be slain . Were reveries that fillwed her heart and brain . S S h e o , from the remnant aste , a flag drew ;

The Stars and Stripes , disowned by parents too ,

on And placed it the grave thus made anew . When questioned as to why she ’ d thus behave sh e Her heart was in the answer that gave , “

t o . He rests beneath the flag , he died save

In after years when North and South were one . United in the flag of Washington ; S t o he listened great feats in battle done ,

Fo r one t o sh e r whom ever had been t ue ,

e Who ver had her happiness in view ,

Returned , clad in a suit of faded blue . He sawid that when in battle ’ s darkest hour s a w He the Old flag aving from a tower , And felt a strange conviction from it s power ; He vowed if God would save him one day more

old That same flag our brave forefathers bore , ’ He d hail from land to land and shore t o shore .

v ow oo hi Then t , s comrade made a solemn ,

one That being at first they should be now , ’ And clear the death dew from each other s brow ; Then , in minglwed sadness , j oy and pride , He told her h o her brother bravely died

While fighting for the Union by hi s side . 1 74

With the wild beasts ever abounding, Ewver chasing in her train . Ho her long , dark , waving tresses ,

of Gained a score fond caresses ,

- o From the pale face , fr m the brave , As Sh e wrought among the maizes With no bard t o chant her praises ; ’ She was warrior s drudge and slave .

Fairy young Mohawk maiden , The Wigwam that sh e staid in Could not hold so great a charm ; For her sparkling eyes s o tender

Gained her many a defender ,

Wh o would shield the maid from harm .

Her sweet voice m ocked ' th e fountains

As it echoed through the mountains , ’ When sh e trod the hunter s trail ;

With her trusted bow and quiver ,

O of n the marshes the river ,

Her shaft would never fail .

All r b roth er unlike her c uel ,l — Who cared for self none other , Deeds of kindness were her pride ;

She was ever tender hearted , And full oft the tear—drop started

- When the scalping knife she spied .

And she wor shiped the Great Spirit

In a way that he might hear it , When the Sun had gone to rest ; Ever seeking his protection Throughout ever insurrection

As the safest and the best .

h u o a C e a n wh o h h ran t e amo M comm an e a t t e b a t TJosep B t, f s h wk hi ft i , d d M n n W om n and ot er u r n th e e o u on t e of . l s i isi k, y i g h s d i g R v l ti 1 76 One day the Mohawk maiden

n—field The cor long delayed in , For Sir Willi a m l drew aside ;

And although he felt above her , Yet he claimed that he could love her

And take her a s his bride .

o fl Thus he lured her t hi s palace ;

o no But her heart could h ld malice ,

o wa s S guileless her life ;

r And She even quite fo gave him , And from censure tried to save him

When he chose a nother wife .

For sh e felt the tie that bound her As her children played around her , Bound her firmly t o their sire

For s w a one f She the of ended ,

- In the pale face meekly blended ,

Free from envy and from ire . Thus the Mohawk mawiden , a s Whose life with toil ladenw, By Sir William kept her v o ; S hi s he soothed dying pillow ,

And beneath the weeping willow ,

- Cleared the death dew from his brow .

’ TEACHER S COLUMN .

Rulers in Rhyme .

B Y R DG H HO ACE E AR TWIC ELL .

’ The United Colonies , England s descendants , Ma de a great struggle for their Independence ; L e m ik a swar from the hive , they preferred separation

o . That they might bec me a great , prosperous nation And in a defense against English oppressions

They took up their arms against Brita ins and Hessians .

w ou r N o , in those dark days , when forefathers faltered , ’

H GT ws . WAS IN ON S courage a firm and unaltered

i S i r William J ohnston th e celeb rated I ndi a n a gent and genera l i n the M oh awk Va lley during th e F rench a nd I ndi an t roubles p ri or to th e Rev o lution. n a h n wn n s one ouse s a n t O sto u o Co . . . “A t h till st di g J , F lt , N Y 1 77 1 775 .

He led in the war o f the Great Revolution

Which threw off the yoke and brought j ust restitution . After putting their plans in complete execution The people adopted a firm C onstitution

s et of . A fixed laws , granting rights and protection o s o T every n Of Caucasian complexion .

for t o Then a ruler govern the nation ,

r of All tu ned to this man such great reputation ,

of And in the Frail Bark scant mooring and sail ,

WAS H INGTON braved the most furi ous gale .

1 789 .

To meet all emergencies , wisely , he planned , And thus gained the confidence of all the land ; w ’ Fo r a s great the wreck of the war s devastation ,

But wisely he met every j ust obligation , And after eight years of great turmoil and care ’

t o . He passed , John Adams , the President s chair

1 797

ADAMS declared that a rigid advance Of arm y and navy must settle with France wh for TO o teach foreig n Crowns tribute contend ,

That we give not a cent but with millions defend .

on And war had already begun the seas ,

When a French R evolution all malice appeased .

