"BROTHERS: You had a man scalped here some time ago. We Oneidas and Tuscaroras have now taken revenge, and have brought you some slaves. We do not take scalps. We hope you are now convinced of our friendship to you and your great cause. The warriors detain two of the prisoners till tomorrow morning. The Canasaragas have one in their possession. They will bring him to-morrow or the next day."*

The Oneidas, with very few exceptions, were ever faithful to the cause of the Whigs, and sometimes fought with great personal bravery. The Oriskany clan of that nation joined General Herkimer on the morning of his disastrous battle, under their chiefs Cornelius and Colonel Honyerry, and sustained themselves valiantly in that murderous conflict.†

But the acquisitions of booty by the Indians at the German Flatts were more than counterbalanced, a few days afterward, by their losses in their own chief towns, Unadilla and Oghkwaga, which were invaded, and in turn laid waste, by Colonel William Butler, with the 4th Pennsylvania regiment, a detachment of Colonel Morgan's rifle-men, then recently stationed at Schoharie, as we have already seen, and a corps of twenty rangers. Having marched from Schoharie to the head waters of the Delaware, and descended that stream two days' march, Colonel Butler struck off thence to the Susquehanna, upon which he emerged in the neighborhood of Unadilla. He approached the settlement with great caution; but the enemy had left the place several days before. Two of the white settlers, Tories, were made prisoners, however, one of whom was compelled to guide the forces of Butler to Oghkwaga, which service he performed. The town was taken possession of without interruption, the Indians having fled the day before in the greatest confusion-leaving behind a large quantity of corn, their dogs, some cattle, and a great part of their household goods. The march of Butler's troops had been fatiguing, and the vegetables and poultry, which they found here in great abundance, enabled them to fare sumptuously during their

* MS. report of Major Cochran to Colonel Gansevoort.

This fact was derived from Judge Frank, after the chapter containing the account of the battle of Oriskany was written. Honyerry, or Hansjurie Tewahongrahkon, as his name stands in the archives of the war department, was commissioned a captain by the Board of War in 1779.

stay. The town was uncommonly well built for an Indian settlement, there being a considerable number of good farm-houses on either side of the river. These were all destroyed, together with the Indian castle three miles farther down the river, as also large quantities of provisions, intended for their winter's supply. They saw nothing of the enemy, and lost only one man at that place, who was shot by an Indian straggler lurking in ambush. Returning to Unadilla, that settlement, upon both sides of the river, was burnt, as also a grist-mill and saw-mill—the only ones in the Susquehanna valley.*

But although, so far as fighting was concerned, it was an easy campaign, still the difficulties encountered by the expedition were very great, and such as could not have been undergone but by men "possessing a large share of hardiness, both "of body and mind. They were obliged to carry their provi"sions on their backs; and, thus loaded, frequently to ford "creeks and rivers. After the toils of hard marches, they were obliged to camp down during wet and chilly nights without covering, or even the means of keeping their arms dry."† They completed their work in sixteen days, and returned to Schoharie. But the Indians were not slow in taking their revenge for this destruction of their towns. An Indian's vengeance slumbers no longer than until an opportunity is afforded for sating it, as will appear in the ensuing chapter.

*Letter of Colonel William Butler to General Stark.

† Ramsay.

CHAPTER XVII.

Walter N. Butler-His flight from Albany, bent on revenge-The Great TreeHostile indications among the Senecas and Cayugas-Premonitions of an attack by Butler and Brant upon Cherry Valley-Discredited by Colonel Alden-Scouts sent out and captured-Surprise of the town-Massacre and burning-Death of Colonel Alden-Families of Mr. Wells, Mr. Dunlop, and others-Brutality of the Tories-Family of Mr. Mitchell-The monster Newberry-Departure of the enemy with their captives-A night of gloom-Women and children sent back— Letter of Butler to Gen. Schuyler-Murder of Mrs. Campbell's mother-Vindication of Brant-Interesting incident-Brant's opinion of Capt. M'Kean-Colonel John Butler laments the conduct of his son-Letter of General James Clinton to Walter Butler-Letter of Butler in reply-Molly Brant-Particulars of Mrs. Campbell's captivity-Feast of thanksgiving for their victory-The great feast of the White Dogs-Return of Walter Butler from Quebec-Colonel Butler negotiates with the Indians for Mrs. Campbell-She goes to Niagara-Catharine Montour and her sons-Mrs. Campbell finds her children-Descends the St. Lawrence to Montreal-Meets Mrs. Butler-Arrives at Albany, and is joined by her husband -Grand campaign projected-Jacob Helmer and others sent privately to Johnstown for the iron chest of Sir John-Execution of Helmer-Arrival of British Commissioners-Not received-Exchange of Ministers with France-Incidents of the war elsewhere for the year.

