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French and Indian Cruelty ;
Exemplified in the
LIFE
And various Viciflitudes of Fortune, of
PETER WILLIAMSON,
A Disbanded Soldier.
CONTAINING
A particular Account of the Alamm-s, Cufioms, and Drefs, of the
OAVAGES ; of their /crt/^iw^, burning y and other Barbarities y com-
mitred on the English, in North-America, during his Re-
sidence among them : Being at eight Years of Age, Jiolen from
his Parents and fent to Pensylvania, where he was fold as a
&LAVE : Afterwards married and fettled as a Plajitety 'till the
Indians dcftroy'd his Houfe and every Thing he had, ard carried
him off a Captive; from whom, after feveral Months Captivity,
he made his Efcape, and ferv'd as a Volunteer and Soldier in many
Expeditions againft them.
Comprehending in the whoie,
A S.U M M A R Y of the Tranfa^tions of the feveral Provinces
of Pensylvania (including Philadelphia), New-York,
New-En<,land, Kew-Jersey, &'c &Pc. From the Com-
mencement of the War in thefe Parts ; particularly, thofe rela-
tive to the intended Attack on Crown Point and Niagara*
And, an accurate and fuccin6t Detail, of the Operations of the
t<RENCH and English Forces, at the Siege of OSlVEGOy
where the Author w?s wounded and taken Prifoner ; and
beiig afterwards lent to England, was, on his Arrival at P^-
viQuthy difcharg'd as incapable of further Service.
Written by HIMSELF.
Y O R K:
i V-/ IV iV .
Printed for the Au th o r, by N.N i c icSon, 1757.
And Sold at his •'■hop-, in StonegatCy and Coj^ee-Tavdy
Il'i'Icz One Shilling;]
^-8-
<
S^^
J34/ '^^-
[Ill]
THE
PREFACE.
rHE following Jhort Tra6f is humbly offered to
the Tubl'tc^ tn Hopes of gaining by their gene*
tons Contribution in the Sale thereof a fmall Mat-
ter^ to enable me to fettle in fome Indufirious Way^
andfrovide in my old Age againft the Malevolence
§f Fortune 'j who hitherto^ for the Space of twenty*
eight Tears y hath with her Smiles and Frowns aU
ternately chequer' d my Life, My Situationy after
my Arrival in America, wais noty IconfefSy unhafpy\
'till the Tear 1754, when the Indians began their
Depredations in the ^Province <?/^" Penfylvania ; but^
fince that Ttme^ the Reader will find few happy
Minutes to have been in my Tojfejfton, Could 1 he
re^nftated in the like Circumjiances, I enjoyed be^
forcy my utmofi fViJbes would be obtained. Thou*
fandSy who have gone to thefe Tarts^ have met
with more unpleafmg Fortune than fnyfelf\ many
( who are not kidnapped as I was) being ignorant
what Meafures to take^ on going thither^ contract
themfelves with fome Merchant or FaCior here^ to
ferve a certain Number of Tears in the Tlantati*
onSy wherey wben arrived^ they often meet with
very bady and I may fay y cruel Majlers^ through
whofe barbarous Treatment y they are often induced
to elofey to avoid Servitudey or {more properly) Sla-
very under fuch Tyrants. If this hafpensy their
Cafe is worfe^for they are almojt^ certain of being
taken
taken again ^ as none are allowed to travel -juithoiit
a Tafs^ and then^ for c'uery Day th^ ha^^e bmi
ahjentj they mnji after the Exph ation of their Con^
traB\, fer-ve a tFee\ and pay fiich Sums of Money
as^ke ^krfkrfljaU adverfi^e fo^~tMk.mgjmd brim»
ilf^ 4hem'-^ck^ or fer'vj^lk certain TijpCi in Sfu
thereof Bnt^ thofe^ who go at their ownTixpence^ .
find it much more to their Satisfaction and lnterT(t\
for as foon as they arrrje, they are fure of Em*
floyment^ farticnlarly Tradefmen in any Branchy
at great Wages in all Tarts of Penfy Ivania, and
the other Trovinces.
If any go to better their Fortunes^ and ha've
I^^oney enough to enable them to live there without
Service^ they are ali^iof fure^ with Induftry^ to
obtain their Ends\ for^ in whatever Tlace they
firjl re fide y there ^ have they a Settlement^ by the
Laws of the fever al Trovinces • and Land may
be obtained "very cheap ^ as Thoufands of Acres near
all our Settlements ftill lie mictdti'vated^ that with
fome Trouble, and little Expence^ may be made t9
produce all Sorts of Grain in great Tlenty, This they
fell to the Weft-India Merchants^ and in Times of
"Feace^ to the Fvcnchy for Rum ^ Sugar, Blankets,
and Cloathing of all SortSy which they again ex--
change with the [ndians for Deer-skins, and Furs
of all Kinds to great Advantage-, and fuch Trade
jeldom fails, in a few Tears, of gratifying the
mofl avariiiDiis in their Thirfi after Wealth.
French
( X )
French aftd Indian Cruelty.
r^"^ H E Reader is not here to cxped a
5^ rp % large and ufekls Detail of the Trani-
& A acl:ions of late Years, in that Part of the
«^^ World, where, ever fince my Infancy,
it has been my Misfortune to have lived. Was ic
in my Power indeed, to iet off with pompous Dic-
tion, and embellifh with artificial Defcriptions, what
has fo ingrolTed the Attention of Europe, as well
as the Scenes of A6lion for fome Years paft, per-
haps I might; but, my poor Pen, being wholly
unfit for fuch a Task, and never otherwife em*»
ployed than juft for my own Affairs and Amufc-
ment, while I had the Pleafure of living tranquil
and undifturbed ; I muft beg Leave todefift from
fuch an Attempt ; and if fuch is expeded from
me, claim the Indulgence of that Pardon which is
never refufed to thofe incapacitated of performing
what may be defired of them. And, as a plain,
impartial, and fuccin£t Narrative of my own Life
and various Viciffitudes of P'ortune, is all I fhall
aim at, I fhall herein confine myfelf to plain fim.*
pie Truth, and, in the Dilates, refulting from an
honeft Heart, give the Reader no other Entertain^
ment than what (hall be Matter of Fa£b; and of
fuch Thini^s as have adually happened to me, ot
B coni^
z The LIFE
come to my own Knowledge, in the Sphere of
Life, in which it has been my Lot to be placed.
Not, but I hope, I may be allowed, now and then,
to carry on my Narrative from the Informations I
may have received of fuch Things as relate to my
Deiign tho' they have not been done or tranfaded
in my Prefence.
It being ufual in Narratives like this, to give
a Ihort Account of the Author's Birth Education,
and juvenile Exploits, the . fame being look'd
upon as a neceflary, or at leaft fatisfadory Piece of
Information to the curious and inquifitive Reader;
I fliall, without boafting of a Family T am noway
intitled to, or recounting Adventures in my Youth,
to which I was intirely a Stranger, in a fliort Man-
ner, will gratify fuch Curiofity \ not expeding, as I
laid before, to be admired for that Elegance of Stile
and Profulion of Words, fo univerfally made ufe of
in the Details and Hiftories of thofe Adventurers,
who have of late Years obliged the World with
their Anecdotes and Memoirs; and which have
had fcarce any other Exiftence than in the Brains
oF a Bookfeller's or Printer's Garretteer ; who,
from fewer Incidents, and lefs furprizing Matter
than will be found in this fhort Narrative, have
been, and are daily enabled, to fpin and work out
their elaborate Performances to three or four Vo-
lumes. That I, like them, publifh this for Sup-
port, is true, but as I am too fenfible, the major
Part of Mankind will give much more to a Book-
feller, to be in the Fafhion, or fatisfy their Curio-
flty, in having or reading a new puff 'd-off Hiftory
or Novel, than to a real Obje6i of Diftrefs, for an
accurate
of Peter Williamson. 5
accurate and faithful Account of a Series of Misfor-
tunes, I have thought it more advifeabie to confine
myfelf as to Size and Price, than by making a
larger Volume mifs that AfTiftance and Relief, of
which I at prefent am \?i fo great Need.
Know, therefore, that I was born within ten
Miles of the Town of Aberdeen^ in the North of
Scmland'^ if not of rich, yet of reputable Parents,
who fupported me in the beft Manner they cpuld,
as long as they had the irJappinefs of liaving me
under their Infpedion \ but fatally for me,- and to
their great Grief, as it afterwards proved, I was
lent to -live with an Aunt at Aberdeen^ where, at
eight Years of Age, playing on the Kay, with
others of my Companions, being of a ftout robuft
Conftitution, I was taken Notice of by two Fel-
lows belonging to a Veffel in the Harbour, em-
ployed (as the Trade then was) by fome of the
worthy Merchants of the Town, in that villainous
and execrable Pra<flice, call'd K'tdnatpiig'^ that h^
ftealing young Children from their Parents and fel-
ling them as Slaves in the Plantations abroad.
Being marked out by thole Monfters of Impiety as
their Prey, I was eafily cajoled on board the Ship
by them, where I was no fooner got, than they
conducted m-c between the Decks, to Ibme others
they had kidnapped in the fame Manner. At that
Timcj I had no Senfe of the Fate that was deftin'd
for me, and fpent the Time inchildilh Aniufements
with my fellow Sufferers in the Steerage, being
never fufler'd to go upon Deck vvhilfl: the Veffel
lay in the Harbour; which was 'till fuch Time as
they had got in their Loading, with a Complement
B 2 of
4 The L 1 F E
of unhappy Youths for carrying on their wicked
Commerce.
In about a Month's Time the Ship fet fail for
America. The Treatment we met with, and the
trifling Incidents which happened during the Voy-
age, I hope 1 may be excus'd from relating, as not
being, at that Time, of an Age fufficient to remark
any Thing more than what muft occur to every one
on £uch an Occafion. However, I cannot forget,
that when we arrived on the Coafl, we were del^
tin'd for, a hard Gale of Wind fprung up from the
S. E. and to the Captain's great Surprize, (he not
thinking he was near Land) having been but eleven
Weeks on the Paffagej about 12 o'Clock at Night
the Ship ftruck on a Sand-bank, off Cape May,
near the Capes of De-la-ware^ and to the great
Terror and Affright of the whole Ship's Company,
in a fmall Time, was almoft full of W^ater. The Boat
was thert hoifted out, into which the Captain and
his fellow Villains, the Crew, got with Igme Diffi-
culty, leaving me and my deluded Companions to
perifh; as they then muft naturally conclude ine*
vi table Death to be our Fate. Often in my Dif*
trelTes and Miferies fince, have I wilh'd that fuch
had been the Confequence, when in a State of Inno-
cence I but Providence thought proper to refervc
me for future Trials of it's Goodnels, Thus aban-
don'd and deferted, without the leaft Profped of
Relief, but threatened every Moment with Death,
did theie Villains leave us. The Cries, the Shrieks,
and Tears of a Parcel of Infants had no Effed on,
or caus'd the leaft Rcmorfe, in the Breafts of thefe
merciUfs Wretches. Scarce can I fay, to which to
give
of Peter Williamson. 5
give the Preference \ whether, to fuch as ttic-le, who
have had the Opportunity of knowing the Chril^
tian Religion, or to the Savages herein after de-
fcrib*d, who profane not the Gofpel, or boaft of
Humanity; and, if they aft in a more brutal and
butcherly Manner, yet 'tis to their Enemies, for
the Sake of Plunder and the Rewards offered them;
for their Principles are alike ; the Love of ^ox6\A
Gain is in both the fame Motive. The Ship, being
on a Sand-bank, which did not give Way to let
her fink deeper, we lay in the fame deplorable
Condition 'till Morning ; when, tho' we fa.vv the
Land oiCafe May^ at about a Mile's Diflance, wc
knew not what would be our Fate.
The Wind at length abated, and the Captain
(unwilling to lofeall his Cargo) about lo o'Clock,
lent fome of his Crew in a Boat to the Ship's Side
to bring us on Shore, where we lay, in a Sort of a
Camp, made of the Sails of the Veflel, and fuch
other Things as they could get. The Provifions
lafted us 'till we were taken in by a VefTel bound
to TbilaMphia-^ lying ^^ this Ifland, as well as I
can recoiled, near three Weeks. Very little of the
Cargo was faved undamaged, and the VefTel, tho'
repaired as well as the Hands were able, was never
fit for Sea again.
When arrived and landed at Tb'rladelph/ay the
Capital of Tenfyhania^ the Captain had foon
People enough who came to buy us. He making
the mofl of his villainous Loading, after his Difal-
ter, fold us at about i6/. fer Head. -What be-
came of my unhappy Companions, I never knew ;
but
6 The L I F E
but it was my Lot to be fold to one of my Court*-
trymen, a North-Briton^ for the Term of feven
Years, who had in his Youth undergone the fame
Fate as myfelf ; having been kidnapped from St.
Jobnftotm in Scotland, As I fhall often have Oc-
cafion to mention Philadelphia during the Courfe
of my Adventures, I ihall in this Place give a fhort
and concife Delcription of the tineft City in Ame-
rica, and one of the beft laid out in the World.
This City would have been a Capital fit for an
Empire, had it been built and inhabited according
to the Proprietor's Plan. Confidcring it*s late
Foundation, 'tis a large City, and moft commodi-
oufly fituated between the De-la-ware and SchiiyL
ktll^ two navigable Rivers. The former being two
Miles broad, and navigable 300 Miles ior fmall
Velfels. It extends in length two Miles from one
River to the other. There are eight long Streets
two Miles in Length, cut at right Angles by fix-
reen others, of one Mile in Length, all ftrait and
fpacious. The Houlcs are ftately, very numerous,
(being near 3000), and ftill increafing, and all crr-
ried on regularly according to the firft Plan. It
has two Fronts on the Water, one on the Eaft-fide
facing the Schuylkill^ and that on the Weft facing
the De-la-^juare. The (S(7;/ijy/^/// being navigable
Soo Miles above the Falls, the Eaftern Part is
moft populous, where the Ware-houfes, Ibme three
Stories high, and Wharfs are numerous and conve-
nient. All the Houfes have large Orchards and
'Gardens belonging to them. The Merchants that
refide here are numerous and wealthy, many of
them keeping their Coaches, ^c. In the Centre
of
of Peteu Williamson. 7
of the City there is a Space often Acres, whereon
are built the State-houfe, Market-houfe, and
School-houle. The former is built of Brick, and '
has a Prilon under it. The Streets have their
Names from the leveral Sorts of Timber, conimon
in Tenfyhania\ as Mulberry-ftreet^ Saffafras-
ftreet .Chefnut'flreet^ Beach-flreet^ and Cedar -jireet^
Chrifl'S'Church is the oldeft, and has a numerous
Congregation ; but the major Part of the Inhabi-
tants, being at firft Quakers, ftill continue fo, who
have feveral Meettng-hoiijes^ and may not impro-
perly be called the Church, as by Law eftablilh'd,
being the Originals. The Kay is beautiful, and
roo Feet Iquare, to which a Ship of 200 Tons may
lay her Broad-fide. As the Ad vantages this City may
boaft of, has rendered it one of the beft trading
Towns out of the Br'it'ifi Empire •, fo in all proba-
bility it will increafe in Commerce and Riches,, if
not prevented by party Faction and religious Feuds,
which of late Years have made it fuffer confiderably.
The AflembHes and Courts of Judicature are held
here as in all Capitals. The trench have no City
like it in all Amerka,
Happy was my Lot in falling into my Couur-
try man's Power, as he wa?, contrary to many
others of his Calling, a humane, w^orthy, honeft
Man. Having no Children of his own, and ccm-
milerating my unhappy Condition, be took great
Care of me 'till 1 was fit for Bufinefs ; and
about the 12th Year of my Age fet me about lit-
tle Trifles ; in which State I continued 'till my 14th
Year, when I vv-as more lit for harder Work. Du-
ring fuch my idle State, feeing my fellow Servants
often
8 yk L I F E
often reading and writing, it incited in me an Inclina-
tion to learn, which I intimated to my Matter,
telling him, I ftiould be very willing to ferve a
Year longer, than the Contraft by which I was
bound obliged me, if he would indulge me in go-
ing to School^ this he readily agreed to, faying,
That Winter would be the beft Time. It being
then Summer, I waited with Impatience for the
other Seaibn; but to make fbme Progrels in my
Defign, T got a Primer and learnt as much from
my fellow Servants as t could. At School, where
I went every Winter for five Years, I made a tole-
rable Proficiency, and have ever (ince been impro-
ving myfelf at leifure Hours. With this good Malier,
I continued 'till I was leventeen Y ears old, when he
died, and as a Reward for my faithful Service, left
me 200 /. Currency, which was then about 120/.
Sterling, his beft Horfe, Saddle, and all his wear-
ing Apparel.