1 801 .

JE FP FE R S O N Next chants the new century ditty , And makes the great Washington capital city ; This far- seeing President took a great notion

To make his possessions extend t o the ocean . He paid fifteen millions to France for her claim

On Louisiana and lands by that name . Just then came a furious war declaration

From Tripoli , now in extreme agitation Because yearly tribute a s paid heretofore

To ou r ransom slaves , was not paid any more ; So he sent an armada without hesitation

To bombard that city and quell their vexation . 1 78

b ox Fell into his clutches and in a bad ,

' For hi s i s w a ll e ere on tribe and their killed the plains ,

And he , put in prison and fettered in chams . ” of And we enter the era Try , try again ,

ART V A N R 1 83 t o wi n When M IN BU EN ( 7 ) tries five times ; But the panic which gathered with his predecessor Now burst upon him as the vilest aggressor ; Thus millions were lost in stag nation o f trade ’ And even the Government s debts were unpaid . Next comes the hero of Tippecanoe ; A 1 84 1 R But H RRISON ( ) dies and lets TYLE in t oo .

TYLER continues to finish hi s term . By making political partisans squirm ; And seeing that Texas stood ou t in the cold ’ He gave her a welcome to Uncle Sam s fold . Then hostile invasion from Mexican coast Comes into colwlision with POLK ( 1 845 ) at hi s post ; For t o he sends great armies to meet the intruders ,

And check the advance of all border marauders .

t o Q uite soon they are glad be friend and not foe , M And cede California and New exico , With all that vast region where wealth is untold

In the endless production of silver and gold . ! A H RY AY R 1 84 Twelfth C E T LO ( 9 ) had won in the fray , And donned “Rough and Ready ” as his soubriquet

— - [ s u b re ka ]

But turmoil and battle , exposure and strife , ’ Left only four months for this President s life ; 1 84 And FILMORE ( 9 ) let in by the great Constitution , Carried his plans into swift execution ;

Encouraging commerce upon the high seas ,

And opening trade with remote Japanese . ’ “ Then when Cuba s champion turned filibuster ,

for He longed that island , but still would not trust her ,

to sin Because it would add the Slavery ,

And Spain would not sancti on ou r letting her in .

o Next PIERCE ( 1 85 3 ) floors the Compr mise Bill in convention , And Kansas becomes the great bone of contention ; For pro - slave and anti - slave furnished a theme

- Fo r m ob law and violence in the extreme . our And while great advancements were made in trade , 1 80 Yet many great breaches in union were made , ’ a s o er u s And clouds gather and night circles round , BUC HANAN ( 1 85 7 ) still leaves us in darkness profound ; Permitting the sisters Carolina and neighbors “ To make an ado about where Honest Abe is ,

And strut from the sisterhood haughty and proud ,

Because cruel customs would not be allowed . But in the great hour o f need and demand BRAHA 1 861 Comes A M LINCOLN ( ) the Prince of the land ,

Proclaiming the Union must not be disbanded , Or blo od - shed would settle all schemes underhanded ;

And that the bond broken be timely united ,

Or slaves should be freed and their wrongs Should be righted . of Then a clan the sisterhood , seven in number , of Made a great building very poor lumber ,

a s And named their leader their greatest and wisest ,

To rule over all and prepare for the crisis . m But when their brave soldiers , sent out in great ar ies , Get slaughtered and beaten they s ee where the harm is ;

And after a conflict Of four bloody years ,

They lay down their arms in privation and tears , And seek for a place in the old Constitution Adopted j ust a fter the great Revolution ; not r But till a Brutus in a tful disgrace , ’ Made our loved Lincoln s life a complete sacrifice . ’ But we boast of a Star in the world s architrave ’ f ’ Which gleamed o er the manger o slavery s grave . PART FOUR

’ H S N 1 865 a s Thus JO N O ( ) came in a great man s successor, TO deal with the South and each other transgressor ; for nflx i on i u He vetoed all bills freedmen , ’ th e And claimed a sole right in State s reconstruction , t t o But par ial , commenced he speak it and pen it , S Till great opposition arose in the enate , And urging a friend in another man ’ s place He brings on impeachment and public disgrace ; t o his But lacking a vote establish crime ,

The House reinstates him to finish his time . ’ r Twas du ing this riotous administration , wa t o s Alaska bought and annexed the nation , 1 8 1 And the people resolved better seed to implant , By naming the hero ULYS S ES S : GRAN T ’ of S e This victor hilo and Richmond s gr at fall , ’ W o wa s i h h s summoned to war by Country s loud call , ’ on wa Would fight this line till the Summer s ended

And r wa s . every ent in our banner mended ’ Undaunted he stood at the fierce cannon s mouth , now o f th e S h But stands the friend the North and out , ’ Unfurling the flag o er the b ondmen s et fre e t e He advocates peace on h land and the s ea . And during hi s prosperous administration ’ The United States took a year s recreation ;

Inviting all nations to come and. take part, And bri ng all inventions of science and art To show the progression a century brings

Where the pe ople are freed from the thrald om of kings .