THE arrest of Walter N. Butler, at the German Flatts, in the Summer of 1777; his trial, and condemnation to death; his reprieve; as also his subsequent imprisonment in Albany, and his escape; are facts with which the reader has already been made acquainted. Although his execution would have been perfectly justifiable under the code militaire, taken, as he had been, within the American lines, in the very act of inviting the people to treason; yet the respectability of his family, and the associations he had himself formed in Albany, where he had been educated to the profession of the law, were the causes, through the interposition of those who had been his personal friends before the war, of saving his life. Still, the reprieve granted by General Arnold was followed by rigorous confinement in the jail at Albany until the Spring of the present year; when, being either sick in reality, or feigning to be so, through the clemency of General Lafayette his quarters were changed to a private house, where he was guarded by a single sentinel. It appears that the family with whom he lodged were Tories at heart; and having succeeded in making the sentinel drunk, through their assistance Butler was enabled to effect his escape. A horse having been provided for him, he succeeded in joining his father at Niagara soon after the affair at Wyoming. His

temper was severe and irascible; but he was nevertheless not without his good qualities, and was a young man of fair promise-" a pretty able young lawyer," to use an expression from the lips of one who knew him well.* It is believed, however, that he took mortal offence at his treatment while in Albany, and re-entered the service of the Crown, burning with resentment and thirsting for revenge.

This recapitulation, in part, of a portion of the younger Butler's history, is deemed essential in connexion with the events to be recorded in the present chapter.

There was with General Washington, during most of the Summer, a Seneca chief, called The Great Tree, who, on leaving the head-quarters of the Commander-in-chief, professed the strongest friendship for the American cause, and his first object, after his return to his own people, was to inspire them with his own friendly sentiments. While passing through the Oneida nation on his way home, he professed the strongest confidence in his ability to keep his own tribe bound in the chain of friendship, and pledged himself, in the event of his failure, to come down with his friends and adherents, and join the Oneidas. Early in October, Mr. Dean, the Indian interpreter and agent in the Oneida territory, wrote to Major Cochran, then in command of Fort Schuyler, that, not hearing from The Great Tree as soon as they expected, they had despatched messengers to the Seneca country, who had returned with unfavorable intelligence. It was stated, that on his arrival in his own country The Great Tree found his tribe all in arms. The warriors had been collected from the remotest of their lodges, and were then thronging the two principal towns, Kanadaseago and Jennesee. Having heard that the Americans were preparing an expedition against their country, they had flown to arms; and The Great Tree was himself determined to chastise the enemy who should dare to penetrate his country. The Oneida messengers were farther told that all the Indians west of their own tribe, including, of course, the Onondagas, together with the Indian settlements on the Susquehanna and its branches, were to join them. They were to rendezvous somewhere on the Tioga,

* The venerable John Frank of German Flatts. Butler studied law with the late Francis Sylvester.

and make a descent either upon the Pennsylvania or New Jersey frontier.*

The Mohawk chief, Thayendanegea, does not appear to have been among the Senecas at this time; and it is believed that the fermentation had been wrought by Butler, after his return to Niagara. Be that as it may, he obtained the command of a detachment of his father's rangers, with permission to employ the forces of Captain Brant. Though late in the season, young Walter determined to undertake an expedition into Tryon County, and avenge his imprisonment.† It has been asserted, that while on his way from Niagara with his rangers, Butler met Brant returning from the Susquehanna country to his old winter-quarters at Niagara, and that the proud Mohawk was not a little displeased at the idea of being assigned to a subordinate station under a man whom he cordially disliked. However, the difficulty was adjusted, and the sachem was prevailed upon to turn back upon the white settlements, with five hundred of his warriors. The united force comprised seven hundred men.

The point selected by the enemy was Cherry Valley—a settlement as remarkable for the respectability of its inhabitants, as its location was for its beauty. Unlike the generality of border settlements, the people were intelligent, and exemplary for their morals. So scrupulous were they in regard to observing the precepts of Christianity, that their Committee of Safety declined sitting with the Tryon County Committee on the Sabbath day-unless in the event of such alarming circumstances as would necessarily "super-exceed the duties to be performed in attending the public worship of God"—which, they said, did not then appear to be the case.‡

It has already been stated, that in consequence of their exposed situation, the Marquis de Lafayette had directed the erection of a fortification at that place early the preceding Spring. Colonel Gansevoort at once solicited the command of the post, with the regiment which had so greatly distinguished itself the preceding year in the defence of Fort Schuyler. But it was given

* Letter of Major Cochran to Col. Gansevoort, October 10, 1778.

† Campbell's Annals.

Letter to Tryon County Committee, signed by John Moore, Samuel Clyde, and Samuel Campbell, dated June 9, 1775.