Being now my own Mafter, having Money in
my Pocket, and all other Neceflaries, I employed
myfelf in jobbing about the Country, working for
any that would employ me, lor near feven Years ;
when thinking I had Money fufEcient to follow
fome better Way of Life, I refolved to fettle j
but thought one Step neceffary thereto, was to
be married; for which Purpole, I applied to
the Daughter of a fubftantial Planter, and found
my Suit was not unacceptable to her, or her Fa-
ther, lb that Matters were ibon concluded upon,
and we married. My Father-in-law, in order to
eftablifh us in the World, in an eafy, if not affluent
Manner, made mc a Deed of Gift of a Tradt of
Land
of Peter Williamson. 9
Land that Jay (unhappily for me, as it has fiiicc
proved) on the Frontiers of the Province ofP^?/-
Jyhania^ near the Forks of De-la-ware^ in Berks
County, containing about 200 Acres, 30 of which
were well cleared and fit for immediate Ufe, where-
on was a good Houfe and Barn. The Place pkaf-
ing me well, I fettled on it \ and though it coft
me the major Part of my Money in buying Stock,
Houfhold Furniture, and Implements for out-door
Work; and happy as I was in a good Wife, yet
did my Felicity laft me not long : For about the
Year 1754, the Indians^ in the ¥rencL Intereft,
who had for a long Time before ravaged and de-
ftroyed other Parts of Jmerka^ unmoleftcd, I
may very properly lay, began now to be very
troublefome on the Frontiers of our Province,
where they generally appeared in fmall skulking
Parties, with yellings, fhoutings, and antic Pol-
tures, inftead of Trumpets and Drums; commit-
ting great Devaftations. The "Feiijyhdmans little
imagined at firft, that the Indians guilty of fuch
Outrages and Violences were Ibme of thofe who
pretended to be in the Englf/h Interefl ; which
alas! proved to be too true to many of us: For
like the French in Europe^ without Regard to
Faith of Treaties, they luddenly break out into
furious rapid Outraj;cs and Dcvaftations, but foon
retire precipitately, having no Stores or Provilions
but what they meet with in their Incurfions ; feme
indeed carry a Bag with Bifcuir, or Indian Corn
therein, but not unlefs they have a long March to
their deftin'd Place of Adion. And thofe hrench^
who were fent to difpoifels us in that Part of the
World, being indefatigable in their Duty, and con«
G tinuallv
10 The L I F E
tinmlly contriving, and ufing all manner of Ways
and Means to win the Indians to their Intereil,
many of whom had been too negligent, and fome-
times, I may fay, cruelly treated by thole who pre-
tended to be their Protectors and Friends, found it no
very difficult Matter to get over to their Interefl:,
many who belong'd to thole Nations in Amity
v*ith us: Efpecially as the Rewards they gave
them were fo great; they paying for every Scalp
of an Englijh Perlbn 15/. SterHng.
Terrible and fhocking to human Nature, w-ere
the Barbarities daily committed by the Savages,
and are not to be parailel'd in all the Volumes of
Hiftory ! Scarce did a Day pals, butfome unhap-
py Family or other fell Victims to French Chi-
canery and Savage Cruelty. Terrible, indeed I
it proved to me, as wtU as to many others; i that
was now happy in an eafy State of Life, blelTcd
with an affedtionate and tender Wife, who was pof-
fefled of all amiable Qualities to enable me to go
thro' this World with that Peace and Serenity of
Mind, which every Chriftian wifhes to poflels, be-
came on a iiidden one of the moft unhappy, and
deplorable of Mankind; fcarce can I fuftain the
Shock which for ever recoils on me, at thinking on
the laft Time of feeing that good Woman; the
fatal 2d of OBober^ 17545 ^^ that Day went
from home, to vilit fome of her Relations; as I
ftaid up later than ufual, expedingher Return, none
being in the Houfe, befides myfelf, how great was
my Surprize, Terror and Affright, when about
1 1 o'clock at Night, I heard the difmal War-cry,
or War-whoop of the Savages, which they make
on
of Pe:ter Williamson. ii
on fuch Occafions, and may be exprefs'd, Woacb^
woach^ ha^ ha^ hach^ woach^ and to my inex-
prcffible Grief, fbon found my Houfe was attack'd
by them; I flew to the Chamber-window, and
perceived them to be twelve in Number. They
making leveral Attempts to come in, I asked them
what they wanted? they gave me no Anfwer, but
continued beatings and trying to get the Door
open. Judge then the Condition I nmii be in,
knowing the Cruelty and mercilels Difpofition of
thofe Savages, fhould I fail into their Hands. To
cfcape which dreadful Misfortune, having my Gun
k)aded in my Hand, I threaten'dthem with Death,
if they Ihould not defift. But how vain and fruitlels
are the Efforts of one Managainft the united Force
of fo many! and ofliich mercilefs, undaunted, and
blood-thirfty Monfters as I had here to deal with.
One of them that could fpeak a little Engl'tj}-^
threatened me in return, " That if I did not come
"out, they would burn me alive in the Houle/'
Telling me farther, what I unhappily perceived;
" That they were no Friends to the Engl'ifi\ but if I
" would come out and furrender mylelf Prilbner,
" they would not kill me " My Tenor and Dif-
tra6lion at hearing this is not to be expreffed by
Words, nor eafily iniagin'd by any Perfon, uniels
in the fame Condition. Little could I depend on
the Promifes of fuch Creatures; and yet, if I did
not, inevitable Death, by being burnt alive muft
be my Lot. Diftraded as I was in fuch deplorable
Gircumftances, \ chofe to rely on the Uncertainty
of their fallacious Promilb, rather than meet with
certain Death by rejeding them; and accordingly
wcut put of my Ho'uie, with my Gun in my Hand,
G 2 not
12 Tk LIFE
not knowing what 1 did, or that I had it. Imme-
diately on my Approach they ruilied on m.e, like
fo many Tygers, and inftantly dilarmed me. Ha-
ving me thus in their Power, the mercilels Villains
bound me to a Tree near the Door; they then
went into the Houfe and plundered and deftroyed
every Thing there was in it, carrying off what
Moveables they could; the ref}, together with the
Houle, which they fet Fire to, was confumed before
my Eyes. TheBarbariansnot latisfied with this, let
Fire to my Barn, Stable, and Outhoufes, wherein
were about 200 Bufhels of Wheat, fix Cows, four
Horfes, and live Sheep, which underwent the fame
Fate, being all intirely confumed to Afhes. Du-
ring the Conflagration, to defcribe the Thoughts,
the Fears, and Mifery that I felt, is utterly impof^
fible, as 'tis even now to mention what I feel at
the Remembrance thereof.
Having thus finifli'd the execrable Bufinefs, a-
bout which they came, one of the Monfters came
to me with a Tomahawk ^ in his Hand, threaten-
ing me with the worft of Deaths if I would not
willingly go with them, and be contented with
their Way of Living. This I fcemingly agreed
to, promising to do every Thing for them that
lay in my Power; trufting to Providence for
the Time when I might be delivered out of their
Hands.
* A Tomahawk^ is a Kind of Hatchet, made fomething like
our Plaifterers Hammers, about two Feet long, Handk and all.
To take up the Hatchet (or Tomahav/k) among them, is to de-
clare War. They generally ufe it after firing their Guns, by
rufhing on their Enemies, and fracturing or cleaving their
Sculls with it, and very feldom fail of killing at the firft Blow.
of Peter Williamson. 13
Hands. Upon this they untied me, and gave me
a great Load to carry on my Back, under which I
travelled all that Night with them, full of tlie moft
terrible ApprehenOons, and opprefs'd with the
greateft Anxiety of Mind, left my unhappy Wile
ihould likewife have fallen '^ Prey to theie cruel
Monfters. At Day-break, my infernal Mafters
ordered me to lie down my Load, when tying my
Hands again round a Tree with a fmall Cord, they
forced the Blood out at my Fingers Ends. They
then kindled a Fire near the Tree whereto T was
bound, which fiU'd me with the moft dreadful
Agonies concluding I was going to be made a Sa-
crifice to their Barbarity.
This Narrative, O Reader ! may leem dry and
tedious to you: My Miferies and Misfortunes,
great as they have been, may be confider'd only as
what others have daily met with for Years paft;
yet, on Reflection, you cant't help indulging me
in the Recital of them : For to the Unfortunate
and Diftrefs'd, recounting our Mifericsj is, in fome
Sort, an Alleviation of them.
Permit me therefore to proceed ; not by reqpunt-
ing to you the deplorable Condition I then was in,
for that is more than can be defcribed to you, by
one who thought of nothing lefs than being imme-
diately put to Death in the mod excruciating Man-
ner theie Devils could invent. The Fire being
thus' made, they for fome Time danced round me
after their Manner, with various odd Motions and
antic Geltures, whooping, hollowing, and crying,
in a frightful Manner, as is their Cuflom. Havin'g
fatislied
14 n^ L I F E
fatisfied themfelves in this Sort of their Mirth, they
proceeded in a more tragical Manner ^ taking the
burning Coals and Sticks, flaming with Fire at the
Ends, holding them to my Face, Head, Hands,
and Feet, with a deal of moniirous Pleafure and
Satisfadion ; and at the lame Time threatening to
burn me intirely, if T made the leaft Noife or
cried out : Thus tortur'd as I was, almoft to Death,
I fufFered their brutal Pleafure without being al-
lowed to vent my inexpreffible Anguifh otherwife
than by fhedding filent Tears; even which, when
thefe inhuman Tormentors oblerv'd, with a Ihock-
ing Pleafure and Alacrity, they would take frefh
Coals, and apply near my Eyes, telling me my
Face was wet, and that they would dry it for me,
which indeed they cruelly did. How I under-
went thefe Tortures I have here faintly defcribed,
has been Matter of Wonder to me many Times ;
but God enabled me to wait with more than com-
mon Patience for a Deliverance I daily pray'd for.
Having at length fatisfied their brutal Pleafure,
they fat down round the Fire, and roafted their
Meat, of which they had robb'd my Dwelling.
When they had prepared it and fatisfied their vo-
racious Appetites, they offer'd feme to me ; tho'
it is eafily imagin'd I had but little Appetite to
cat after the Tortures and Miferies I had under-
gone; yet, was I forced to feem pleas'd with what
they ofFer'd me, left by refufing it, they had again
reafTum'd their hellifh Pradices. What I could
not eat, I.contriv'd to get between the Bark and
the Tree, where I was fix'd, they having unbound
my Hands till they imagin'd I had eat all they
gave
(y Peter Williamson. 15
gave me; But, then, they again bound me as be-
fore J in which deplorable Condition was I forced
to continue all that Day. When the Sun was fet,
they put out the Fire and cover'd the Afhes with
Leaves, as is their ufual Cuftoni, that the white
People might not difcover any Traces or Signs of
their having been there.
Thus had thcle barbarous Wretches finifh'd
their firft diabohcal Piece of Work; and fhocking
as it may leem to the humane hvgl'ijh Heart, yet
what I underwent, was but trifling, in Comparilbn
to the Torments and Mileries which I was after-
wards an Eye Witnefs of being inflided on others
of my unhappy fellow Creatures.
Going from thence along by the River Sufqtte^
hana^ for the Space of fix Miles, loaded as 1 was
before, we arrived at a Spot near the Afalattan
Mountains, or Blue Hills^ where they hid their
Plunder under Logs of Wood. — And, oh, fhock-
ing to relate ! from thence did thefe hellilli Mon-
fiers proceed to a neighbouring Houie, occupied
by one Jacob Snider and his unhappy. Family,
confifling of his Wife, five Children, and a
young Man his Servant. They loon got Admit-
tance into the unfortunate Man's Houle, where
they immediately, without the leaft Remorfe, and
with more than brutal Cruelty, yZ'^^'Vf the ten-
der
t Scalping, 13 taking oft' the Skin from the Top of the Head ;
vhich they perform with a ]ong Knife that tliey hang round
their Neck, and always carry with them. They cdt the Skin
round as much of the Head as they think proper, fometimes
quite
i6 r.^^ L I F E
der Parents and the unhappy Children: Nor could
the Tears, the Shrieks, or Cries of thefe unhappy
Vidims prevent their horrid MafTacre : For having
thus IcalpM them, and plundered the Houfe of
every Thing that was moveable, they let Pire to
the lame, where the poor Creatures met their final
Doom amidft the Flames, the hellifh Miicreants
{landing at the Door, or as near the Houle as the
Flames would permit them, rejoicing, and echoing
back in their diabolical Manner, the piercing
Cries, heart-rending Groans, and parental and af-
fectionate Soothings, which iflued from this mofl:
horrid Sacrifice of an innocent Family. Sacrifice !
I think I may properly call ir, to the aggrandizing
the Ambition of a King, who wrongly Ifiles him*
felf Mofi Chrifltan. For, had thefe Savages been
never tempted with the alluring Bait of all-power-
ful Gold, myfelf as well as hundreds of others,
might ftill have lived rnoft happily in our Stations.
If Chrittians Countenance, nay, hire thole Wret-
ches, to live in a continual Repetition, of Plunder,
Rapine, Murder, and Conflagration, in vain, are
Miffionaries fent, or Sums expended for the Propa-
gation of the Golpel. Eut, thele Seiitiments.
with many others, muft before the End of this
Narrative occur to every humane Heart.— There-
fore
quite round from Uie Neck and Forehead, then take it in their
Fingers and pluck it off, and often leave the unhappy Cre-tures
fo ferv'd to die in a mod miferable Manner. Some who are
not crt too deep in the Temples or Scull, live in horrid 'Y<^\'.
ments many Hours, and fometimes a Day or two after. The
Scalps, or Skins thus taken oil, ihey preferve and carry home
in l>iumph, where they receive, as is faid before, a confidera-
ble Sum for every onei:
of Peter Williamson. 17
fore to proceed^ Not contented with whatthelc
Jnfernals had already done, they ftill continued
their inordinate Villainy, in making a general
Conflagration of the Barn and Stables, together,
with all the Corn, Horlcs, Cows, and every Thing
on the Place.
Thinking the yonng Man belonging to this un-*
happy Family, would he of fome Service to them,
in carrying Part of their helliflvacqiiir'd Plunder,
they 1 pa red his Life, and loaded him and myfelf
with what they had here got, and again marched
to the BlitC'Hilh where, they flowed their Goods
as before. My fellow Sufferer cuuid not long bear
the cruel Treatment which we were both obliged
to fuffer, and complaining bitterly to me, of his
being unable to proceed any farther, I endea-
voured to conlole him, as much as lay in my
Power, to bear up under his Affli£lions, and waif
with Patience, 'till by the Divine Afhifance, we
fhould be delivered out of their Clutches j but ail
in vain, for he fciil continued his Moans and Tears,
which one of the Savages perceiving, as we travell'd
on, inftantly came up to us, and with \{\^'Toma'^
bcrjuk^ gave him a Blow on^the Head, which' fell
the unhappy Youth to the Ground, where they
immediately /t'^/^V and left him. The Suddennef$
of this Murder, fhbck'd me to that Degree, that I
was in a Manner like a Statue, being quite motion«r
lefs, expeding my Fate would foon be the fame:
However, recovering my diftraded Thoughts, I
diflembled the UncafmeJs and Anguilh which I
felt as well as I could from the Barbarians; but
itill, llich was the Terror I was upder, that for fomc
P Tim«
i8 The LIFE
Time, T fcarce knew the Days of the Week, or what
I did; lb that at this Period, Life did, indeed,
become a Burthen to me, and I regretted my being
laved from my firfl Peifecutors, the Sailors.
The horrid Faci being compleated, they kept
on their Courle near the Mountains, where they
lay skulking four or five Days, rejoicing at the
Plunder and Store they had get. VV hen Provif-
ons became fcarce, they made their V/ay towards
Stifcfiiehana '^ where, ftilltoadd to the many Barba-
rities they had already committed, pafling near ano-
ther Houfe, inhabited by an unhappy old Man,
whofeName was John Adams^ with his Wife and
four fmall Children; and meeting with no Refif-
tance, they immediately fcalfdtVt unhappy Wife,
?.nd her four Children, before the good old Man's
Eyes. Inhuman and horrid as this was ! it did not
Jatiate them ; for, when they had niurder'd the poor
Woman, they aded with her in fuch a brutal Man-
ner, as Decency, or the Rcmxmbrance of the Crime,
will not permit me to mention; and this even, be-
fore the unhappy Husband ; who, not being able
fo avoid the Sight, and incapable of affording her
the lead Relief, intreated them to put an End to
his miferablc Being; but they were as deaf, and
legardlefs to the Tears, Prayers, and Tntreaties, of
this venerable Sufferer, as they had been to thole of
the others, and prcceed^d in their hellifh Purpoie of
burning and deftroying his Houfe, Barn, Corn,
Hay, Cattle, and every Thing the poor Man, a
few Hours before, was Mafler of. Having faved
what they thought proper from the Flames, they
g?ive the old Man, feeble, weak, and in the mile-
rable
of Peter Williamson. 19
rablc Condition lie then was, as well as myfelf,
Burthens to carry, and loading themlelves likewife,
with Bread and Meat, purlued their Journey on
towards the Great S'-Ji'amp-^ where, being arrived,
they lay for eight or nine Days, Icmetiines diver-
ting then\felves, in cxercifmg the mofi: atrocious
and barbarous Cruelties on their unhappy Vidim,
the old Man : Sometimes they would ftrip him na-
ked, and paint him ail over with various Sorts of
Colours, which they extraded, or made from Kerbs
and Roots : At other Tim.es they'd pluck the white
Hairs from his venerable Head, and tauntingly
tell him, He '■^as a Fool for li-vhig fo lotig^ avd
that they fiould JJjew h'lm Kinclriejs in pitting h'ini
out of the IVorld'^ to all which, the poor Creature
could only vent his Sighs, his Tears, his Moans,
and Intreaties, that to my affrighted Immagination,
were enough to penetrate a Heart of Aflamant,
and foften the molt obdurate Savage. In vain, alas!
vvere all his Tears, for daily, did they tire them-
felves with the various Means they tried to tor-
ment him \ Ibmetimes tying him to a Tree, and whip-
ping him, at others, Icorching his furrow'd Clieeks,
with red-hot Coals, and burning his Legs, quite to
the Knees : But the good old Sou], inftead of repining,
or wickedly arraigning tlic Divine Juftice, like
many others, in fuch Cafes j even in the gregteft
Agonies, inceifantly offer'd up his Prayers to the
Almighty, with the moll fervent Thanklgivings
for his former A^iercies, and hoping tlie Flamet^,
then lurrounding and burning his aged Limbs,
would foon fend him to the blifsful Manfions of
the Juft, to be a Partaker of the Bleffings there.
And, during fuch his pious Ejaculationc, Sis infer-
D 2 nal
io The L IF E
nal Plagues would come round him, mimicking
his heart-rending Groans, and piteous Wailings.
One Night after ,he had been thus tormented,
whilft he and I were fitting together, condoling
each other at the Misfortunes and Miferies we
daily fuffered, twenty-five other Indiana arrived,
bringing with them twenty Scalps and three Prifo-
ners, who had unhappily fallen into their Hands
in Cannfico'figge^ a fmall Town near the River
SufqiLchanna^ chiefly inhabited by the Irifh. Thei'e
Prifoners gave us Ibme fhocking Accounts of the
Murders and Devaftations committed in their Parts.