Next , two great men , after party contention , Claim their election in college convention ; And after a session of censure and grudges The count is passed on t o Electoral Judges

o o Wh after a council and some retr spection ,

Justify HAYES ( 1 877) and proclaim hi s election . He reimburses both debtors and claimants — By rapid resumption of hard money payments ; And puts gold and paper again on a par

Something unknown since the ou tbreak of war . ’ Next came England s fishing adj udication , ’ And treaties with China t control immigration . Thus peace and pros perity j oin hand to hand

To lighten the burdens of all in th e land . PART FIVE ’ Twas during this term Of South conciliation

That GARFIELD ( 1 881 ) arose t o the head of the nation . But ladders of fame are not always the strongest ; Neither dwoes National honor stand longest ; For one h o i s nearest the summit of fame

I s often a target for j ealous disdain . r hi s c The voice of the people confi med ele tion ,

And thus they s et on him a greater affection .

Little they dreamed that a fiend stood among them , r Piercing their hearts a s he cruelly w ung them , 182

- A - BRIC BRAC .

T H O L D P A D BY TH N E RE L CE E EW .

for BA Y RNA Written the AL N JOU L .

d on Years have elapsed since I stoo this spot , My dear native city I greet thwee again ; a s l o Far were my wanderings , drear my t ,

And many my conflicts with ravenous men .

see s o s o The faces I are strange and cold ,

s o And I recognize patrons and places few ,

of s o h a s The hearth my childhood , changed , been sold ol s And the d i replaced with the new .

The old city hall has been razed t o the ground ; I t s daily - doled j ustice is fresh in mv mind ; The hoary - haired j udges can nowhere be found ;

They have gone , leaving honors behi nd . And 10 ! where it stood rises belfry and tower o s o r And great giant walls with an utline t ue ,

of a s e a s of A structure beauty , w ll power,

The old is replaced by the new .

t oo i s s o it s The Calvary , , strange in place , t no The plain , ancien fabric longer appears ;

e of a s a s of But a t mple beauty , well grace, ’ I s adorned with the penitent s tears .

The fathers and mothers are laid in the tomb , o s it And others , p sterity , in their pew ; the The youth nearing manhood , maiden in bloom ,

The old i s replaced by the new .

t oo e ou r r The Capitol , wh re forefathe s came , Excelsior tribute and service t o b ri ng ; n of me Where ma y great Statesmen honor and fa , Made halls with their eloquence ri ng ;

: no o Ha s vanished away we behold it m re , r w r ou V But tow ering high inte posing ie , A structure augments our Amerwican lore ; The old i s replaced by the ne . 1 84 Alma Ma ter The Old will never again , Send cordial greetings to welcome us home ;

us ou r ou r But let express with tongue and pen ,

t o Obligation her though afar we may roam .

For the new Normal Home , may we gratitude feel , ’ We extend it t o whom it s so amply due ;

To the State and the men who with fervor and zeal ,

Have replaced here the old with the new .

a s of our And thus the years life pass away , This change i s before u s in nature and art ; Our r time here appears like a b ief passing day .

hi s Here man with his friends and treasures must part , i s ! Then how fitting it , that while here we abide ’ our We minds with eternity s treasures imbue ,

t o And have a dear Saviour serve as a guide ,

When the Old scenes are changed for the new .

A . H LL HOR CE E TWIC E . ’

S ta te N ormal S ch ool Alb a n Cla s s 83 . , y;

REMINISCENCES .

T Written for H E JOURNAL .

[ Prompted at a New England supper , many Revolutionary p a tri ots being represented in ancient costume ]

How our o f t o- pleasant are visions in the sunshine day Of many an ancient patri ot that long h a s passed away u a rm Whose r gged frame and sturdy , defying wintry blast ,

ell e . F d the tree and built the home in that dim , distant past

W our e forget pilgrim parents , with privation at their door, And fer ocious beasts around them on the wild Atlantic shore ; H w firel ocks r o they watched the wary savage , with their nea a t hand !

a r e ri e . And , m d at work and worship , they tilled the ste l land

a s a s of We cl s the spinning wheel and loom toys days agone , V - wn e iew d in this nineteenth century , this great invention da , 1 85 of our u We boast rep blic and the progress we have made ,

ou r Forgetting that ancestors the firm foundation laid .

on on We dote reciprocity , based benignant laws ,

ou r r Forgetting forefathers , their st uggles and their cause ;

Forgetting that their trials , perplexities and zeal “ ” o r c of u s C nst u ted this great ship State and left at the wheel .

r of Those patriotic ancestors , with fur owed brows care , I of n garb homespun woollen and hearts bound firm in prayer, ’ r P oclaimed in solemn Congress to Europe s mighty powers , “ ” . We our t o f pledge lives and honor this noble land o ours .

not Then should we in gratitude and patriotic pride , Recount their deeds and principles and take them a s our guide ? Y es i u s , they should sh ne before , like star Of northern night ,

m - his o e Which guides the stor tossed mariner , and sets c urs

aright .