The various and complicated Adions of thele Ear-
"barians would intirely fill a large Volume; but
what I have already written, with a few other In-
itances which I fhall feled from their Information,
will enable the Reader to guefs at the. horrid Treat-
ment the Evglffj^ and hidians^ in their Interefl^
have fuffered for Years pafi:. T fhall therefore only
mention in a brief Manner thofe thSt fuffer'd near
the fame Time with myfelf. This Party, who now
join'd us, had it not, I found, in their Power, to
begin their Wickednefs as foon as thofe whovifited
illy Habitation; the firfl of their. Tragedies being
on the 25th Day of OBoher^ i7i4j when John
Lewis^ v/ith his Wife, and three imall Children,
fell Sacrifices to their Cruelty, and were milerably
fcalp'd znd murder'd; his Houfe, Barn, and every
Thing he pofTeffed, being burnt and deffroyed. On
the 28th, yacob Miller.^ with his Wife, and fix of
his Family, together, with every Thing on his
Plantation, underwent the fame Fate. The 30th.
The Houfe, Mill, Barn, twenty Head of Cattle,
two Teems of Horfes, and eyery Thing belonging
to
of Peter Williamson. 21
to the unhappy George Folke^ met with the like
Treatment, Kimfclf, Wife, and all his miferablc
Family, confifting of nine in Number, being in^
humanly /tYZ-^V, then cut in Pieces, and given to the
Swine, which devoured them. Ifhall give another In-
ftance of the numberlcis and unheard-of Barbarities
they related of thefe Savages, and proceed to their
own tragical End. In fhort •, one of the fubftantial
Traders, belonging to the Province, having Bufi-
nefs that call'd him, fome Miles up the Country^
fell into the Hands of thefe Devils, who not only
fcalfd him, but immediately roalted him, before
he was dead ; then like Canibals^ for want of other
Food, cat his whole Body, and oi' his Head, made
what they call'd, an Indian Pudding*
From thefe iew Inftances of lavage- Cruelty, the
deplorable Situation of the defeiiceleis Inhabitants,
and what they hourly fuffer'd in that Part of the
Globe, muft ftrike the utmoft Horror to a human
Soul, and caufe in every Brcaft the utmoft Detei-
tation, not only, againft the Authors of fuch tra-
gic Scenes, but, againft thofe, who thro' Perfidy,
Inattention^ or pufillanimous and erroneous Princi-
ples, fuffered thele Savages at firft, imrepeird, or
even unmolefted, to commit fuch Outrages and in-
credible Depredations and Murders. Por no Tor-
ments, no Barbarities that can be exercised on the
human Sacrifices, they get into tlieir Power, are left
untried or omitted.
The three Prifcncrs that were brought with
thefe additional Forces, conftantly repining at
their Lot, and aimoftdead with their e^cccffive hard
Treatment,
22 The L I F E
Treatment, contrived at laft to make their Efcape ^
but being far from their own Settlements, and not
knowing the Country, were foon after met by fome
others of the Tribes, or Nations at War with us,
and brought back to their diabolical Mafters, wfio
greatly rejoiced at having them again in their infer-
nal Power. The poor Creatures, almoft famifhed
for want of Suftenance, having had none during the
Time of their Elopement ; were no fooner in the
Clutches of the Barbarians, than two of them were
tied to a Tree, and a great Fire made round them,
where they remained 'till they were terribly fcorch'd
and burnt; when one of the Villians with his [calf -
hig Knife, ript open their Bellies, took out their
Entrails, and burnt them before their Eyes, whiKt
the others were cutting, piercing, and tearing the
Flefli from their Breads, Hands, Arms, and Legs^
with red-hot Irons, 'till they were dead. The third
unhappy Vi<^im, was referved a few Hours longer,
to be, ifpoilible, iacrificed in a more cruel Manner j
his Arms were tied dole to his Body, and a Hole
being dug, deep enough for him to itand upright,
he was put therein, and Earth ram'd, and beat in,
all round his Body up to his Neck, io that his Head
only appear'd above Ground; they then [calfd
him, and there let him rem.ain for three or four
Hours, in the greateft Agonies ; alter which they
made a fmall Fire near his Head, caufmg him to
fuffer the moft excruciating Torments immaginable;
whilft the poor Creature could only cry for Mercy
in killing him immediately, for his Brains were
boiling in his Head : Inexorable to all his Plaints,
they continued the Fire, whilfl, fhocking to behoid !
his Eyes gulh'd cue of their Sockets j and luch
agonizing
of Peter Williamson. 23
agonizing Torments did the unhappy Creature fut-
fer for near two Hours, 'till he was quite dead I
They then cut off his Head, and buried it with
the other Bodies ; my Task being to dig the
Graves, which feeble and terrified as I was, the
Dread of fuffering the fame Fate enabled me to
do. I (hall not here take up the Reader's Time, in
vainly attempting to deicribe what I felt on liich
an Occaiion, but continue my Nairative, as more
ecjual to my Abilities.
A great Snow now falling, the Barbarians were a
little fearful, left the white People jQiould by their
Traces, find out their skulking Retreats, which ob-
liged them to make the belt of their Way to their
Winter-Quarters, about 200 Miles farther from any
Plantations or Inhabitants* where, after a long
and painful Journey, being almoft ftarved, I arri-
ved with this infernal Crew. The Place where we
were to reft, in their Tongue, is called, Alamingo,
There I found a Number of Wig-jvarns *, lull
of their Women and Children. Dancing, fmging,
and Ihooting, were their general Amulements.
And \r\ all their Feftivals and Dances, they relate
what SuccelTes they have had, and what Damages
they have fuftaincd \x\ their Expeditions: In which
I now unhappily became Part of their Theme. The
Severity of the Cold increafmg, they ftript me of
my Cioaths for their own Ule, and gave me fuch
as
* Wigwams, are the Names they give their Floufes, which are
no more than little Huts, made with three or four tork'd Stakes,
drove into the Ground, and cov'er'd v/ith Deer or other Skins ;
or fur wantcfihem, with lar^e Leaves and Earth.
ii4 ^>^^ LIFE
asthey ufually wore tbenifelves, being a Piece of
Blanket, and a Pair oi Mogganes, or Shoes^ with a
Yard of coarfe Cloth, to put round rre inftead of
Ereeches. To defcribe their Drefs and Manner of
living may not be altogether unacceptable to fon^eof
my Readers, but as the Size of this Book will net
permit me to be fo particular as I might otherwife
be, Ilhall juft obeferve,
That they in general, wear a white Blanket,
which in War-time they paint with various Figures j
but particularly the Leaves of Trees, in order to
deceive their Envmies when in the Woods. Their
Mogganes are made of Deer Skins, and the beft
Sort have them bound round the Edges with little
Beads and Ribbands. On their Legs they wear
Pieces of blue Cloth for Stockings, fomething like
our Soldiers Spatter-dallies ^ they reach higher than
their Knees, but not lower than their Ancles ; they
efteeni them very eafy to run in. Breeches they
never wear, but inftead thereof, two Pieces of
Tinen, one before and another behind. The bet-
ter Sort have Shirts of the finefi Linen they can
get, and to thole fonie wear Ruffles j but thefe
they never put on till they have painted them of
various Colours, which they get from the Pecone
Koot, and Bark of Trees, and never pull them
ofFtowafh, but wear them, till they fall in Pieces.
They are very proud, and take great delight in
■wearing Trinkets; fuch as Silver Plates round
their Wrifts and Necks, with leveral Strings of
Wamfnm (which is made of Cotton, interwove
v/ith Pebbles, Cockle-Shells, '^c.\ down *their
Breads; and from their tars and Nofes they have
Kings
Of Peter Williamson. 2.5
Rings and Beads, which hang dangh'ng an Inch
or two* The Men have no Beards, to prevent
which, they ufe certain Inftruments and Tricks
as ibon as it begins to grow. The Hair of their
Heads is managed different ly^ Ibme phick out and
deftroy all/ except a Lock hanging from the
Crown of the Head, which they inrerweave with
Wampum and Feathers of various Colours. The
Women wear it very long, twifted down theit
Backs, with Beads, Feathers^ and Wampum; and
on their Heads moft of them wear little Coronets
of Brals or Copper ^ round their Middle they wear
a Blanket inftead of a Petticoat. The Females
a'^e very chafte and conftant to their Husbands ;
and if any young Maiden fnould happen to have a
Child before Marriage, fhe is never efteemed after-
wards. As for their Food, they get it chiefly by
hunting and (hooting, and boil, broil, or roaft all
the Meat they eat. Their Stand ing^difh confifts
of Ifit^Jan-Corn Ibak'd, theij bruisM and boil'd over
a gentle Fire, for ten or twelve Hours. Theit
Bread is likewife made of this,- wild Oats or Sun*
flower Seeds. Set Meals they never rcgardj but
eat when they are hungry. Their Gun, Toma-
hawk, icalping Knife, Powder and Shot, are all
they have to carry with them in Time of War;
Bows and Arrows being feldom uied by them. They
generally in War decline open Engagements; Buih*
fighting or skulking is their Dilcipline; and they
are brave when engaged, having great Fortitude
in enduring Tortures and Death. No People have
a greater Love of Liberty, or Affedion to their
Relations; but they are the moft implacably vin-
didive People upon the Earth, for they reven^^e
E the
i6 The L I F -E
the Death of any Relation, or great Affront, when-
ever Occafion preients, let the Diftance of Time or
Place be never fo remote: To all which I may-
add, what the Reader has already obferved, that
thev are inhumanly cruel. But, Ibme other Nations
might be more happy, if, in fome Inftances, they
copied them, and made wf/e GohdvMy Courage^ and
ferfonal Strength^ the c/?/^ Recommendations for
War-Captains, or IVeroiz'ances^ as they call them.
In Times of Peace, they vifit the Plantations inha-
bited by the Whites, to v^hom, they fell Baskets,
Ladles, Spoons, and other fach Trifles, which they
are very expert in niaking. When Night comes,
if admitted into any Houfc, they beg Leave to lie
down by the Fire-fide, chufing that Place r^*her
than any other, which is feldom refufed them, if
Ibber, for then they are very honeft; but if drunk,
are very dangerous and trcublcfome, if People
enough are not in the Houfe to quell them. Nor
would they at any Times be guilty of luch- bar-
barous Depredations as they are, did not thofe call-
ing themfelves Chriftians, intice them thereto with
ftrong Liquors, which they are vaftly fond of ;
as well as by the pecuniary Rewards which they
give for the Scalps If Ambition cannot be grati-
fied, or Superiority obtained, orherwiie than by
the Deaths of Thoulands ^ w ould it not, in thofe
who leek fuch airy Phantoms, and are fo inordinate-
ly fond of their fellow .Creatures Lives, favour a
\\n\Q more of Humanity, to have them kill'd in-
ftdntly, and, (if they mufl have Proofs of Murder)
fcalp*d afterwards? than by allowing and encou-
raging fuch mercilefs Treatment, render themfelves
as obnoxious, cruel, and barbarous, to a human
Mind
of Peter Williamson, 2.7
Mind, as the very Savages then)fclves. However,
they Ibmetimes fufFer by their Plots and Chicanery
lain for the Deftruction of others^ it often hap.pen-
ing that the Traders or EmifTaries fent to allure
them to the Execution of their Schemes, rightly
fall Vidims tl^mfelv^s; for, as they always
carry vvith them Horfe-loads of Rum, which the
Indians are fond of, they foon get drunk, quarrel-
ibme, and wicked, and, in their Fury, often kill
«nd deflroy their Tempters. A juft Rfward for
their wicked DeHgns ! N^y, it has fuch an EfFed:
on them, that when fo intoxicated, they even burn
'^nd confume all their own Effe(?is, bearing, wound-
ing, and Ibmetimes killing their Wives and Chil-
dren : But, m Dilputes among themfelves, when
Ibber, they are very tenacious of Decorum, never
alio wing more than one to fpeak at a time. Pro-
phane Swearing they know not in their own
Lmguage how to exprels, but are very fond of
the trench and Englifi O^iths,
The old People, who are by Ag-e and Infirmi-
ties render'd incapable of being ferviceable to the
Comm.unity, they put out of the World in a barba-
rous and extraordinary Manner; an Inftance of
which, T had, whilft among them, an Opportunity of
leeing pra£^icc-d on an old Indmiu He being, thro'
Age, feeble and weak, and his Eyes failing him,
ib that he was unable to get his Living either by
hunting or fhooting; he was fimimon'd to appear
feefore leveral of the Leading-ones, who were to
be his Judges. Sefore whom being come, and
having nothing to fay for himfelf, (as how indeed
could he prove himielf to be young,) they very
•^^ E2 formally,
28 The LIFE
formally, and with a feeming Degree of CompajfHon,
pafsM Sentence on him to be put to Death This
was foon after executed on him in the following
Manner : He was tied naked to a Tree, and a Boy
who was to be his Executioner, flood ready with a
Tomahawk in his Hands, to beat his Brains out:
But, when the young Monfter came to inflid: the
Sentence, he was fo Ihort of Stature that he could
not lift the Tomahawk high enough ; upon which,
he was held up by fome others, (a great Concourfe
being prefent ^) and then, tho' the young Devil
laid on with the utmoft of his Strength, he was not
for fome time able to fradure the old Man's Scull,
fo that it was near an Hour before he was dead.
Thus are they from their Youth inur'd to Barbarity !
When they found no Remains of Life in him,
they put him into a Hole dug in the Ground
for that Purpofe, in winch he f^ood upright. Into
his left Hand they put an old Gun, and hung
a fmall Powder-Horn and Shot- Bag about his
Shoulders, and a String of Wampum round his
Neck ; and into his right Hand, a little Silk-
Purfe with a Bit of Money in it ; then fill'd the
Hole round, and cover'd him over with Earth.
This I found to be the-ufual Manner of treating
the old of both Sexes •, only that the Women are
kill'd by young Girls, and put into the Ground
with nothing but a Ladle in one Hand, and a
wooden Difh in the other.
They are very ftri£l: in punifhing Offenders, ef^
pecially fuch as commit Crimes againft any of the
Roy^l Families. They never hang any ; ]but thefe
ientenced
Of Peter Williamson. 19
fentenced to Death are generally bound to a Stake,
and a great Fire made round them ; but not lb near
as to burn them immediately, for they ibmetimes
remain roafting in the Middle of the Flames for two
or three Days before they are dead.
After this long Digreflion, it is time to re-
turn to the Detail of my own Affairs. — At Ala-
mingo was I kept near two Months, 'till the Snow
was off the Ground. A long Time to be amongft
fuch Creatures, and naked as I almoft was ! What-
ever Thoughts I might have cff making my El-
cape, to carry them into Execution was inipradi-
cable, being fb far from any Plantations or White-
People, and the fevere Weather rendering my
Limbs in a manner quite ftiff and motionlefs:
However; I contrived to defend myfelf againft.the
Inclemency of the Weather as well as I could, by
making myielf a little Wigwam, vvith the Bark
of the Trees, covering the fame with Earth, which
made it refemble a Cave : And to prevent the ill
Effects of the Cold which penetrated into it, I was
forc'd to keep a good Fire always near the Door.
Thus did I for near two Months endure fuch
Hardfhips of Cold and Hunger as had hitherto
been unknown to me. My Liberty of going a-
bour, was, indeed, more than I could have expedcd,
but they well knew the tmpradicability of my
eloping from them. .Seeing me outwardly eafy
and iubmiffive, they would fometimes give me a
little Meat, but my chief Food was Ind'tan-Coxn^
drels'd as I have above defcribed. Notwithftand-
ing ftich their Civility, the Time pafs'd {o tedi-
oufly
30 The L I F E
oujQy on, that I alnioft began to defpair of ever
legaining my Liberty, or feeing my few Relations
again j which, with the Anxiety and Pain I fuf-
fer'd on^ account of my dear Wife, often gave me
inexpreffible Concern.
At length, the Time arriv'd, when they were
preparing themielves for another Expedition againft
the Planters and White-People; but before they
let out, they were joined by many other Indians^
from Fort Du ^lejney well ftor'd with Powder
and Ball they had,receiv'd of the French,
As (bon as the Snow was quite gone, and no
Traces of their vile Footfteps could be perceiv'd,
they fet forth on their Journey towards the back
Parts of the Province oi^enlyhania'^ all leaving
their Wives and Children behind in their Wigwams.
They were now a terrible and formidable Body,
amounting to near 150I My Duty was to car^
ry what they thought proper to load me with, but
they never intrufted me with a Gun. We marched
on feveral Days without any Thing particular oc-
curring, almoft famifh'd for want of Provisions ; for
my Part,! had nothing but a few Stalks of 7;/^/<2;;-
Corn, which I was glad to eat dry : Nor, did the
Indians themielves fare much better, for as we
drew near the Plantations they were afraid to
kill any Game, left the Noife of their Gunslliould
alarm the Inhabitants.
When we again arrived at the Blue Hills ^ about
30 Miles from Camtocojigge, the Irifi Settlement
before-mentioned, we encamped for three Days,
tho'
of Peter Williamson. 31
'tho* God knows we had neitherTents, nor any Thing
elfe to defend us from the Inclemency of the Air,
having nothing to lie on by Night but the Grais.
Their ufual Method of lodging, pitching, or en-
camping, by Night, being in Parcels of ten or
twelve Men to a Fire, where they lie upon the
Grafs or Brulli, wrapt up in a Blanket, with their
Feet to the Fire.
During our Stay here, a fort of Council of War
was held, when it was agreed to divide them-
jfclves into Companies of about twenty Men each ;
after which, every Captain marched with his Party
where he thought proper. I ftill belonged to my
old Mafters, but was left behind on the Mountains
with ten Indtans^ Co ftay 'rill the reft ihould re-
turn; not thinking it proper to carry iiie hearer to
Cannocojig^e^ or the other Plantations.
Here, being left, I began to meditate on my
Efcape, and tho' I knew the Country round ex-
tremely well, having been often thereabouts, with
my Companions hunting Deer, Pole-Cats and o:her
Beafts; yet, was T,very cautious of giving the leaft
Sufpicionsof fuchmy lntenrions.Hovvevcr, the third
Day after the grand Body had left us, my Companions,
or Keepers, thought proper to vifit the Mountains,
in learch of Game for their Subfiftance, leaving me
bound in fuch a Manner that I could not efcape :
At Night when they returned, having unbound me,
we all iat down together to Supper on what they
had killed and loon after (being greatly fatigued,
with their Day's Excurlion) they compoied thcm-
felvcs to Reft, as ufual. Obferving them to be in
that
SI The LIFE
that fomnifcrous State, I tried various Ways to fed
whether it was a Scheme to prove my Intentions or
not, but after making a Noife and walking about,
fometimes touching them with my Feet, I found
there was no Fallacy. My Heart then exulted with
Joy at feeing a Time come that I might in all pro-
bability be delivered from my Captivity : But this
Joy was foon damp'd by the Dread of being difco-
vered by them, or taken by any other ftragling
Parties. To prevent which, I refolved, ifpoiTible,
to get one of their Guns, and if difcovered, to die
in my Defence, rather than be taken: For that
Purpofe, I made various Efforts to get one from un-
der their Heads, (where they always fecured them),
but in vain. . Fruftrated in this my firft Efiay to-
wards regaining my Liberty, I dreaded the
Thoughts of carrying my Defign into Execution :
Yet, after a little Confideration, and trufting my-
lelf to the Divine Protcdion, I iet forwards Ha-
lved and defencelefs as T was. A rafh and dangerous
Enterprizel Such was my Terror however, that
in going from them, I halted, and paus'd every
four or five Yards, looking fearfully towards the
Spot where I had left them left they fhould awake
and mils me; but when I was 200 Yards from them,
I mended my Pace, and made as much hafte as I
pofTibly couid to the Foot of the Mountains ; when
on a fudden, I was ftruck with the greateft Terror
and Amaze, at hearing the Wood-cry, as 'tis call'd,
and may be exprelTed Jo-hau ! Jo-haul which the
Savages I had left were making, accompanied with
the m.oft hideous Cries and Howlings they could
utter. The bellowing ot Lyons, the Shrieks of
Hyaenas, or the roaring of Tygers, would have been
Mufic
of Peter Williamson. 3j
Mufic to my Ears, inComparilbn to the Sounds that
then faluted them. They having now miffed their
Charge, I concluded that they would foon leparate
themfelves and hie in Qucftof me. The more my
Terror increafed the fafterdid.1 pufh on, and fcarce
knowing where I trod, drove thro' the Woods
with the utmoft Precipitation, fometimes falling
and bruifing myfelf, cutting my Feet and Legs a^
gainft the Stones, in a mileratle Manner \ but tho'
faint and maim'd, as I was, I continued my Flight
'till Break of Day, when, without having any
Thing to fuftain Nature, but a little Corn left, I
crept into a hollow Tree, in which I lay very
fnug, and returned my Prayers and Thanks to the
Divine Being, that had thus far favour'd my El^
cape. But my Repofe was in a few Hours de"?
flroyed, at hearing the V'oices of the Savages near
the Place where I was hid, threatening and talking
how they would ufc me, if they got me again jthat
I was before too fenfible of, to have the leaft
Reft, either in Body or Mind fince I had left them.
However, they at laft left the Spot, where I heard
them, and I remained in my circular Afylum all that
Day without further Moleftation.
At Night, I ventured forwards again, frightened,
and trembling at every Bufh I palVd, thinking
each Twig that touched me to be a Savage. The
third Day I concealed myfelf in the like Manner,
and at Night I travelled on in the fame deplorable
Condition, keeping off the main Road, ufed by
the Indians^ as much as poliible, which made my
Journey many Miles longer, and more painful and
irklome than I can exprefs. But hqw lliall I de^
F fcribe
54 The L I F E
fcribe the Fear, Terror, and Shock, that I felt on the
foutth Night, when, by the ruftling I made among
the Leaves, a Party o^ Indians^ that Jay round a
fmall Fire, which I did not perceive, ftarted from
the Ground, and feizing their Arnis, run from the
Fire, amongft the Woods. Whether to move for-
wards, or reft where I was, I knew not, fo diflrac-
ted was my Imagination. In this melancholy
State revolving in my Thoughts the now inevitable
Fate I thought waited on me, to my great Conlkr-
nation and Joy, I was relieved by a Parcel of Swine
that made towards the Place I guels'd the Savages
to be ; who, on feeing the Hogs, conjedur'd that
their Alarm had been occafion'd by them, and very
merrily returned to the Fire and lay down to fleep,
as before. As foon as I perceived my Enemies fo
difposM of^ with more cautious Step and filent
Tread, Ipurfued my Courfe, fweating (tho' Winter,
and feverely cold) with the Fear I had beenjult
relieved from. Bruis'd, cut, mangled, and terrified .
asl waSj I ftill, thro* the Divine AfTiftance, was en-
abled to purfue my Journey 'till Break of Day,
when thinking myfelf far off from any of the Mil-
ereants, I fo much dreaded, I lay down under a
great llog, and flept undiflurbed, 'till about Noon,
when, getting up, I reached the Summit of a great
Hill, with fome Difficulty, and looking out if I
could fpy any Habitations of white People, to my
unutterable Joy I law fome, which I guefled to be
about ten Miles diftance.
This Pleafure was in fome Meafure abated, by
not being able to get among them that Night.
Therefore, when Evening approached, I again rc-
com^
of Peter Williamson. is
commended myielf to the Almighty, and composed
my wearied mangled Limbs to Reft. In the Mor-
ning, as foon as I awoke, I continued my Journey
towards the neareft cleared Lands, I had iecn the
Day before, and about four o'Clock in the After-
noon, arrived at the Houie of 'Jolm Bell^ an old
Acquaintance, where, knocking at the Door, his
Wife, who opened ir, feeing me in luch a frightful
Condition, flew from me like Lightning, fcreaming
into the Houie. This alarm'd the whole Family,
who imrEediately fled to their Arms, and I was
ibon accoftcd by the Maiier with his Gun in his
Hand. B»-it on my afluring him of my Innocence,
as to any wicked Intentions, and making myleif
known, (for he before took me to be an Indian) he
immediately careis'd me, as did all his Family, with
■a deal of Friendfhrp at finding me alive ; they ha*-
ving all been informed of my being murdered by
the Savages Ibme Months before. No longer now
able to fupport my fatigued and worn put Spirits,
I fainted and fell to the Ground. From which
State having recovered me, and perceiving the
weak and famifh'd Condition I then was in, they
•foon gave mc fome Refrefhment, but let me par-
take of it very fparingly, fearing the ill EfFeds, too
•much at once would have on me. They for two
Days and Nights very afFetlionately fupplied mc
•with all NeceflTaries, and carefully attended mc
■'till my Spirrts and Lim-bs were pretty well re-
cruited, and T thought myleif able to ride, when I
borrowed of thefe good People (whole Kindnefs
•merits my moftgrateiul Returns) aHorfeand fome
Cloaths, and fct forward for my Father-in-law's
Houfe in Chejler County, about 140 Miles from
• F 2 thence
j6 The L 1 F E
therrce, where I arrived on the 4t.h Day of Janm
ary^ iyS5^ butfcarce one of the Family could credit
their Eyes, believing with the People I had lately
left, that I had fallen a Prey to the Indians,
Great was the Joy and Satisfaction wherewith I
was received and embraced by the whole Family \
but oh, what was my Anguifh and Trouble, when
on inquiring for my dear Wife, I found ftie had been
dead two Months! This fatal News, as every
humane Reader muft imagine, greatly leflened the
Joy and Rapture I otherwife fhould have felt at
my Deliverance, from the dreadful State and Con>*
pany I had been in.
The News of my happy Arrival at my Father-
in-law*s Houfe, after fo long and flrange an Ab-
fence, was loon ipread round the neighbouring
Plantations by the country People, who continually
vidted me, being very defirous of hearing, and
eagerly inquiring an Account of my Treatment,
and Manner of living among the Indians. In
all which I fatisfied them. Soon after this, my
Arrival, I was fent for by his Excellency Mr.
Morris^ the Governor, who examined me very par-
ticularly, as to all Incidents relating to my Capti-
vity, and eipeciaily, in regard to the Indians^ who
had firft taken me away, whether they were trench
or Engli/h Parties? I aflbr'd his Excellency, they
were of thoie, who profefs'd themlelves to be
Friends of the latter ; and informed him of the
many barbarous and inhuman Adions, I had been
Witnefs to among them, on the Frontiers of the Pro-
vince ; and alfo, that they were daily increafmg by
others
Of Peter Williamsoi^. 37
others of our pretended Friends joining them \ that
they were all well lupplied by the trench with
Arms and Ammunition, and greatly encouraged by
them in their continual Excurlions and Barbarities,
not only, in having extraordinary Premiums for fuch
Scalps as they ihould take and carry home vvith
them at their Return, but great Prefents of all
Kinds, beGdes Rum, Powder, Ball, &c. before they
fallied forth. Having fatisfied his Excellency in
fuch Particulars as he requcfted, the fame being
put into writing, I fwore to the Contents thereof j
as may be feen, by thole who doubt of my Vera-
city, in the public Papers of that Time, as well
in England as in Philadelphia. Having done
with me, Mr. Morns gave me three Guineas, and
fent the Affidavit to the Aifemby, who were then
indolently fitting in the State-houle dXThiladelphia^
little regarding, nay evendifcreditingthe various Ac-
counts of the Incur-fions and Depredations of the Sa-
vages. W hether fuch Indolence proceeded from the
pacific Principles profefs'd by thole who are called
Quakers, (and moftly conllitute that Affembly)
to be Part of their Religion, or from any otherfinifier
Motive, it behoves not me to hint at, or conjeclure.
However, on receiving this Intelligence from his
Excellency, they immediately fent for me. When
I arrived, [ was conducted into the Lower-houlc,
where the AlTembly then fate, and was there inter-
rogated by the Speaker, very particularly as to all
I had before given the Governor an Account of j
this my firft Examination lalled three Hours. The
next Day, I underwent a Second, for about an Hour
and a Half, when I wascourteoully difmiffed, with
a Pro-
38 The LIFE
a Promife (never thought on afterwards) that
all proper Methods fhould be taken, not only to
accommodate and reimburfe all thofe who had fuf-
fercd by the Savages; but to prevent them from
committing the like Hoftilities for the future.
How well the latter Part of their Promife has been
completed, the whole World are as fenfible of, as
I am of the Non-performance of the former.
Now retum'd, and once more at Liberty topur^
fuc my own Inclinations, I v/as perfiiaded by my
Father-in-law and Friends to follow fome Employ^
ment or other; but the Plantation, from whence I
was taken, tho' an exceeding good one, could not
tempt me to fettle on it again. What my Fate
would have been if I had, may eafily be conceived.
And there being at this time (as the AfTembly,
too late for many of us found) a Neceffity for raif-
ing Men to check thole Barbarians in their ravag-
ing Depredations, I inlifted mylelf as one, with
the greateft Alacrity and moft determined Refolu->
tion, to exert the utmoft of my Power, in being
revenged on the helliili Authors of my Ruia
General Sh-rl^y^ a Gentleman of the L^ie^'. was the
weak Inftrument pitch'd upon to dired the Ope-
rations of War in that Part of the World ; a Man
as unfitly qualified for liich an Undertaking as ever
the Legiflature could employ. A Man never bred
or inured to the Hardlliips of War; and never in
the leatt acquainted with the Arts and Defigns of
military Difcipline : True, it is, indeed, that he re-
fided and practiced Law in New-England for fome
Years, and in 174 1, fucceeded Mr. Belcher as Go-
Vernor-General of New-Tork^ Majfacktfef s-Bay
and
of Peter Williamson. 55^
"SXi^ NeW'Hamfjhrre \ in which Poft he continued
'rill 1748 ; when, being ftill in the good Graces of
his firft Patrons at home, (for fome Reaibns not here
to be mention'd) he was fuppofed as being a Lawyer^
ro have a good deal of Chicane and Art in his Com-
pofition : He was accordingly lent to the Court of
France^ in order to fettle the Boundaries of Jrca-
^i.i, or Nova-Scotia, and at a great Charge, tho' to
little Purpofe, there kept for fome Years ; for how-
weak the Artifice, Elocution and Penetration, of an
Engltjh Lawyer\ proved againft Fremh Perfidy,
Ipecious Promifes, and more deep laid Stratagems ;
that long tedious and expenfiveNegociation, and the
difaltrousConfequenccs attending the fame, have beca
too fatally experienced by Thoufands of Europe as
well as America. But, I may, perhaps, by Ibmc,
be thought to venture too fir out of my Sphere, and
that the hidden Secrets of Cabinets are impervious
to, and ought not to be defcanted on, by vulgar
Minds. I fhall go on thcrelore, with :iiy own Af-
fairs.
Into a Regiment, immediately under the Com-^
mand of this experienced General, and in his Son,
Capt. Sh-rl-y's Company, was it my Lot to be pla^
ced for three Years. This Regiment was intended
for the Frontiers, to deftroy the Forts ereded by
the French, as loon as it fhould be completely fur-
niihed with Arms, 6Cc. at BoJio7t, in Neiz'-Eng^
land, where it was ordered for that Purpofe. Being
then very weak and infirm in Body, tho* pofTefled
of my ufual Refolution, it was thought advifea-
ble to leave me for two Months in Winter-quarters.
At the End of wlych, being pretty well recruited
in
40 The L I F E
in Strength, T fetout for Bo/Ion^ to join the Regi*
ment with Ibme others, likewife left behind; and
after croffing the River De-ia-ware, we arrived at
iNevj'Jerfey^ and fiom thence proceeded thro* th?
fame by New-Tork^ Middletowne, Mendon^ in
•ConneBfciit to Boffon^ where we arrived about the
End of Manb^ and lound the* Regiment ready to
receive us,
Bofton^ being the Caplfal oi New-England^ and
the biggeft City in America^ except two or three
on the Sfmnjh Continent, I fiiall here fubjoin a Ihort
Account of it.
'Tis pleafantly fituated, and about four Miles in
compafs, at the Bottom o^ MaffachufefsBdiy^ into
which there is but one common and fafe PaflTage,
and not very broad, there being fcarce room for
three Ship> to come in a^breali ; but once in, there's
room for the Anchorage of 500 Sail. It's guarded
by feveral Rocks, and above a Dozen Tfiands ^ the
moft remarkable of thefe Iflands is Cafik-If/and^
which ftands about a League from the Town, and
io fituated, that no Ship of Burtlien can approach
the Tovvn^ without the Hazard of being Ihatter'd
in Pieces by it's Cannon. It's now call'd, lort^
William^ and mounted with jog Pieces of Ord-
nance; 200 more which were given to the Province
by Queen Anrie^ are placed on a Plat-form, lb as
to take a Ship fore and aft, before fhe can bring
about her Broadhdes to bear againfl: the Caftle.
Some of thele Cannon are 42 Pounders \ joo able
Men are exempted from ail military Duty in Times
pf V/ar, to be ready at an Hour's Warning to at-
tend
of Peter Williamson. 41
tend the Service of the Caftle, upon a Signal of
the Approach of an Enemy, which there feems to
be no great Danger of at Bofion-^ \vhere, in 24
Hours time, 10,000 eflfedive Men, well arm\l,
might be ready for their Defence. According to
a Computation of the CoUedors of xht Light Jjou(e^
it appeared that there were :i4,oco Tons of Ship-
ping clear'd annually.
The Pier is at the Bottom of the Pay 2000 Feet
long, and runs {o far into the Bay, that Ships of
the greateft f?iirthen may unload without the Help
of Boats or Lighters. At the uppor End of the
chief Street in the Town, which comes down to
the Head of the Fier, is x.\\q fo'jjn'bonU., or Ex^
ehan^e a fine Building, containing, befides the
Walk for Merchants, the Cnirxil-Jhtrnber^ the
tiouje of Commons^ and a fpacious Room for the
Courts of Ji'Jl'jce. 1 he Exchange is iurroundcd.
with Bookleller's Shops that have a good Trade:
Here being five Printing-houies, and the Prelims
generally luil of Work, which is in a great mea-
iiire owing to the Colleges and Schools in New-
England-^ whereas at New-lork there are but
two .or three little Bookfeller's Shops, and none
at all in Virginia^ Mary land ^ Carolina^ Barbadoes^
and the Sugar JJlands.
The Town lies in the Form of an Half-Moon
round the Harbour, and conllfting of about 4000
Houfes, muft make an agreeably Profpedf, the
furronnding Shore being high, the Streets long,
and the Buildings beautiful. The Pavement is
kept ill ^o good Order, that to gallop an Horlc en
G It "
42 The LIFE
it is 3 J. 4f</. Forfeit. The Number of Inhabitants
is computed at about 24,000.
There are eight Churches, the Chief of which
is caird the Church-of' Engldrid-Glnp ch ; befides the
Bapifi Meeting, and the ^iaker*^ Meeting.
The Converfation in this Town is as poh'te as
in mod of the Cities and Towns in England, A
Gentleman o^ London \vou\d fancy himfclfat home
at Boflon^ when he obferves the Number of Peo-
ple, their Furniture, their Tables, and Drefs,
which, perhaps, is as fplendid and fhowy as that
of moft Tradcfmen m London.
In this City, learning military Difcipline, and
waiting for an Opportunity of carrying our Schemes
into Execution, we lay 'till the ift of July\
during all which Time great Outrages and De-
vaftations were committed by the Savages in the
hack Parts of the Province. One Inftance of which
in particular 7 ihall relate, as being concern'd in
rewarding according to Defert, the wicked Au-
thors thereof.