Ma our y we have motives pure when at the polls we stand , ’

l aw . t o And pledge and liberty , we ll vote with heart and hand our c or Th en Shall emblemati flag , without a blot stain , ’ o o e t o . Fl at v r freedom s hills and vales , from Washington Maine

HORACE EDGAR TWIC H ELL .

PLEASURES AND PERILS OF THE DELAWARE .

Down from the mountain side far away D it s The elaware rolls with dashing spray ,

h a s t Until it ga hered in brooklet and rill ,

From ever forest and valley and hill , wit s I t s waters have played ith pebbles and sand

Till the hills and the mountains are worn from it s strand . And the ocean - bound waters from meadow and lea

t o sea . Pursue , through the ages , their course the

II .

it s Winding along meandering way ,

n it s s of it s It has born e o bo om the freight day , Till the slope of it s hillsides for miles from it s plain 1 86

The hour had come t o retire t o rest

And many fond hopes were thus timely expressed ,

s l ow And the torrent continued within it bound ff ' With naught but a mu led and murmuring sound .

VII .

Then all at once came a rumbl e and roar AS though a great earthquake had shaken the shore , e s t And the ice fett red waters from bondage e free ,

a s Leaped forth a tempest sweeps over the s ea . D r own with the cur ent a great moving mass ,

Like an avalanche gorging a mountainous pass ,

Urging and surging, crashing and splashing ,

- The ice bill ows rolled with a thunderous dashing .

VIII .

- Then came a pause in the ice burdened stream , And th e waters rushed back with a terror extrem e?

Flooding the dwellings from cellar to tile , Heaping debris in conglomerate pile ; ’ And high above tumult and wild breaker s roar , e Came the pit ous cry from the far remote shore ,

for e - t o Pleading rescu from house p and tree ,

And a watery grave in a wintery s ea .

I ! .

L of o ong were the hours that peril us night , In the homes that were formerly happy a nd bright ; While the sun only rose on that heart welcomed m orn To shin e on a modern Venice borne ;

Fo r ri the boatmen tar ed beside each door , Or plied through the current With plashing oa r To c res ue the helpless from hunger and cold ,

And save from exposure the young and the old .

But the saddest burdens his sturdy skiff bore

- t o e Through the surg ing ice breakers from shore shor , Wa s the funeral bier with its soul- smitten train i - flood d The mournfullest scen e on the ce e plain nd b While smote by the tempest a tossed y the wave , 1 88 The mournful procession passed on to the grave t ’ ’ Breathing a prayer hat o er death s chilling tide , I n the home where the ransomed forever abide

That spirits , departed , may j oyfully meet

And from deluge and sto rm find a blissful retreat .

HORAC E EDGAR TWICHELL .

1 88 . March , 7

THE IDLEWILD .

[ The following poem has been written fo r TH E JOURNAL b y Horace Edgar Twichell in c ommemoration of the anniversary t o- day of the killing o f Senator Wagner in the Spuyten Duyvil a c cident . He rode in the palace car

e The sun had veiled his b aming face ,

sk ° Behind a cloudy , misty y

The evening gloom , spread round the place ,

Caused a shudder or a sigh . t And many anxious hear s were there ,

o Parent , br ther , sister , child ;

To breathe a simple , fervent prayer , Centered on the Idlewild ; ff Whose rumbling wheels , in mu led chime ,

Vi ed with the onward tide of time .

The mountain peaks were capped with snow ,

The valley wore a carpet white ,

- The ice bound river lay below ,

Fettered by the frosts of night . d The bir s were gone , the trees were bare ,

Their summer nests with flakes were piled ,

a ll And that trilled the cold , bleak air Clamored from the Idlewild ;

Whose rumbling wheels in muffled chime ,

Vied with the onward tide o f time .

t c The s ranger from a foreign lime ,

The merchant with expectant air,

co The y maiden in her prime , 1 89 The matron with her silvery hair , And bride and groom of but a day

Are all borne hurri edly away .

And statesmen j oin the happy pair, Whose gratitude i s only smiled ;

And all a j oyous banquet share , Inmates of the Idlewild ; Whose rumbling wheels in muffled chime

Vied with the onward tide of time .