Jofefh Long^ Efq; a Gentleman of large For-
tune in thefe Parts, who had in his Time been
a great Warrior among the Indians^ and frequent-
ly joined in Expeditions with thofe in our Intereft
againft th? others. His many Fxploits and great
Influence among feveral of the Nations were too
well known, to pals unreveiiged by the Savages a-
gainfi: whom he had exerted his Abilities. Ac-
cordingly in yl^ril 1756, a Body of them came
down
of Peter Williamson. 4^
down on his Plantation, about 30 Miles from
Befton^2ind skulking in the Woods for fomeTime,
at laft ieiz'd an Opportunity to attack his Houle,
in which, unhappily proving luccefsful, they fcalp'd,
mangled, and cut to Pieces, the unfortunate Gen-
tleman, his Wife, and nine Servants, and thenmade
a general Conflagratic^n of his Koufes, Barns. Cat-
tle, and every Thing he pofTefs'd, with the mangled
Bodies; all fuffer'd together in one great Blaze ! But
his more unfortunate Son and Daughter were made
Prifoncrs, and carried off by them, to be referv'd
for greater Tortures. Alarm'd and terrified at this
inhuman Butchery, the Neighbourhood, as well
as the People of Bofioj?^ quickly aflembied thcm-
felves, to think of proper Meafures to be reveng'd
on thefe execrable Moniiers, Among the lirft of
thole who offer'd themielves to go againft the Sa*
vages, was James Crawford^ Efq^ who was then
at Bo/Igji^ and heard of this Tragedy; he was a
young Gentleman who had for fome Years paid his
AddrelTes to Mifs Lon^., and was in a very little
Time to have been married to her. Diilraded,
raving, and ihock'd, as he was, he loft no Time,
but inftantly rais'd 100 refolute and bold young
Fellows to go in Qiieft of the Villains. As 1 had
been fo long among them, and pretty well acquaint-
ed with their Manners and Cuftoms, and particu-
larly their skulking Places in the Woods, I was
recommended to him as one proper for his Expe-
dition ; he immediat^lv applied ro my Olficers atid
get Liberty for me. Never did I go on any En-
terprize with Kalf that Alacrity and Chearfulnels
I now went with this Party. My Wrongs and
Sufferings were too recent in my Memory, to funer
G 2 mc
44 r^^ L I F E
me to hefitatc a Moment in taking an Opportunity
of being revenged to the utmoft of my Power.
Being quickly armed and provided, we haftened
forwards for Mr. Long's Plantation on the i^xh,
and after travelling the moft remote and intricate
Paths through the Woods, arrived there the 2d of
May^ dubious of our Succefs, and alnioft defpair-
ing of meeting with the Savages, as we had heard
or could difcover nothing of them in our March.
In the Afternoon fome of our Men being fent to
the Top of a Hill to look out for them, foon per-
ceiv'd a great Smoak in a Part of the low Grounds.
This we immediately and rightly conjectured to
proceed from a Fire made by them. We accord-
ingly put ourfelves into regular Order, and march-
ed forwards, relblv'd, let their Number have been
what it might, to give them Battle.
Arriving within a Mile of the Place, Captain
Cawford^ whole Anxiety and Pain made him
quicker lighted than any of the reft, foon per-
ceiv'd them, and guefs'd their Number to be about
50. Upon this we halted, and fecreted ourfelves
as well as we could *till twelve o'Clock at Night.
At which Time, fuppofingthem to be at reft, we di-
vided our Men into two Divifions, 50 in each, and
march'd on ; when, coming within twenty Yards of
them, the Captain fired his Gun, which was im-
medidtely followed by both Divifions inSucceflion,
who inftantly ruthing on them with Bayonets
iix'd, kiird eyery Man of them.
Great
Of Peter Williamson. 45
Great as our Joy was, and flui}i*d with Succels
as we were, at this fiidden Vidory, no Heart a-
niono; us but vvas ready to burft at the Sight of
the unhappy young Lady. Whatmuft theThoughts,
Torments, and Senfations, of our brave Captain then
be, if even we, who knew her not, were lo fenfibly
affeded ! For, oh! what Breall, tho' of the brutal
favagc Race we had juft deftroy'd, could, wi'-hout
feeling the moll exquifitc Grief and Pain, behold
in i'uch infernal Power, a Lady in the Bloom of
Youth, blels'd with every Female Accompli foment
that could i^ct off the mo/te^'quifite Beauty ! Beauty,
which render'd her the Envy of her own Sex, and
the Deligiit of outs, enduring the Severity of a
windy, rainy Night! Behold one nurtur'd in the
moft tender Manner, and ■ by the moil indulgent
Parents, quite naked, and in the open Woods, en-
circling with her Alabafter Arms and Hands a cold
rough Tree, whereto fhe vvas bound with Cords fo
ftraitly puU'd, that the Blood trickled from her
Fingers Ends! Her lovely tender Body, and deli-
cate Limbs, cur, bruis'd, and torn with Stones and
Boughs of Trees as (he had been dragg'd along, and
all beilnear'd with Blood ! What Heart can even
now, unmoved, xh'mk of her Diftrcfs, infucha de-
plorable Condition ? having no Creature with the
lead Senfations of Humanity near to fjccour or re-
lieve her, or even pity or regard her flowing Tears
and lamentable Wailings !
The very Remembrance of the Sight, has at this
Inftant fuch an Effect upon me, that I almoft want
Words to go on. — Such then was the Condition in
which we found this wretched Fair, but faint and
ipcechlels,
46 The LIFE
fpeechlefs with the Shock our firing had given her
tender Frame. The Captain for along Time could
do nothing but gaze upon, and clafp her to his Bo-
fom, crying, raving, and tearing his Hair, like one
bereft of his Senles ; nor did he fotlbme time per-
ceive the lifclels Condition fhe was in, 'till one of
the Men had untied her lovely mangled Arms, and
Ihe fell to the Ground. Finding among the Villain's
Plunder the unhappy Lady's Cloaths, he gently
put ibme of them about her; and after various Tri-
als and much Time fpent, recovered her ;diflipated
Spirits, the Re-pofTeilionof which fhe firft manifefted
by eagerly fixing her Eyes on her dear Deli-
verer, and liniling with the moft complailant Joy,
bleffcd the Almighty and him for her miraculous
Deliverance.
During; this pleafing, painful Interview, our Men
were bufily employed in cutting, hacking, and
fcalping the dead Indians ; and lb defirous was eve-
ry Man to have a Share in reaking his Revenge on
them, that Difputes happened among ourielves who
fhould be the Inftruments of further (hewing it on
their lifeleis Trunks, there not being enough for
e\ery Man to have one wherewith to fatiate him-
felf: The Captain obferving the Animofity be-
tween us, on this Occafion, ordered, that the two
Divifions fhould caft Lots for this bloody, tho*
agreeable Piece of Work ; which being accordingly
done, the Party, whofe Lot it was to be excluded
from this Bufinefs, ftood by with half-pleas'd
Countenances, looking on the reft ; who with the
utmoft Chearfulneis and Adivity purfued their
Revenge in fcalping, and other wife treating their
dead
of Peter Williamson. 47
dead Bodies as the moft inveterate Hatred and.De-
teftation could fuggeft.
The Work being doney we thouo;ht of fleering
homewards triumphant with the 50 Scalps • but how
to get the Lady forwards, who was in luch a Con-
dition, as rendered her incapable of walking fur-
ther, gave us fome Pain, and retarded us a little,
'till we made a Sort of Carriage to feat her on ;
and then, with the greateft Readinefs, we took our
Turns, four at a Time, and carried her alon^. This,
in fome Meafure, made the Captain chearful, w ho
all the Way endeavoured to comfort and revive
his defponding afflicted Miftiefs: But alas! in
vain; for the Miferies fhe had lately felt, and
the terrible Fate of her poor Brother, of whom,
1 doubt not, but the tender-hearted "Reader is
anxious to hear, rendered even her moft pleadng
Thoughts, notwithftanding his* Ibothing Words^
corroding and infufferable.
The Account fhe gave of their difjftrous Fate
and dire Cataftrophe, belides what I have already
mentioned, was. That the Savages had no fooner
feen all confumed, but they hurried off with^hcr
and her Brother, pufning, and fometimes dragging
them on, for four or five Miles, when ihey ftopt;
and flripping her naked, treated her in a ihocking
Manner, whilft others were ftripping and cruelly
whipping her unhappy Brother. After which,
they in the fame Manner purfued their Journey,
regardlefs of the Tears, Prayers, or Entreaties of this
wretched Pair ; but, with the moft infernal Pleafure,
laughed and rejoiced at the Calamities and Diftrelies
th-jy -
^a The LIFE
they had brought them to, and faw them fuffer,
'till they arrived at the Place we found them ; \s here,
they had that Day butchered her beloved Brother
in the following execrable and cruel Manner : They
lirft fcalp'd him alive, and after mocking his ago-
nizing Groans and Torments, for fome Hours, ripped
open his Belly, into which they put Splinters, and
Chipsof Pine-Trees, and fet Fire thereto^ the fame
(on accoimt otthe Turpentine wherewith thefe Trees
abound) burnt with great Quicknefs and Pury for
a little Time, during which, he remained in a Man-
ner alive, as fhe could fometimes perceive him to
move his Head, and groan. They then piled a great
Quantity of Wood all round his Body, and moft
inhumanly conlumed it to Afhes.
Thus did thefe Barbarians put an End to the Being
of this unhappy young Gentleman, who was only
22 Years of Age when he met his calamitous Fate.
She continued her Relation, by acquainting us,
That the next Day, was to have feen her periib in
the like Manner, after fufFering worie, than even
ilich a terrible Death, the fatisfying thefe diabolical
Mifcreants in their brutal Luft. But if pkaled
the Almighty to permit us to refcue her, and en-
tirely extirpate this Crew of Devils!
Marching eafily on her Account, we returned to
the Captain's Plantation the 6th of May^ where, as
well as at Bojiou^ we were joyfully received, and
rewarded handfomely for the Scalps of thofc Sava-
ges we had brought with us. Mr. CraizrforrJ and
Mifs Long^ were Icon after married, and in Grati-
tude to the Services we had done them, the whole
Party
of PEtER Williamson. 4^"^
Party were invited to the Wedding, and nobly en-
tertained, but no riotous or noily Mirth was al-
lowed, the young Lady, as we may well imaginCj
being ftill under great Afflidicnj and in a weak
State of Health.
Nothing farther material, that I now remember,
happened during my Stay at Bo/ion -^ to proceed
therefore, with the Continuation of our intended
Expedition.
On the I ft of July the Regiment began their
March for Ofwe^o. The lift we arrived at
Jlbany^ in heiv^Tork^ thro' Cambridge^ Kor^
tbawfton^ 'dndi HadfiJd^ in New-Emjand. From
thvrice, marching about twenty Miies farther, wc
incamp'd near the Mouth of the Mohawk Riverj
by a Town called SdjimBad.y^ not far from the Z.W-
kIs-Mountains. Here did we lye fome Time, 'till
Batteaiix (a Sort of flat-bottom 'd Boats, very
I'mall, and ftiarp at both Ends) could be got to car-
ry our Scores and Provilions to OjwegO'^ each of
which, would contain about fix Barrels of Perk, or
in Proportion thereto; Two Men belonged to eve-
ry Batteau, who made ufe of ftrong fcutting Poles,
with Iron at the Ends^ to prevent their being too
foon deft roved by the Stones in the River (one of the
Sources of the OZ;//?) which abounded with many^
and large oneSj and in fome Places was fo ftialiow,
that the Men were forced to wade and drag their
Batteaux after them. Which^ together, with fome
fataradb, or great Falls of Watcr^ rendered this
Duty very hard and fatiguing, not being able to
travel more than feyen or eight Engliili Miles a
H Day,
50 The L J F E
Day, 'till they came to the Great-Carryhig Place at
JVood's CreekyWhcre the Provifions and Batteaux were
taken out, and earned about four Miles, to ^//i-
ganejy or Ohio great River, that lan quite to Ofwe-
go^ to which Piace, General Sh-t l-y got with Part
of the Forces on the Srh o^ Avgtift ; but Colonel
Mercer with the Remainder, did not arrive 'till
the 31ft. Here we found Colonel Schuyler with his
Regiment cf Neiz- J erf ey Provincials, who had ar-
rived there Ibme time before. A fhort Delcription
of a Place, which has afforded fo much Occcafion
for Animadverfion, may not here be altogether diC-
agreeable to thofe unacquainted with our Settle-
ments in that Part of the World.
Ofwego is fituated N. Lat. 43 Deg. 10 Min.
near the Mouth of the River Onondaga^ on the
South-fide of the Lake Ontario^ or Cataraqiiie,
There was generally a Fort and conftant Garrifon
of regular Troops kept before our Arrival. In the
proper Seafons, a Fair for the Indian Trade is
kept here : Indians of above twenty different Na-
tions have been obferved here at a Time. The
greateft Part of the Tiade between Canada and the
Indians^ of the Great Lakes^ and fome Parts of
the M'ljfijjip^ .pafs near this Fort ; the nearefl and
fafeft Way of carrying Goods upon this Lake be-
ing along the South-fide of it The Diftance from
Albany to Ojwego Fort is about 300 Miles Welt;
to render which March more comfortable, we met
with many good Farms and Settlements in the
Way. The Ontawaes^ a Great and powerful Na-*
tion, living upon the 0//?^'u>'^^ River, which joins
the Catarique River, (the Out-let of the Great
Lakes)
of Peter Williamson. 51
Lakes) deal confiderably with the New-Tork tra-
ding Houfes here.
The different Nations trading to Oswego are difl
tingui (liable by the Variety and different Falhi-
ons of their Canoes ; the very remote Ind'tans are
cloathed in Skins of various Sorts, and have all
Fire-arms : Some come from fo far North at Tort-
Nelfon^ in Hiidfon's Bay, N. Lat. 57 Deg. And
fonie from the Chirakees, Weft of South-Carolina^
in N- Lat. 32 Deg. This feems indeed to be a
vaft Extent of In-land Water-carriage, but it is
only for Canoes, and the fmalleft of Craft.
Nor will it in this Pkce be improper to give
fome Accountofour Friends in thole Parts, whom
we call the Mohawks^ viz. The Jroquo/s^ com-
monly called the Mohawks ^ the Oneiadaes^ the
Onondagues^ the Cayugaes^ and the Senekeas, In
all Accounts they are lately call'd xht Jix Nations
of the NeW'lork^ U\Qnd\y -Indians'^ the Tnjiara-
roes^ Straglers from the old Tujcararoes of North-
Carolma., lately arc reckoned as the fixth.— I Ihall
here reckon them as I have been informed they
were formerly, i. The Mohawks :^ they live up-
on the Mohawlis or Scheneci a dy Riw^r^ and head,
or lye North of New-Tor k^ Tenjy'^ama^ Mary^
land and fome Part of Virginia-^ having a
Cattle or Village, Weftward from Albaiiy forty
Miles, and another fixty-live Miles Weft, and about
i(5o ienfible Men. 2. The Oneiadaes, about
eighty Miles from the Mohawk's fecond Village,
confifting of near 200 lightinf^ Men. 3. The
OnondagueSy about twenty-hye Miks further, (the
H 2 famous
52 The LIFE
famous Ofivego trading Place on the LakeOw/^^r/^,
is in their Country) confift of about 250 Men.
4. The Cayiigaes^ about ieventy Miles further, of
about 130 Men; and 5. ^\\tSen£keas^ who reach
a great Way down the River Sitjquehana^ confift
of about 700 marching, fighting Men : So that the
fighting Men of the five or fix Nations of Moba'VDks^
may be reckon'd at 1500 Men, and extend from
Albavy^ Weft 400 Miles, lying in about thirty
Tribes or Governments. Befides thefe, there is
fettled above Montreal^ which lies N. E. of Oy-jne--
go^ a Tribe cf fconndrel Run-a ways from xh^Mo-
ha-iuks ; they are call'd Kabnuages^ confifting of a^
bout eighty Men. — This fhort Account of thefe
Nations, I think it neceffary to make the Engl'ijk
Reader acquainted with, as T may have Occafion to
mention Things concerning Ibme of them.
Being now at Of-JiJego^ the principal Objecl that
gave at that Time any Concern to the Americans^
I fhall, before I continue my own Account, give a
fhort Recital of what had been done in thefe Parts,
in regard to the Defence and Prefervation of the
Fort and the Colonies thereabouts, before I came,
upon fuch Authorities as I got from thofe who had
been long at Of-j:;ego, and I can well depend upon
for Truth.
General Sh-rl.v^ in 1754, having ereded two
new Forts on the River Onondaga^ it leemed pro-
bable, that he intended to winter at OJ'Ui^ego with
his Army, that he might the more readily proceed
to Adion in the enfiiing Spring. What produced
his Inactivity afterwards, and how it was, that Fort
OJwego
Of Peter Williamson, s^
Opi^'ego was not taken by the Frevch'm the Spring
of 1755, are Things my Penetration will not en-
able nie to difcuis But, Olivcgo is novv loft, and
would have been lb in the Spring of 1755, if niore
important Affairs had not made the J^rench negled
it. At this Time the Garrifon oi Ofxvego conhfted
only of 100 Men, under Captain King. The old
Fort being their only Protedion, which mounted
only eight four Pounders, was incapable of Defence,
becanle it was commanded by an Eminence diredlly
crofs a narrow River, the Banks of which were co-
vered with thick Wood.
In May^ ^1 SS^ ^f'^-'^g^ being in this Condition,
and thus garrifon'd- thirty/ r<:;/t/; Batteaux wer,eieen
tp pals, and two Days after 1 1 more; each Batteau
(being much larger than ours) containing 15 Men;
{o that this Fleet confifted of near 600 Men : A
Force, which with a f.ngle Mortar, might foon
have taken Poflcilion of the Place.
A Rcfolutlon was now taken to m.ake the Fort
larger, and erecf fom.e nevv ones; to build VcfTels
upon the Lake; to encreafc the Garrifon; and pro-
vide every Thing necefl^iry to annoy the Enemy,
fo as they might render the Place tenable. Captain
Broadlb ect arriving on the 27th of May at the
Fort with two Companies-, lbn:e fmall Swivel
Guns and the fini; Parcel of Workmen, made fbme
imagine that a Stop would be put to the / rench
in their carrying Men in Sight of the Garrifon ;
yet, they ftiil permitted 1 1 more I'renih Batteaux
to pals by, tho* we were then fuperior to them in
thefe Boats^ or at lead in Number. The Reafon
our
54 The LIFE
our Forces crmld not attack them, was, becaule^'
thev were four Miles in the Offings on board large
Vefleis in which the Soldiers could ftand to lire
without being o^'erfet \ and our Batteaux in which
we muft have attacked them were ib fmail that they
would contain only fix Men each, and fo tickJifh,
that the inadvertent Motion of one Man would o-
verfet them. No Care, however, was taken to pro-
vide larger Boats againft anorher Emergency of
the fame Kind. At Ofwego^ indeed, it. was im-
pradicable for want di Iron-work \ fuch being the
provident Forecaft of thole who had the Manage-
ment ot Affairs, that tho* there were Smiths e-
nough; yet, there was, at this Place, but one Pair
of Bellows; fo that the lirft Accident that Ihould
happen to that neceifary InftruiTient, would flop ail
the Operations of the Forge at once.
The Beginning of Jime^ the Ship-Carpenters
arrived from Bojion^ and on the iSth of the lame
Month, the firft Veifcl we ever had on the Lake
Ontario^ was launched and fitted out : She was a
Schooner 40 Feet in the Keel, had 14 Oars, and
12 Swivel Guns. This VclTel, and 320 Men, was
all the Force we had at Ojwego at the Beginning
o'i July^ and was victualled at the Expence of the
Province of Rew-lork, Happy, indeed, it was,
that the Colony Provifions were there; for fo little
Care had been taken to get the King's Provilions
fent up, that, when we arrived, we muft have pe-
rifh^d vvith Famine, had we not found -a Supply
which we had little P.cafon to exped.
About
Of Peter Williamson, ^s
About the Middle of .7^/)', an Attack was again
cxpcded, when we (the Forces under General %-r^
l-y) were ftill near 300 Miles diftant. And, if the
Attack had then been made, with the Force the
Enemy was known to have had at hand, it muft,
for the Realbn I have jufl before given, have falleq
into their Poflcffion.
Such was the State of Ofwe^o, when wc arrived
there : Where we had been but a fmall Time, be-
fore Provifions began to be very fcarce ; and the
King's Allowance being ftill delay 'd, the provin-
cial Stores were loon exhaufted, and we were in
Danger of being fbon famifhed, being on lefs than
Half-Allowance. The Men being likewife worn
out and fatigued with the long March thev had
fuffered, and being without Rum (or allowed none
at leaft), and other proper Nutriment, many fell
fick ol the Flux, and died ; fo that our Regiment
was greatly reduced in fix Weeks time: A Party
that we left at the important Carrying-place, at
IFood's Creek., being ablblutely oblig'd \.o defert it
for Want of Necefiaries.
Sicknefs, Death, and Defcrtion,- had,- at length,
io far reduc'd us, that we had Icarce Men enough
to perform Duty, and protect thofe who were daily
at work. The Indians keeping a ftri6l: look-out,
render 'd every one who pais'd the Out-guards or
Centinels, in Danger of being fcalp'd or murder'd.
To prevent Coni'equences like thefe, a Captain's
Guard of fixty Men, with two Lieutenants, two
Serjeants, two Corporals, and one Drum, befides
two Flank-guards of a Serjeant, Corporal, and
twelve
56 The LIFE
twelv^e Men, in each, were daily mounted, and A\(i
Duty as well as able. Scouting- Parties were like-^
wile fent out every Day : But the Sicknels ftill
continuing, and havin^r 300 Men at work, we
were oblig'd to lelTen our Guards, 'till General
'^PeJ^pcr ell's Regiment join'd us. •
A little Diligence being now made ufe of, about
the Middle of Stptenihe7\ four other V'efieis were
got ready, viz. A deck'd Sloop of eight Guns,
four Pounders, and 30 Sivels; a deck'd Schooner^
eight Guns, four Pounders, and twenty-eight Swi-
vels; one undeck'd Schooner, of fourteen Swivels
and fourteen Oars, and another of twelve Swivels
and fourteen Oars ; about 1 50 Tons each.
On the 24th of OBoher^ with this Armament,
and a conliderable Number of Batteaux, which
were too fmall to live upon the Lake in moderate
Weather, we were preparing to attack hiuigara \
tho' (notvvithftanding v^e had taken all the Provi-
fions we could find in Oj-XL^ego, and had leif the
Garrilbn behind, with Icarce enough lor three
Days) the Fleet had not Proviiions lufficient
on board to carry them within Sight of the Enemy,
and Supplies were not to be got within 30c Miles
of the Place we were going againft. However,
the impracticability of fucceeding in an Expedition
undertaken without Victuals, was dilcovered rime
enough to prevent our March, or Embarkation,
or whatever it may be call'd ; but not before nine
Batteaux laden v^ith Officers Baggage, were lent
forwards, four Men in each Batteau ; in one of
which it was my Lot to be. The Men being
weak*
Qf Peter Williamson, sy^
-weak and low in Spirits, with continual harrafling
and low feeding, render'd our Progrefs very te^
pious and difficult. Add to this, the Places vJc
h\i\ to pAfs and afcend ; for, irj many Parts, the 6k-
tara^?t:\ or halls of Watj^r, which defcendcd near
the Head of the River Onondaga (in Ibme Places
nc^ar loo Feet perpendicular), render'd it almoft
.impolTjble for us to proceed ; for the Current run^
ning from the Bottom, was lo rapid, that the Ef^
forts of twenty or thirty iMen were fometinics re-
quired to drag the Boats along, and especially to
get them up the Hills or Catarcitis^ which vvc
were forced to do \ylth Ropes : Sometimes, when
with great Labour and DiiTi'culty, we had got theni
up, we carried them by Land near a Qi_iartcr of a
Mile, bcfor^e we came to -any Water. In fhort,
we found four Men to a Batteau infufiicient ; for
tf^e Men belonging to one Batte-au, were io fatigued
t^nd vyorn out, that they could not manage her, fo
that ijie lay behind almofta Lteague.
The Captain that was with us, obferving thi.%
as loon as we had got tl)e others over the moft dif-
ficult Falls, o^der'd two befides mylelf to go and
help her forsyards; Accordingly I got into her, in
order to ftper h,er, whilft my tvyo Comrades and
her own Crew dragged her along. When we got:
to any Catara^s^ I remained in her to faften the
Ropes and keep all fafe, while they hauled \\£x
up^ but drawing her to the Summit of the laft
CitaraB^ the Ropes gave way, and down fhe fell
irftq a very rapid and boift'rous Stream ; where, not
being able by myfelf to work her,ilie Hove to Pieces
on a Imall Rock, on which^ Ibrne Part of her re-
I plaining
58 W^ L 1 F E.
mainlng till !Nloining, T miraculoufly fav'd niyielf*
Never, v/as my Lilc in greater Danger than in this
Situation; the Night being quite dark, and no
Afliltance to be obtain'd from any of my Com-
rades; tho' many of them, as J afterwards learn'd,
made diligent Seiich tor me ; but the Fall of the
Waters rendered the Nolle that they, as well as my*
felf niade, to be heard by one another, quite inef-
fedual.
In the Morning they indeed found me, but in,
a wretched Condition, quire benumb'd, and alu oft
dead with the Cold, having nothing on- but my
Shirt
After various Efforts, having, with great Difficul-
ty, got me up, they ufed all proper Means to recover
my worn-out Spirits: But the Fire had a fatal Ef-
fed to what they intended, for my Flefh fwelled
all over my Body and Limbs, and caufed iu^h a De-
privation of my Senies, that I fainted, and was
thought by all to be dead. However, aiter fome
Time, they pretty well recovered my fcatter'd Sen-
fes and fatigued Body; and, with proper Care,
conduced me, with fome others (who were weak
and ill of the Flux), to Albany^ where the Hol»
pital received our poor, debilitated Bodies.
The reft, not able to proceed, or being coun-
termanded, bent their Courfe back again to Ojwe^
go: Where, a friendly Storm preventing an Em-
barkation, when a Stock of Provifions was got to-
gether (fuliicient to prevent them from eating one
another,
of Peter Williamson. 59
anothtT. during the firjl twelve Days\ all Thoughts
of attacking Ntagara were laid afidc.
Thus ended this formidable Campaign. TheVe^-
fels that we had huilt (as I afterwards learn'c]) were
unrigged and laid up, without having beer, put to
any ITfe; while a F>cnch Vcflel was cruifing on
the Lake^ and carrying Supplies to Niagara^
without Interruption; live others as Inrgt as ours,
being alio ready to launch at hrmttuac, which
iiesacrofs the Lake Ontiino^ Norui of Ojwego,
The General, whatever Appearr.nces might have
led others, as well as mvlelf, to think otherwile ;
loon indicated his Intentior of" not wintering at
OfwegOy for, he left the Vlace before the aJdi-
tional W"orks were comp'eated, and the Garrifon,
by inienfible Degrees, decreifed to i too Men; ftill
living in perpetual ierror, on the Brink of Fa-
mine, aad become mutinous for Want of their
Pay ; which, in the Hurry of military Biifinejs^
during a Year that \s 2.% crowded \n\x\\ great Events,
had been forgotten; for, from my firft inlifting, to
the Time I was laid up at Albany^ I never had re-
ceived above fix Weeks P«y,
A little^ indeed, may be offered in Vindication of
the General and his nuniberlefs Delays, viz. That
it took lome Time to raife the two Regiments,
which were in Brttijh Pay, as t!ie Name of in-,
lifting for Life, is fomewhat forbidding to the Ame^
ricans: (a lew of whom, as well as niyieif, made
our agreement for three Years; but afrer that Time,
I doubt, we muft have dcpcdtd on his Pleaiiire for
i 2 our
So The L i F E
bar being dilcharg'd, according to our CDntra6]F^
had it not fallen out otherwifey. The unufual Dry-
ncis of the Summer which rendered the Rivers
down to Of-j^ego in fomc Places impafTable, or very
difficult for the Batteaux to proceed \ and it was
whifper'd, that a Gentleman, lately in an eminent
Station in Ke'w-lofk^ did all in his Power to hin>
der the Undertaking, from a Pique to the Generah
Bv thefeDifad vantages, he was detained at Albany^
'till j^tignfi^ and even when he did reach Ofji-ego^
he found himlelf put to no little Difficulty to main-^
tain his Ground, for want of Proviiions ^ and the
Men being fo reduced, more than once, to ihort
Allowance, as you havefeen, became troubled with
the Flux, and had not any Thing necefTarVj not
even Rum fufficient for thfc common Men, to pre-
vent the fatal Effects of that Diforder.
In this Mariner, the Summer was fpent on our
Side^ and the Reafon Vvhy ih^Fremb did not this
Year take OJz^'ego^ when they might, with fo little
Trouble, was, as many befidcs myfelf conjectured,,
that they thought it more their Intercft to purfue
their Projeds on the Oh/o^ and preferve the Friend-"
fliip of the confide rable Indians'^ which, an Attack
upon OJwego, at that Time, would have deftroyed.
How far they fucceeded in fiich their Projedls,
and the Reafons of their SuccelTes.^ a little Animad-
^-erfion on our own TranfaClions will let us into the
Light of. For as Appearances on our Side, were very
favourable in the Spring ; General Braddock!^ De-
feat greatly increas'd the Gloom which fat on the
'Countenances of the AmcTKans.
Great
Of Peter Williaaison. 6t
Great Thing;s bein^ expeded from him, he arri-
ved early, arid Fort Du ^iejite^ Itemed to be ours,
if we did bi:t go and demand it. The Attacks de-
fi2,ned a^ainft Nfagara and Fort iredcrkk^ at
C'O'UjH-'Fohf^ were planned in the IVinter, and the
Troops employed a^ainft the hrench in Nova-Sco-
iia^ embark'd at rnfion in April. Let us view
the Events befides thofe already mentioned. Ge-
neral Braddock was ready to march in Ap'Jl-^ but
thro' Ignorance, o*- Negled, or a Mifunderftanding
with the Governor of l^irgm/a-^ had neither frefh
Provificns, Korles or Waggons provided • and fo
late as the Latter-end of May^ it was neceflary to
apply to TenjyhciHhj^ for the mod Part of thole.
This Negled, created a moft pernicious Diffidence
and Ddlredit of the AmerKans^ \n the Mind of
the General, and prevented their Ufefulrieis where
their Advice was wanted, and produced very bad
Effcds. He was a Man (as 'tis now too well
known and believ'd) by no Means, of quick Ap-
jprehenfion, and could not conceive that iuch People
could inllriid him- and his youn_2; Courtfellors pre-
judiced him fiill more, fo as to flight his OHicers.
and what was wore, his Enemy • as it was treated
aS an Abfurdity to iuppole the Indians wowXq ever
attack Reguli.rs: And,of Courfe, no Care was t^ ken
to inftrud the Men to refifi their pcciiliaf ^.ianIlc^
of lighting. Had this Circumilance been attended
to, I am f'lUy perfuadcd, 400 Jhd!ans\ about the
Number that defeated him, would have given him
very little Annoyance: Sure, I am, 400 of our
People rightly managed, v. ould have made no Dif-
ficulty of drivuig before th\.m riiat Handfulj to
whoni-^e owed his Deleat and De::th.
The
6s The L 1 F E
The Undertaking of the Eaftern Provinces to
reduce the Fort at Crozvn-Toint^ met that Fate,
which the jarring Counlels of a divided People
comn^only meet with ; for tho' the Plan was con-
certed in the Winter of 1754, it vj2is Jitgttji be-
fore thefe petty Governments could bring together
their Troops. In ftiort, it muft be own'd by all,
that Delays were the Banes of cur Undertakings,
except in the Bay of /««^/, in Koza-Scotta^ where
Secrecy and Expedition were rewarded with Suc-
cefs, and that Province reduced.
The General continued in a dive, from the Time
he left Of'-jjego, to Man Ik, 1736, when he was
about to refume the Execivrion of his Scheme to
attack trontenac and biiagarei. What would
have been the Tflueof :■ is Projed, neither myfeif,
nor any other Perfon, cen now pretend to fay, for
juft at this Crifis, he received Orders from Englandy
to attempt nothing, 'till Lord London Ihouid arrive,
which was iaid (hould be early in the Spring.
However, his Lordlhip did not get there 'till the
Aliddle of Julyy fo that by this Delay, Time was
given to the Marquis de Montcalm (Major-Gene-
ral Dieskatts SuccefTor) to arrive from frame at
Canada with 3000 regular Forces, and take the
Field befc)re us.
But to return from this Digreffion to other
Tranladions. When I was pretty u'ell recovered
again, I embark'd on board a VefTel from Albany
for New-Tork'^ where, when I arrived, I found to
my Sorrow, my Captain, Mr. Sh^rl-y^ the General's
Son, had been dead for fome Time \ he was a very
pro-
Of Peter Williamson. 6j
promifing, worthy, young Gentleman, and uni-.
verfally regretted. His Company wa? given to
Major James Kinna'ir^ who ordered, thai none of
his Men (hould go out on the recruiting Paities,
as was at firft intended by his PredecefTor ; but,
that the private Men fhould either return to Ofwe-
go^ or do Duty in the Fort at New-lork, Not
liking my Station here, I entreated the General,
who was now arrived, for a Furlosv, to ice my
Friends in Tenjyhan'ui^ which, he having then no
great Occafion for me, at Neiz-^Tork^ granted ior
three Months.
As I have here mentioned A^^ixz-Tl^r/', and be*
fore given a Short Account of the two Cities, ^Fhi-"
ladeifhia and Bojion, it would be a Difrefpe^l to
this elegant one, not to take Notice of it, as well
as in IbmeMeifure debarring the Read r from fuch
Information as may not be dilagreeable , but not be-
ing of that Note or Confequence with the others, I
fhall briefly obferve j that
]>few->lork is a very fine City, and the Capital ot
the Province of that Name^ it contains about 3000
Houfes, and near 5)000 Inhabitants. The Houles
are all well built, and the mcaneft of them iaidto
be worth 100 L which cannot be laid of the City ot
the fame Name, nor of any other in Enjiland.
Their Converlation is polite, and their Furniture,
Drefs, and Manner of Living, quite elegant. In
Drinking and Gallantry they eifceed any City ia
America,
The
64
rhe. LIFE
The Great Church is a very handfome Edifice,
and built ia 1695. Here are alfo a Dutch Church,
a French Church, and a Lutheran Church. The
Inhabitants of Dutch Extraftion, make a con^iderT
able Part of the Town, and moft of them (peak
Efjq^iifJo.
Having obtained, my Furlp\v, I in^irediatelv let
out for "Tenhk-aviut^ and arriving ?X ,^hiladel''_
;pbia^ found 'the Conilernation and Terror of the
Inhabitants was greatlv increalcd to what it wa?
when I \ck them They had made fevef^l. Treaties
of iFriendfhip with the hidiariS^ who,' when well
fupplied vyith Arm?, Ammijnition. Cloaths, and
ojther Nec)£flarie?, thrg' ^'dii:^ pacific Mea/'pres, anc^
defencelcis State of the Thnadct^^hiavSy loon re-^
volted to the Ireihh^ and commitred great Out-
rages on the back Parts of the Province, deffrqying
and maflacring Men, Wprpen," and Children, and
cyery T hing that unhappify lav in theirj\y"a'y. A
few Tnffanccs of which, together, with the Beha^
viour of the ^b'lladelfh'ians on thefe Occ?.fions,
I Qrall here prefcnt the Reader vyith, who, of
whatever Seel or ProFefnon, I am wel| alTuredj
muft condemn the pacific j Difpofition and private
Fadions that then reign'd, not only in the Aflemr
bly, but among the MagiftrateS; themfelyes;; who
\vcre a long Time, before they coyld agree on'proper
Petitions, to roufe tht indolent i^lTembly from the
lethargic and inadive" Condition they abiblutely
remained in.
For about the Middle oiOBoher^ a large Body
of Indians^ chicflv Sbrrji'Gncfe^ Dc-la-ivares, &Cc.