The Catskills in their echo trills , The highlands in their quick reply

Wake the vales and shake the hills ,

While the train goes rushing by .

The gazing peasant draws aside ,

And breathless , yet in accents mild ,

Providence invokes to guide , And save the freighted Idlewild ; Whose rumbling wheels with muffled chime

Vied with the onward tide o f time .

The train meanders through the hills ,

Along the peaceful Hudson shore , Until the darkness with its ills ’ Closes like a mantle o er .

a ir - on - The brakes the icy wheels , ’ o The mighty engine s fr zen breath ,

S t o f eem baf le all appeals ,

From the tragi c hand o f death .

- A head light centered in a flash , Torch of Vulcan fitly styled Da shes with a frightful crash , In the fated Idlewild ; ff Whose rumbling wheels in mu led chime ,

Vied with the onward tide of time .

L r et other pens the scene desc ibe , L et other hearts the anguish tell ,

But , kindred friends , this thought imbibe ,

Heaven rul es and it i s well .

Why should an honored statesman fall , 1 90

’ ’ Safe neath the Capitol s towering dome , i There precious mementoes are g ven a home . o f Ensigns liberty , riddled and worn , i of Troph es victory , shattered and torn ,

o f Are kept from corrosions every form , And sheltered from blasts of the wild winter storm ; ’ ’ o er They re furled like the sail , when the tempest is , rm And the sto stranded vessel lies safe by the shore .

V i s eteranwsire , when thy labor done l o un And in the West is thy glimmering s , Lead t o this b u rea u thy dutiful child And tell him of struggles and conflicts wild ’ ow h our Tell him slavery darkened land , Until ou r g rea t n a ti on successfully planned

To loosen the manacles , sever the chains , ’ ou t And blot America s greatest of stains .

In through the columns of Gothic design ’ of Under the arches Liberty s shrine ,

Beautiful architraves glitter by night , Clad in a halo of radiant light ;

on And round them , arcaded every side , ’ o er Granite walls tower porticoes wide .

i s of Here the home those banners , thus rent ,

r Of a ms from the battlefield , tools from the tent ;

Fetters with flags lying side by side ,

Symbols of rancor and emblem of pride . Here stand the streamers with trimmings of leer ;

ff e or Sta s capped with eagl , with halberd spear ; Guidons in battle and pennants at s ea ; ’ Ye re shredded and faded , but yet ye are free .

of Standard liberty , where didst thou wave , ’ ’ of o er o r ? O er tumult battle , rampart grave

e Wh re are the patrons that bore thee away , ’ And fought neath thy Shadow t o win in the fray ? of t e Where wast thou moistened by dews h night , Whilst shielding the wounded ones borne from the fight ? Thy course i s recorded in traces of war

on i on . By sword and by bullet , str pe and star 1 92 But paramount relics in rank and in hue ,

Grace yonder case ; they are garments of blue ,

Garm ents once worn by a patriot true . S ee the crude rent , where the bullet pierced through ’ And slew gallant Ellsworth ; but e er shall his nam e

R e— ! echo in song, with his unrivaled fame

ou ~ If y battered button a breast plate had been , And shielded th e heart that was beating within ; for Then might our nation not weep the brave , ’ Slain on the margin of slavery s gra v el

hi s The flag of the Marshall House , stained from wound ,

Wrapped round his form , when he staggered and swooned , . r Se ves a memento , long may it tell

so Motives for which he valiantly fell , ’ ri Long may they glide on poste ty s tide ,

These cherished memorials , Side by Side ; ’ ’ They ll steady the helm in futurity s sea ,

And point out the shoals for the ship of the free .

of The thunder battle has died from the strand , The veil h a s been lifted which shadowed our land ;

And in streams the sunshine , the glorious ray , ’ ’ That brightens God s future with freedom s glad day .

All men are equal and all men are free , ’ Progress extends o er the land and the s ea ; The flag of the Union is hallowed once more t o From peaceful Pacific Orient shore . S ta t e N orma l S h o l Alb n c o a . , y

L EU OGY ON SENATOR WAGNER .

TH E PTY HA R EM C I .

i s The chair again empty , and eyes are filled with tears , For one wh o a s for s served the people , a choice , many year , D a s out eath , falling a thunderbolt , from a passing cloud , Ha s e brok n many a circle and frightful furrows plowed .

s ea of sun h a s Beyond the restless time , another passed , 1 93 r But in the blest ete nity the dawn breaks clear and fast . Why should such bitter anguish fill the hearts and homes of men ? ’ And why is life a transient dream that ne er returns again ?