Of Peter WilliaxVison. 65
fell upon this Province, from leveial Quarters, al-r
moft at the fame Inftant, murdering, burning;, an4
laying VVafteall where ev^er they camej jb that in
the live Counties oiCuniherland^ lorky Laihajter^
Bcrks^ and Northampton^ which conipoie more
4:han Half the Province, nothing but Scenes of
Diftraction and Defolation were to belcen.
The Damages which thefe Counties had fuftaincd
by the Delertion of Plantations, is not to be rec-
kon'd up j nor are the Mileries of the poor Inlia-.
birants to be delcribed *, many of whom, tho'efcap^
ing with Life, were, without a Moment's Watv
ning driven trom thole Habitations where they en-
joyed every Neccffiry of Life, and were then ex-
pofcd to all the Severity of an hard Wintjtrr; and
obliged to Iblicit their very Bread at the cold
Hand of Cliarity, or periPa with Hunger under the
inclement Air,
To thefe Barbarities I have already mentioned,
I can't pals over the following, as introdudory
Caules, oi'xh^'FhUadelfhians at lafl withftanding
t/ie Outrages of the Barbarians.
At Gnadenhiitten^ a fmall Morav'mn Settlement,
in Mdrthiimpton County, the poor, unhappy Suf-
ferers, were fitting round t'leir peatcful Supper,
vyhen the inhuman Murderers, muificd in the
Shades of Night, dark, and horrid as the infer*'
nal Purpoles of their diabolic Souls, flple upon
ihem, butcher'd them, fcalp'd tliem, and confum'd
their Bodies, together, wich their Horfes, their
i^tock, ani upwards of lixty Head of f^t Cattle,
K (intended
66 The LIFE
(intended for the Subfifl.ince of the Brethren at
Bethlehem) all in one general "Flanie j fb that next
Morning furmfhed only a melancholy t'pedacle of
their" mingled Afhes.
At the Great Co'jc m Cimherland z.t TiilfehoC'
kin^ in Berks ^ and in fcveral other Places, rheir Bar-
barities were ftiil greater, if poffible. Mtn, VVo-
nieri, Children, and Brute-bealls, fhared one com-
mon Deftruclion • and where they were not burnt
to Afhes, their mangled I imbs were icund prom if-
cuoufly ftrew'd upon the Ground, thole appertain-
ing to the human Form, Icarce to be diftinguifhed
from the Brute!
But of ail thelnflanccs of the Barbarities! heard
of, in thefe Parts, 1 could not help being moft afr
fetled with the following. — One Family, confifting
of the Husband, his Vv'^ife and a Child, only a fevv
Hours old, were ail found murder'd, and fcalp'd ixs.
this Manner : The Mother ftretch'd on the '^tiS^
with her new-born Child, horribly mangled, and
put under her Head for a Pillow, while the Hui-
band lay on the Ground, hard-by, with his Body
ript up, and his Bowels laid open.
In another Place, a Woman with her fucking
Child, finding ihat fbe had fallen into the Hands of
the Enemy, 'i^X^i flat on her Face, prompted by the
ftrons" Call of Nature, to cover and flielter her
innocent Child with her own Body. The accurkd
Savage luUi'd from his lurking Place, ftruck her
in the Head with his Tomahawk, tore off her
Scalp, and fcour'd back into rhp Wpods, without
cbferyifj^:
of Peter Williamson. 6;^
obferving the Chilfi, beino; apprehenfive that!'he
was dilcovercd. .The Child was tound Ibmetimc
afterwards under the Body of it's Mother, and was
then alive.
Many of their young Worren were carried .by
the Savages into Caoiivity, relerved, perhaps, for
-a worfe Fate, thin thofe who fuifered Death in
all it's horrid vShapc.s^ and no Wonder, fincc they,
were referved by Savages, whofe tender Mercies,
might be accounted more cruel than their very
Cruelty itleif.
Yet, even during all this Time, this Province
/^had Things been properly ordered) need bur, iu
Comparifon to her Strength, ha\e lifted her Foot,
and crulb'd all the French Force on their Borders;
but unufed to fuch Undertakings, and bound by
Jion-refijiing principles iiom Cx-eiting her Strength,
and involv'd in Difputes \^th the Proprietaries,
they flood ftill ; vainly hoping the Irenib would
be fb moderate, as to be content with their Vidlory,
over Braddock^ or at leail coniine their Attacks
to Virginia : But they then iaw, and ielt all this
was Delufion, and the Barbaiiries of the Indian
Parties headed by trench Officers: iN'otwithfland-
ing all which, tb.ey continued indomeftic Debates,
v/ithout a Soldier in Pay, or a Penny in the Tiea-
fury. In fhort, if the Eneruy had then had, but
1500 Men at the Ohio^ and would ha, tx- attempted
it, no Ralhnefs could h.ive been perceived in their
marching down to the City oVFhjla^clj-bia.
K 2 Thus
68 The LIFE
Thus ftood our Affairs on the Side of thcGhh^
when an oJd Captain of the Warriors, in the Inter-
eft of the l^hHadelth'u^.ns^ and their ever faithful
Friend, whofe Name was Scarrooyda^ alias Alono"
katcathy^ en the lirft Notice of thele Misfortunes,
came haftening MoTh'ilcidelpbia., together, with Col.
IVeifer^ the provincial Interpreter, and two other
Ind/iiH Chkfs. ^carooyda immediatelv demanded
an Audience of the Afiembly, who were then fit-»
ting, to whom he Ipoke in a very affecting Manner,
His Speeches being printed, and fold about Thila^
del-^h'ia^ I procur'd one of them, which was as
follows.
Brethren^
" We are once tnore come amdng you, and fin^
*' cerely condole with you on Account of the late
*' Bloodfhed, and the awful Cloud that hangs over
*' you, and over us. Brethren, you may be un-
" doubtedly affured, 'that thcfe horrid Actions
'* were committed by none of thofe Nations that
*' have any Fellowlhip with us, but by certain
*' falfe-hearted and treacherous Brethren. It grieves
" us more than all our other Misfortunes, that any
*' of our good Friends, the EiiglijJ.\ fhould fufped
" us of having falfe Hearts.
' Brethren^
" If you were hot an infatuated People, we are
" 3 CO Warriors, firm to your Intereft; and, if you
" are fo unjuft to us, as to retain any Doubts of
*' our Sincerity, we offer to put our Wives, our
" Children, and aR we have into your Hands to
" deal
Of Peter Williamson. 69
^' deal with them as feemcth good to you, if we
'' arc f jund in the leaft to fvverve from you. But,
*' brethren, you muft fapport and ailift us, Tor we
*' are not able to fight alone againfl the powerful
" Narions who are coming againft youj and you
*' muil this Moment rclolve, and give us an expli-'
•' c\z AnlWer what you will do : For, thefe Nati-
'' ons have ient to dcfire us, as old Friends, cither
*^ to join them, or get out of their Way and lliift
'' tor'ourfeives. Alas! Brethren, we are lorry to
*' leave you ! We remember the many Tokens of
'* your tricndfhip to us ^ But, what fiiail we do?
" We cannot Hand alone, and you will not fland
" with us!— '
" The Time is precious. While we are here
'' confulting with you, we know not what may be
"the Fate of our Brethren at riome. Wc do
*' therefore, once more invite, and requeft you to
" aft like Men, and be no longer as Women, pur-
*' fuing weak Meafiires, that render your Names
" defpicable. If you will put the Hatchet * into
'^ our Hands, and lend out a Number of your
" young Men in Conjundion with our Warriors,
" and provide the neccfTary Arms, Ammunition
" and Provifion?, and likwife build fome ftrong
*" Houles for the Protcftion of our old Men, Wo-
" men, and Children, while we are abfent in War,
*' we fhall foon wipe the Tears from your Eyes,
*' and make thefe falfe-hearted Brethren repent
" their Treachery and Bafcneis, towards you, and
" towards us.
"But
* Se the Note under Tomahawk, Page 12.
>j6 The LIFE
" But, wc niufl: at the fame Time, folemnly slA
" lure you, that if you delay any longer to aft
*' in Conjandtion with us, or think, to put us off,
*' as uiual, with uncertain Hopes, you muft not
*' exped to fee our Faces under this Roof any
*^ more. We muft fhift for our own Safety, and
" leave you to the Mercy of your Enemies, as an in-
'^ fatuated People, upon whom we can have no
" longer Dependance.'*
The Tears flood in the old Manx's Eyes, while
he delivered this laft Part; and no Wonder, fmcc
the very Being of his Nation depended upon their
Joining the Enemy, or our enabling* them imme-
diately to make Head againft them.
It was fome Time, however, before the Affem-
bly could be brought to confent to any vigorous
Meafures for their own Defence. The back Inha-
bitants loft all Patience at their Conduft. 'Till at
length the Governor exerted his utmoft Power, -^ud
procured the Militia and Money Bills to pafs. By
\'irine of the former, the Freemen of the Province
were enabled to. form tliemfelves into CompanieSj
and each Company by a Majority of Votes, by
Way of Ballot, to chufe its own Officers; ^7^. a
Captain, Lieutenant, and Enfign ; who, if approved
bfy were to be commiffion'd by the Governor. So
that the Thiladelfhmns were at laft permitted to
rife and arm themfelves in their own Defence.
They accordingly form'd themfelves into Compa-
nies ; the Governor figning to all Gentlemen qua^
lifted, who had been regularly ballotted, Commii-
fions for that Purpole.
Captain
of Peter Williamson,. *ri
Captain Dains^ was one of the firft who had ^
Coniparty \ and, being deiirous of my Service, in
order to in(tru61t the Irregulars in their Difcipline,
obtain'd from the Governor, a Certificate to indem-
nify me from any Punifhment which might be adr
judged by the Regiment to which 1 aheady be-
'long'd ; for, without that, I had not gone, Cqr
Company, v;hich coniifted of loo Men, was not
compleated 'till the 24th of />)^j^f/2/^^r, 175.5; when,
lofing no Time, we next Morning marched jrom
'Thiladelphia in high Spirits ; refolving to fl^ew as
little Q^iarter to the Savages, as they had to many
of us.
Colonel Armftrong had been more expeditious 5
for he had railed 2 So provincial Irregulars, and
marched a little Time beibre againft the Ohio Mo-
riaus-^ but, of him, more hereaiter.
We arrived'tfie i6ih of December^ at Bethkb^m^
in the Forks of the River De-ld-'uvare-^ where,
being kindly received by the MoraijianSy we load-
ed lix Waggons with Provifions, and proceeded on
to the A^iilaUan Moiintams^ pr blue HHls^ to a
Town call'd Kenmrtonhtad^ \\\^\iz\\l\\Q Mora^Dians
had deferted on account of the Indians. • Fifty of
our Men, of whom I made one, were order'd be-
fore the reft, to lee whether the Town was de-
ftroyed or not. Difpofing them to the beft Ad-
vantage, we march'd on, 'till we came within five
Miles of the Place, which we found {landing in-
tire.
Having
72 'The LIFE
Having a very uneven, rugged Road to get to ity
and not above four Men able to go a-brCaft, we
were on a fudden alarm'd, by the firing of the
FJank-guards, which were a little in the Rear of
our Van. The Savages briskly leturned their
Fire, and kill'd the Enfign and ten of the Men,
and wounded feveral others.
Finding this, T being Chief in command (having
afbed as Lieutenant, and received Pay as fuch from
my firft Entrance, for my Trouble and Duty in
learning the Company), order'd the Men to march
on with all Expedition to the Town, and aii the
Way to keep a running Fire on the ^nemy, as
they had fallen on our Rear.
We fhould have got there in very good Order,
had it not been for a River we had to crofs, and
the Weather being fo excellive cold, our Cioaths
froze to our Bodies as foon as we got out of the
Water. Hosvever, with great Difficulty we
reach'd the Town, and got into the Church, with
the Lofs of twenty-feven Men. There we rr^ade
as good Preparations for our Defence as poffibly
we could, making a great Fire of the Benches,
Seats, and what we could find therein, to dry our
Cioaths; not efteeming it the leall Sacrilege or
Crime, upon fuch an Emergency.
The Indians foon folio w'd us into the Tow-n,
and furrounding us, tried all Methods to burn the
Church; but our continual Firing kept them off
for about fi)c Hours, 'till our Powder and Ball were
all expended. In the Night they let feyeralHoufcs
on
of Peter Williamson. 73
©n fire ; and, we dreading the Conlequences of be-
ing detained there, refolv'd to make one bold Ef-
fort, and piilh ourfeives through the Savages
Forces, which was accordingly done with the nioft
undaunted Courage. The Enemy fir'd continually
on us during our Retreat, and kill'd many of our
Men, but in their Confufion many of themielves
as well ; it being fb very dark that we were not well
able to difcern our own- Party ; fo that only five
of us kept together and got into the Woods; the
reft, whom we left behind, I doubt fell Sacrifices
to the Savages.
The Night being fo exceffive cold, and having
but few Cloaths with us out of the Church, tvvo
of my Comrades froze to death, before we could
reach any inhabited Place. In fhort, we did not
get any Relief till four o'Clock in the Morning,
when we arrived at an Houfe that lay in the Gap
of the Blue Htlls-^ were our Captain had arrived
with the Remainder of the Men and Waggons the
Day before.
The Captain enquiring our Succefs, I gave him
the melancholy Detail of our unfortunate Expedi^
tion : Upon which, an Exprels was immediately
fent to the Governor, with the Account; who
ordered i5oo Men to march the next Morning ior
the fame Place, under the Command of Geiieral
Franklin^ not only to bury the Dead and build ^
Fort there, but to extirpate the Savages who in-
fefted thefe Parts, and were too powerful for our
fmall Number under Captain Da'U/s,
L The
74 The LIFE
The Remainder of our little Party were now
building a Fort at the Place w here we lay, for our
Defence, ^rill more Affiftance fhould arrive; for
we were under continual Apprehenfions of the J»-
dians purfuing and attacking us again.
On the 5)th of January^ 1736^ we were rein^
forced by General franklin and his Body; and the
next Day fet out again for Kennonon-Htad -^ where,
when we arriv'd, to our great Confternation, we
found little Occafion to bury our unhappy Ccm-.
rades, the Swine (which in that Country are vaflly
numerous in the Woods) having devour'd their
Eodies, and nothing but Bones ftrewed up and*
down were to be feen. We there built a Fort ia
the Place where the old Church had ftood, and
gave it the Name of Fort Allen ; this was finifh'd
in fix Days, and in fo good a Manner, that 100
Men would make great Refiftance againft a much
greater Number of Indians.
On the iSth, 1400 of us were ordered about fifl
teen Miles diftant from thence, on the Frontiers
of the Province; where we built another Fort call'd,
Fort-Norr'is. In our Way thither, we found fix
Men fcalp'd and murder'd in a molt cruel Manner.
By what we could difcern, they had made a vigo-
rous Defence, the Barrels and Stocks of their Guns,
being broke in Pieces, and themfelyes cut jand man-
gled in a terrible Manner.
From thence, we were order'd to march towards a
Place call'd, The Mmfiijinkes^hut this Journey pro-
ved longer than we were awarp ol^ The Indians
commits
Of PiEtER Williamson. ^5
eommitting great Outrages in thefe Parts, having
burnt and deflroyed all the Hcufes, £<:c. in our
Way : Thefe Tragic- Adions caufed us to divide
burlclves into leVcral Parties who were ordered
divers Ways, to cut off as many of thefe Savages
as poflible.
The Day after this Scheme was pat into Execu*
tion, we met with a fmall Party, wh^ch we put to
the Rout, killing fourteen of them. We then
mad-e ail poflible Diiparch to lave fome ^^oules we
favv on Fire, but on Our nearer Approach, found
our Endeavours in vain: John <^-Juijhef\ and hi5
Family, having been before fcalp'd, and burnt to
Afhes in his own Houfe. On the following Night,
the Kouie of James IVallis underwent the fame
Fate- himfelf^ Wife^ feven Children, and the reft
of his Family, being Icalp'd and burnt therein*
The Houles and Families of Th'dif Green and
yJhraham Nairn^ TufFered in the like Manner.
Nor did the Cruelty of thefe Barbarians flop here,
but attack'd the Dwelling-houfe of George Hwita\
Efq; a Gentleman of conliderable Worth, and
a Juftice of the Peace, who made a brave Refin-
ance, and rather than fall into the Hands of thele
Mifcreants, chofe to meet Death in the Flames j
which he, his "^'x^c^ and all his Houlhold con-
fiffifting of fixteen in Number, did with the ut-
moft Bravery, before any Affiftance could be recei-
ved from our General-, who bad difpatciied 500 of
us ftjr tfiat Purpole, on an Exprefs being ferit to
him that Morning.
L 2 From
76 y-fe L I F K
From thence we march'd to the Mtmjinkes^
and built Fort-Morris. On the ^th o^ March wq
' iet out with i ooo Men to the Head of the Mini^
finkes^ and built another Fort^ which we named
Franklin^ in honour of our General. All which
Forts we garrifon'd with as many Men as we could
poiiibly fpare.
After this, we were daily employed in fcouring
the Woods from Fort to Fort, of thefe noxious
Creatures, the Indians^ and in getting as much of
the Corn together as we could find, to prevent the
Savages from having any Benefit therelrcm.
Notwithftanding our Vigilance, thefe Villains
on the I 5th attacked the Houfe of James Graham^
but by Providence, he with his Wife, who had
juft laid in, and her young Infant in her Arms,
(with nothing about her but her Shift) made
their Efcape to Fort-Allen^ about fifteen Miles
diflant. The Child perifh'd by the Way, and it
was Mattel of Wonder to the whole Garrilbn to
find either of them alive ; indeed, they were in a
deplorable Condition, and we imagined they would
expire every Moment. The Wife, however, to
our great Aftoni(hment, recover'd, but the Husband
did not furvive above fix Hours after their Arri*
Val.
The iloufe of Jfaac Cook fufFer'd by the Fkmes,
himfelf, his Wife, and eight Children, being fcalp'd
and burnt in it.