The chair again is empty , but kind and tender hands

b its Have twined the crape a out form , a monument it stands , on And the Senatorial desk , left vacant in the line , I s V placed a floral tribute with tendril and with ine . ’ ’ T e of his tribut a woman s love , from nature s treasured store , A temporary cenotaph which symbolizes more ’ T t ell han pens can write or tongues can , deserves the poet s lays ;

H e o should record this ample gift in choicest words f praise .

r The chair indeed is empty and the Senato has gone ,

i s i s a s h on . But cherished memory , time goes rolling ’ The weary traveler s repose spreads , far and wide , his fame ,

The car , a moving monument , shall memorize his name .

Hi s o o v ice no more shall ech from the Senatorial walls ,

hi s a And steps no more reverberate , while p ssing through the

halls , wn o But in the great assembly , where God shall claim his ,

May the Senate be united and sorrow be unknown .

Th e chair at home is empty beside the festal board , ’ And sadness seems to hover o er the treasures of the b oa rd ; ll Many fond momentoes , Spread about the stately ha , f Bring bitter tears o f anguish and o s orrow to them all . The circle at the fireside pres ents a vacant chair ; ’ ’ A husband s and a father s loss brings sadness and despair . ’ - i But in the gloom and shadow o er that sorrow str cken home ,

o f ! May the Light life eternal , with a beaming splendor come

A . H HOR CE E TWIC ELL ,

S ta t N orm a S ch oo l e l l A b a n . , y

COLUMBO EL DORADO .

From the rocky mountain SUMMIT ever towering in the sky ’ ’ O er Allegheny s lofty peaks , the eastward echoes fly ; 1 94

He waited long and patiently , submissive to the end , n ’ But when he lear ed the King s deceit in sending secret spies , To fil ch hi s from him wealth and fame , his all beneath the skies ; He s w h o no s in ank beneath a broken heart , like Him had , ’ Wh o o not hi s claimed a Pr phet s honor is found among kin.

But patience and ambition will arouse both heart and brain , r S And he , dete mined to succeed , betook himself to pain ; S hi s r son eeking alms along the way , he and o phan ,

e. Traveled many a weary mile , homeless and undon

hi s s Just in need a friend aro e , to pave the way between , A simple peasant stranger and a high exalted Que en ;

r s s Who made the declaration , which should echo th ough the kie , “ ” th e of I pledge j ewels my crown , to this great enterprise .

’ h a s o of This pledge pr ved the crowning act Isabella s reign, of S In gaining great possessions to the government pain . For in the great discoveries the great Columbus made ,

A continent was given them to mark a new decade .

our our our And in day when we explore rivers and plains , ’ w o t o h o We ll n t forget honor him , languishing in chains ,

Made such a noble sacrifice to elevate mankind ,

And morn his s a d ignoble fate to which he was resigned .

VIVO S API EN D S .

n Time sets Hi s impress o the hardest rock , And bids it cru mble from the mountain s ide ;

- l He wears the rock wa led chasm , block from block ,

Until it levels with th e ocean tide .

Thus centuries have wasted ancient Greece, And razed her templed cities t o the ground ; or But ages never have in war peace , sh e a s Dethroned the King of Wisdom h crowned .

it s m en i All learning rears monu tal p le , ’ Although ti s deeply buri ed or defaced ; t o From crumbled column broken tile ,

The record of a people m ay be traced . 1 96 Methinks I see this King upon his throne ; V -m I iew the gems that sparkle fro his crown ,

Astounded , that the Grecians stood alone , ’ of Masters the arts they ve handed down .

The brightest Star , set in that diadem , t Is Socrates , a mar yr to his theme ;

of A herald , that the Star Bethlehem , i Might send upon the world a br ghter gleam .

He gave his time , his talents , gave his all , That virt ue might inspire the human soul ; He made Old Athens shake from wall to wall ; N o r ceased his power with the fatal bowl .

of Since none can bend the bow Socrates , ’ Nor send conviction s arrow to his mark ;

D i on s i es Yet Plato , y agrees ,

Oft sent a scathing philosophic dart .

A true Disciple of his martyred sire ,

Plato , by a great and master mind , ’ Raised the youth from superstition s mire ,

And wisdom art and eloquence , combined .

Then burst the light from Aristotle ’ s flame Which burned the dross of fa l a cy from truth ;

s A stalking with a philosophic fame ,

His logic oft inspired the Grecian youth .

of Next came the wisdom the Nazarene ,

S in u When wand superstitio s crime , prevailed , And earth a s draped in shadow ; then between

God and his child , He every wrong , assailed .

He stood a sacrifice for sin ; was slain ; — Th e livid light around that thorn pierced brow ;

Oft men and monarchs would , in wrath , restrain , ’ Yet shining ever on ; Tis Shining now .

1 97 Q uintilian graced the an cient courts of Rome ;

And gave the world the Plinys , wise and great ,

on Whose pens throw light Christian martyrdom ,

And many sins and crimes of Church and State .

e - of e Rouss au , the scape goat , from the field fam Ha s given France some precepts for th e young ; “ ” And , despite , the HERMITAGE of shame ;

Many songs of praise t o him are sung .

S Next witzerland , a Pestalozzi , gave , Who changed the art o f teaching in hi s day ;

out e By sending an Obj ect Lesson wav , o Which all the powers of Europe could n t stay .

’ ’ And we ll ne er forget to honor Horace Mann ,

Wh o f of spurned the prof ered rank and file State , And through many a well concerted plan ;

of r He proved the friend childhood , t ue and great .

b of The hum lest and most esteemed men , He lopped the branches on the tree of Lore ; u And handed down , through rostr m , page and pen ,

The golden fruit of knowledge to the poor .

We pride in many laurels we have won , ’ Where e er ou r glorious Flag h a s been unfurled ; I ’ n traversing the air , we ve j ust begun ,

An emulation feat against the World .

THE ABORIGINES .

’ of or We ll take a retrospective a hundred years more ,

And view the swarthy Red men on the wild Canadian Shore .

The trees are huge around them by the rivers and the seas ,

And tangled is the forest of the Abor i gi nes .

They sit beside the Wigwam with bow and quiver nigh , And listen long in silence for the dreaded Panther cry ;

They talk about the war path and about the Spirit Land , They dance around the council - fire where many a raid

planned . 1 98

Tracing many a winding river , and crossing swamp and swail , ’ of ri This band savage war ors , haste along the hunter s trail .

While thus the stealthy bandits make their way through grove and glen i Out through the thickest darkness , over r ver , glade and fen ; c u Within the pea eful hamlet by the forest hedged aro nd , Where naught disturbs their slumber but the baying of the

hound ,

- hi s The Woods man , in exhaustion from toil the day before , S hi s leeps soundly , where he wrought to keep privation from

door .

t oo i s The matron , , sleeping with the cradle by her side ,

Where lie the buds of promise , for her future j oy and pride ;

sh e So near that can rock them , should she hear their wakeful cries ’ And soothe them back to slumber , with affection s lullabys .

on And sweetly sleeps the maiden her pillow , snowy white , i The lovely coy young maiden locked n slumber for the night .

of - I fancy she is dreaming the spinning wheel or loom , ’ Or p ossibly of childhood e er her youth put on its bloom .

of But dreams are only echoes the toilsome day before , ’ o er Where by much perplexing efforts , we perform some labor ,

Her dreams may be but dramas where each lover plays his part ,

To win his coy young maiden clos er to his throbbing heart . m Here innocence and beauty are perceptibly co bined ,

Where smiles are but the gestures of a speculative mind . ’ Thus sleep s th e weary maiden within her father s cot , f l Knowing naught o her surrounding or of what may be her ot .

Thus the little hamlet , far from city and from town , Environed by the mountains and the forest green and brown ; Sleeps sweetly ’ mid the music of the dashing mountain streams

m r God . In the ar s of Mo pheus , the ancient of dreams

’ t o of But what a change comes o er them awaken fears harm , — As the watch dog from the kennel sounds the tocsin of alarm !

For news has reached the settlement from far Cochecton plain ,

- That Brant , the Indian raider treads the war path once , again ; 2 00 S e h o t alt ily intruding long before the m rning light , And firing many a dwelling to illuminate the night S r e i z e ur ounding many a peaceful hurd and many a captiv pr , i r r es . And d ves them all befo e him , despite their pleading cri

0 i , picture consternation , when the flames are roll ng hi gh

And think what dreadful anguish in awaking but t o die . r e foe With bu ning homes b hind them and a savage before, o The Victims flee in terror r die beside their door .

Let u s trust that Gracious Heaven made a Home for such as

these , — Wh o o es perished by the scalping knife , among the r cks and tre ; O - on r sacrificed their life blood , the sanguinary field ,

Wh ere the fate of many Heroe s was disastrously sealed .

RA . H LL HO CE E TWI C E .

THE MYSTERIOUS INDIAN MAIDEN .

— ! . A Lyri c Poem . (Tune Gentle itella )

I roamed through the forest ,

One morning in May ,

Where the brook gave its music , An d the song bird his lay ; Where the wild deer went bounding And the wolf had his lair

The echoes resounding,

Broke forth on the air .

I spied wreaths of flowers ,

r And fe ns incomplete ,

And close by the brookside ,

Clear traces of feet .

I roamed on the hillside

I roamed through the glen , And close by the lakeside

Returning again . a w I there s a maid Weaving plumes in her hair ; 2 01 w a s The lake her mirror ,

- And the moss rock , her chair,

Her dark face , reflected , Lo oked up from below ’ Twas sadly neglected

o f w oe Gave traces . I said , lonely maiden , ” Why do you roam ?

ou no Have y kindred , ” Ha ve you no home ?

h er e With eyes cast abov her , S he shuddered and sighed , “I n this forest , my lover Wa s wounded and died . “ He fell while he stood , Between me and the grave ;

The Great Spirit called him ,

My true hearted brave .

Four moons have gone , Since I stood on this shore ; ’ And I m listening still , For the splash of his oa r ; For he promised me true ’ He d bear me away ,

In hi s shinning canoe .

of d To the charms that wildwoo , The Great Spirit blest

ou r Where again , in childhood

We ever shall rest .

THE SULLIVAN COUNTY PIONEER .

I n the quaint old exploration days , S When ullivan , in years was young ; d ff of An Je erson , a theme praise , Extolled by every tongu e ; o e The woodsman plunged in the f rest , dr ar ,

And became the Sullivan pioneer . 2 02

f He suf ered many ills in life ,

Cold and hunger , toil and strife , Y et desires to trust and fear ,

of The God the struggling pioneer .

’ He sees the Father s reprimand , — The chastening rod uplifted hand ;

And yet he knows the parent true ,

Chides the child and loves him too ,

Although the tree lies shattered , bare , — The thunder bolt has cleansed the air,

And torrents , after thunders peal , ’ Turns the miller s power - wheel ; Transforming beech and birch and pine ;

As o b th ugh it were y hand Divine ,

Into dwellings far and near ,

The pride o f the early pioneer .

To - da y we rank equally great , With sister counties of ou r State ; The forest cleared of rock and tree ; — w . Becomes the green s ard of the free ’ Ti s due to our forefathers skill , Theirwwork , their p atience and good will We o e them more than we can pay ;

Were we to live as long as they ,

We praise and honor with right good cheer ,

The deeds of the Sullivan pioneer .

THE HUNTING SCENE .

’ What s that I see o n yonder plain ? Bounding toward you sheltered glen ?

I of t is a herd deer , with might and main , ’ We ll hasten ou t and after them . L et the hounds from yonder kennel free ,

ou ‘ S O And hurry , Jack , y are very slow ; Y ou try my patience s o and worry me ; ’ I s this my horn and pouch ? Let s go . 2 04 ’ We ll call for neighbor Brown and Ross , To stand on runways three and four ;

i s Because the herd sure to cross ,

Just where they often crossed before .

Heigh , Brown , Heigh , Ross , Come hurry here ; u n Bring your dog and loaded g , ’ We ve seen , j ust through the glen , some deer , ’ We ll go and surely capture one .

’ They re coming ; Bruce is in the lead .

Now , John , you take the hounds and drive ;

And make the very best of speed , ’ Just Show us all that you re alive . S ay ,wBrown , the sight we j ust have seen , T o pretty fawns a buck and doe ,

Went round that knob , and j ust between m r o ow. Th se lofty trees that for that

w ’ N o , Brown , they ll surely come this way , ’ I ll stand you here on this high ground ;

not And do get excited , pray

‘

! . There , Hark I hear the hound

’ hi s That s Bruce , I know ringing bark ,

' Ross , run to yonder rock and stand ; l And let me se your skil now , hark , Have you a study hand ?

! BANG BANG ! He never touched a hair .

N w for o steady , Ross a chance you ;

With gun aimed straight up in the air ,

Ross fires at random t oo .

The deer bound back across the plain , Unharmed by nothing more than fright ;

And Brown and Ross , like two insane ,

Come running in with all their might .

2 05 u Why , Brown , yo r bullet struck the sky ; And Ross yours struck right in this tree ;

I e heard your mis le whizzing by , ’ A s t if were meant fo r me .

of u s All should blush with shame , When taunted by what we have done ; Y ou t o d both forgot take goo aim ,

B u t I or o t I h a un f g d a g .

I I THE BATTLE OF MIN S N K .

sun The dawn breaks fair , the appears , The forest trewes are bowed in tears ; A s t o b o . each , the mist adheres — m The cloud wreathed ountain towering nigh , old u S With Mo nt epulchre , hard by ;

I s listening for the battle cry .

The soldiers , rushing to the fray , Ascend the steep and rocky way ;

And take their stand , without delay . T hey left the store , the bar , the bench to The plain with human blood drench ,

And stri ke a blow in home defense .

ws et A blo to the captive free , ’ A blow t o Britain s high decree ;

A blow from every rock and tree , The savage war- whoop rends the air The bullets through the branches tear ; o hi And dri ves the wild beast fr m s lair.

s un An d beneath that July ,

one Hungry , thirsty , every ;

They fought until the day was done . his And many a sire recalled past,

for While listening the rifle blast ,

As on the sun he l ooked his last .

2 06