Tedious
Of Peter Williamson. 77
Tedious and ftiockiiig would it be to enumerate
Half the Murders, Conflagrations, and Outrages^
committed by thele hellifh Infidels. Let it luffice
therefore, that from the Year 1753, when they firft
began their Barbarities, they had murder'd, burnt,
Icalp'd, and deftroy'd, above 3500 Souls ; above
1000 whereof, were unhappy Inhabitants of the
Weftern Parts of Thiladelphia. Men, Women,
and Children, fell alike a Prey to thefe Savages :
No Regard being had bv them to the tender En-
treaties of an affedionate Parent for a beloved Child,
or the Infant's Prayers, in Behalf of his aged Fa-
ther and Mother. Such are the miferable Calami-
ties attendant on Schemes for gratifying the Ambi-
tion of a tyrannic Monarch, like France^ or the
weak Contrivances and indolent Meafures, of blun-
dering Minifters and Negociators — .
The Time of my Furlovv at length expiring, I
prepared to fet out for my Regiment. Having a
recommendatory Letter from General Franklin to
Major Kinnair^ as to my Services, I marched for-
ward for NeW'Tork: Where being arrived, I wait-
ed on the Major; and, after giving him an Account
of all our Tranfadions, and the Hardftiips and La-
bours we had gone through, I was difmifs'd.
After fome Stay there, I was ordered to proceed
on my March for Ofwego once more. But, before
I go further with my own Affairs, I fliall juft re-
count the Refult of thofe Provincials, who went,
as I mention'd before, to quell the Savages, under
the Command of Colonel Arrnjhong.
He
^8 The L 1 F E
He having under his Command 280 Provincials,
deftin*d againft the Ohio Mor'tans, againft whom
nothing had been attempted, nutwithfianding their
frequent Tncurfions and Murders, penetrated 140
Miles through I he Wdods, from Fort Shir ley ^ on
'Juniata River, to Kittanning^ an Indian Town on
the Ohio^ about twenty-five Miles above Fort l^ti
^ejne, bdonging to the French. Pie foon join'd
the advanc'd Party at the Bea^-uer-dams ; and, oil
the fourth Evening after, being within fix Miles of
Kittanning^ the Scouts dilcover'd a Fire in the
Road, and reported that there were but three or
four Indians at it. At that Time, it was not
thought proper to attempt furprifing theie Indians.,
left, if one fhould efcape, the Town might be a-
larm'd : Lieutenant Fiogg^ therefore, with twelve
Men, was left to watch them, with Olrders not to
fall upon them 'till Day-break; and our Forces
turn'd out of the Path, to pals their Fire, without
difturbing them.
About three in the Morhing, having been guid-
ed by the whoofing of the Indian Warriors, at a
Dance in the Town, they reached the River at a-
bout 100 Perches below it. As foon as Day ap-
peared, the Attack began ; Captain Jacobs^ Chief
of the Indians^ gave the tVar^whoof^ and defended
his Houle bravely through the Loop-holes in the
Logs. The Indians generally refufiug Quarter,
Colonel Annftrong ordered their Houfes to be fet
on Fire, which was done by the Officers and Sol-
diers with great Alacrity. On this, fome burft out
of the Houles, and attempted to reach the River,
but were inftantly ihot down. Captain Jacobs^ in
getting
of Peter Williamson. 5r9
getting out of a Window, was Ihot and fcalp'd, as
were alfo his Squaw^ and a Lad they called the
King's Son. The Indians had a Number of fpare
Arms in their Houfes loaded, which went off in
quick Succeilion, as the Fire came to them ; and
Quantities of Gun-powder, which had been Itor'd
in every Houfe, blew up from time to time, throw*
ing their Bodies into the Air.
Eleven Engl'ijh Prifoners were released, who in^
fprm'd the Colonel, that, that very Day, two Bat-
teaux of Frenchmen^ with a large Party of De-la^
ware and French Indians^ were to have join'd
Captain Jacobs^ to march and take Fbrt Shirley^
and that twenty-four Warriors had fet out before
them the preceding Evening ; which proved to be
the Party that had kindled the Fire the preceding
Night; for our People returning, found Lieute-
riant Hogg wounded in three Places; and learn'd,
that he had attack'd the fuppoied Party of three or
four at the Fire, but found them too ttrong for hirn.
He kiird three of them, however, at the firft Fire,
and fought them an Hour; when, having loft three
of his Men, the reft as he lay wounded, abandon'd
him and fled, the Enemy purfuing. Lieutenant
Hogg died loon after of his Wounds.
Enough of thele two Expeditions has been laid ;
nor, can I well tell which of the two w^as moft fucr
cefsful, both lofing more of their own Men thaa
they kiird of the Enemy.
A little Retrofpcftion again on the Adions and
P.cbaviour of the Thiladelfhians^ aqd the other
Provinces
8o r;&f L I F E
Provinces and Places in Conjunftion with them,
may here be fomething neceffary : For, when I ar-
liv'd 2xThdadelfh'ia^ I found, that however me-
lancholy their Situation had been of late, this good
EfFe6l had been obtain'd, that the moft prejudiced
and ignorant Individual was feelingly convinced of
the Neceffity of vigorous Meafures ; and, befides
national and public Views, then, the more prevail-
ing ones of Revenge and Self-lntereji gave a Spur
to their Counlels. They were accordingly railing
Men with the utmoft Expedition ; and had, before
the End of the Summer, a confiderable Number,
though not equal to what they could furnifh, having
at leaft 45,000 Men in Tenfyhmi'm able to fight.
And, purfuant to Agreement, Ibme Months be-
fore, the four Governments of New-England^ in
Conjunction with New^Tork (which laft furniihed
1300) had now alTembled 8000 Men (for the At-
tack of Fort Frederic) at Albany^ 1 50 Miles N.
of New-Tor ky and about 130 from Crown-Toint,
under the Command of General IVinJlow. But
many People dreading the Cruelty of the French^
were not fb very eager to join them, this Year as
the laft ; an Imprefs therefore of Part of the Mi-
litia, was order'd in New-Tork Government. To
prevent which, Subfcriptions were itt on foot, to
engage Volunteers by high Bounties ; fo loath
were they, thai: fome got nine or twelve Pounds
Sterling to Tnlift.
The 44th, 48th, 50th, and 51ft Regiments of
Great Britain were deftin'd for the Campaign on
the Great Lake Ontario^ and moltly march'd for
Ofwego,
of Peter Williamson. 8i
Ofwego^ thence to be carried over in 200 great
Wliale- boats, which were then at the Lake, and
were built at Scheu eff J c'y on Mohw^^k's River, and
were long round and light ^ as the Batteaux", being
flat-botrom'd and Imall, w^ould not anfwer the
Navigation of the Lake, where the Waves were
often very high. They were then, alas ! intended
to attack Fort Fr6utcnai\ mentioned before, ancj
the other French Forts on the Lake, Upwards of
aoGo Batteau^Men were employed to navigate the
Batteaux, each a Ton Burthen, laden with Provi^
fions and Stores from Albany up the Alohawk's
River, then thro' Oneyd^ Lake and River, down
to Ojwego. There were like wife 300 Sailors hir'd
and gone up from Nciv-Jork (as I found, '\vhen I
arrived there) to navigate the four arm'd Ships on
the Lake, built there, as T have bcfore-mention'd,
the laft Year, for the King's Service, and two
others were then building j Smiths, Carpenters^
and other Artificers, having i^one there for that Pur-
pole fonie Weeks before. Such were the Prepara-
tions and Armaments for this Campaign, but hovy
fruitlefs, to our greatDifgrace, u ere loon known all
over the World !
I fliall not trouble the Reader with ^. long Acr
count, of a long March I had to take from Ne^'di'-
Tork to Of'-dvejro^ to join riiy Regiment, fuffice
it therefore, that I arrived there about the middle
of J/ify) but in niy March thjther with fome Re-
cruits, we join'd Colonel BroadJIreet, at Albany^
and on the 6th of May ^ at the Great Carrying Tlace^
had a Skirmilh with the Irench and Indians^ whercr
in leyer:d were kill' d ai\d wounded on both fides^ of
the
82 ne LIFE
the latter I made one. Receiving a Shot through
my Lcft-nand, whicn ir.rirdy dilabled my third
and fourth Fingers^ and havinp: no Hofpita], or
any Conveniencies for the Sick there, I v. a; after
having my Hand dreiled in a wretched Manner,
lent with the next Batteaux to Jlbany to get it cur'd.
As icon as T wss well,! fct forwards for Ofji:e^r^
And, when arrived th^re, I began to m.ke what
Oblervarions I could, as to the Alterations ! hat had
been made fince my Depirture in the Month of
Oclobcfy preceding. The Works ot Oj'j^jf^o^ at
this Time, conGfted of three Forts, viz. The OU
Forty built many Years before, whole chief Strength
was a weak Stone-wall, abccittv/o Feet thick, lo ill
cemented, that it could not reiift the Force of a four
Vcund Bali, and fituated on the Eaft-fide of the Har-
bour J the two other Forts call'd, loft-Ontario and
Fort-George^ ( or fort-Rafc^l- a Name given the
latter by the Soldiers, in Honour to Lieutenant
F'tz-f-m-dSy the commanding Officer at the build-
ing of it) were each of.thematthe Diftance of about
450 Yards from t\\tOld hort^ and (ituared on two
Eminences, which commanded it; both thefe, as I
have already obferved, were begun t-o be built laft
Year upon Plans, which made them de'enfibJe
againfl: MufqueCry, and Cannon, of three or four
Pound Eall only ; the Time not allowing Works of
a flrongcr Nature to cc then undertaken.
For our Defence againil large Cannon, we en-
tirely depended on a fuperior naval Force upon the
Lake, which might have put it in our Power to
prevent the Frc::ch from bringing heavy Artillery
a.2;ainlt
Of Peter Williamson. 83
aigainft t}-e Place, as that could only be done by
Water-carriage.
A Day or two after being at CJwcgc^ the Fort
was alarm'd by hearing a Firing; when on difpateh^
irig proper Scouts, it was found to be the Irejith
and Indians cngaj>;inc; the Battcau-Mco and Sai-
lors convoying tlie Provifions to Oj-wego^ from
one River to another. On tiiis a Detachment of
500 Men were ordered out in Purliiit of them,
whereof I was one. We had a narrow Pafs in the
Woods to go thro\ where we were attack'd by a
great Number o^' Indians^ when a defperate Fight
began on both Sides, that lafted above two Hours.
However, at laft we gain'd a con; pleat Victory,
and put them intirelv to the Kout^ killing iour-
teen of them, and wounding above forty. On
our Side we had bur two Men ' kill'd and fix
wounded. Many'n^.ore would have been kilJ'd of
both Parties had it not been for the Thicknefs of
t.'ie Woods.
I cannot here omit recounting n mof^. iingular
Tranfadion th.it hcippen'd during this my fecord
Time of being there, which, tho' liarce credible, is
ubiblutely true, and can be tepjne'd by f Tundrcd!?,
who knew, and have often ken the Man. In fhort.
One of the 50th Regiment, an Jr'(l^'^/n7!^ being
placed as Centinel over the Rum which had ar-
ri\^ed, and being curious to know its Goodnefs,
pierced the Cask, and drank rill he was quite in-
toxicated; when, not knowing what he did, he
rambled from his Poft, and felj aQvep a good v.-ay
from the Garriibn. An Indjan fcouling that Way
for Prey, (as is conjeclur'd,- met him, and made free
M 1 \iith
§4 The h 1 F U
with his Scalp, which he pluck'd and calri'ed
off. The Seijeant in the Morning, finding him
proftrate on his Face, and feeing his Scalp off,
imagin'd him to be dead; but on his nearer Ap-
proach» and raifmg him from the Ground, the Fel-
low awaked from the found Sleep he had been in^
and ask'd the Serjeant what he wanted. The Ser-
jeant quite furpriied at the ftrange Behaviour of the
Fellow, interrogated him, how he came there in
that Condition? He replied, He could f^ot tell -^
hit that he got liery drunk: and rambled lye knew
not 'ui-hither. The Serjeant advifed him to prepare
for Death, not having many Hours to live, as he
had loft his Scalp. Arrah^ my Dear^ now (cries
he), and are you joking me? for he really knew
nothing of his being ferv'd in the Manner he was^
iand would not believe any Accident had happened
to him, *x'\\\ feeing his Cloaths bloody, he felt his
Head, and found it to he too true, as well as having
a Cut from his Mouth to his Ear. He was imme-
diately carried before the Governor, who asking
him, how he came to leave his Poft ? He rephed,
That being i^ery thirfiy^ he had broached a Ca: k of
RuWy and drank about a T'nit^ 'oL'hich made him
drimk\ but if his Honour "juorJd forgiiie him^ he'd
iie'ver be guilty of the like again. . The Governor
told him, it was very probable he never would, as
he was now no better than a dead Man. Howe-
ver, the Surgeons drefs'd his Head there, as well
as they could, and then lent him in a Batteau to
Albany., where he was perfectly cured \ and, to
the great Surprile of every Body, was living when
I left the Country. ^ This, though fo extraordinary
and unparalelled an Affair, I ayer to be true \ ha-
ying
Of Peter Williamson. 85
Ving feveral Times feen the Man after this Acci-
dent happened to him. How his Life was pre-
ierved leems a Miracle, as no Inftdnce of the like
was ever known.
I had forgot to mention, that, before I le^t AU
hany the lafi: Time, upon Colonel Br oadjf reel's a^--
rival there, in his Way to Ojwego^ with the Pro-
vifions and Forces, cnnlifting of about ^oo Whale-
boats and Batteaux, intended for the Campaign on
the Great Lake Ontario^ mention'd before^ 1 join'd
his Corps and proceeded On with the Batteaux, ^c.
Going up the River Onondaga towards Ofwego^
the Batteau-Men were on the 2pth of Jtmey at-
tacked near tiie Falls^ about nine Miles from Of
"^duegOy by 500 French znd Indians, who kill'd and
wounded feventy-four of our Men, before we could
get on Shore, which, as foon as we did, the French
were routed, with the Lois- of [ 30 Men kill'd,
and ieveral wounded, whom we took Priibnets,
Had we known of their lying \\\ Ambufli, or
of their Intent to attack us, the Victory would
have been much more complete on our Side, as
the Troops, Colonel Broadjireet commanded, were
regular, well difciplin'd and in tolerable Health,
whereas the French^ by a l^ng PaiTage at Sea, and
living hard after their Atrival at Caudda, were
much harrals*d and fatigued.
"^lowever, wc got all fafe to Of-jvego with the
Batteaiix and Provifibns, together, with Riggin:*;
and Stores for the large Velleis, excepting twenty-
four
86 The L I F E
four Cannon, fiK Pounders, that were then at the
Great Car rj kg TlacCj which Colonel Broddftreet
was to bring with him, upon his next Paffai^e, from .
SihcriecCcidy ; to which Place, as fcon as he had de-
livered to the Quarter-mafter all the Stores he had
under his Care, he was ordered to return with the
Batteaux: and Men to receive the Orders of Major-
General Ambercromhie. In his Return from SJje-
neEiady^ 'twas expected that H^ilket's and Diinlmr's
Regiments would have come with him, in order to
take Fort Frrmtcnac^ and the other J^reticb Forts
on the Lake Ontario. But, alas! as Schemes ibr
building Cables in the Air, always prove abortive,
for want of prope^ Archite6lure and Foundation,
io did this Scheme of ours, for want of a due Know-
ledge of our own Situation I
On the Arrival of thefe Forces, anew Erigant«inc
and Sloop were f tted out j and about the fam.e Time
a large Snow was alio launch'd and rigged, and
only waited for her Guns and fume running Rig-
ging, which they expeded every Day by Colonel
Eroadjireet j and had he returned in Time with
X\\^ Cannon and Batteau-Men under his Command,
the Trench wouldnot have dared to have appeared
on the Lake, but Colonel Broadftreet happened to
be detained wirh the Batteaux at Scbeneffady fora-
bove a Month waiting for the forty-fourth Regi-
ment.
Before T relate the Attack on Of-jvego^ X fhall
review a little what the French were doing during
thele our dilatory, pompous Proceedings.
The
Of Peter Williamson. 87
The Marquis de VaudreuH^ Governor and Lieu-
tenAnr-Gcn'..^ral o'i New I'tance^ whilll be provided
for the Security of the Frontiers of Canada^ was
principally attentive to the Lakes. Being informed
that we were making vaft Preparations at Ojivego
for attacking iV/.-T^/^n? and Irontenac^ he took and
raz'd in the Month o^ March ^ the Fort where we
had formed our principal Magazine, and in June
following, deftroved, on the River oi Cbone^an or
Of'^'ego^ fbme of our VefiTels, and made Ibme Pri-
Ibners. The Succcis of thefe two Expeditions en-
couraged him to act offenfively and to attack us at
Ofvjego. This Settlement they preten w d, anj
ftill inilft on, to be an Incroachmenr, or Invafion^
which we had made in a time of profound Peace, and
agiinft which, thev faid, they had coniinually re-
nionRranced, during our blundering, negotiating
F^nwyer's- Refidence at France. It was at lirir, lar
they, only a fbrtified Magazine ; but in order to
avail themfeivcs of it's advantageous Situation in
Xh^ Centre almofi of the Fr^/'/c/? Colonies, the Rn"
gl'jjh added from Time to Time feveral new Works,
and made it confift of three Forts as above de-
scribed.
The Troops defigncd for this Expedition by the
Fre^.ch amounted to near 5000, .Men, 1300 of
which were Regulars. To prevent his Deiign be-
ing difcover'd, M. de J<^/i//^/'^/4// pretended, in or-
der the better to deceive us, who had io long be-
fore been blind, that he was providing only for the
Security of Niagara and brontenac. The Mar-
quis dc Montcalm^ who commanded on this Occa-
fion, arrived the 2;;th oijidy at Fort Fronteiiac\
anJ
88 The h I F E
and having given the neceflary Diredions for fer?.
Curing his Retreat, in cafe it (hould have been
rendered inevitable, by a fuperior Force ; fcnt out
two VeffeU, one of twelve, and the other of fixteen
Gnns, to cruize off 0/a'^^^<9, and polled a Chain of
Gmad'tMis and Indians on the Road between Of-
ijaego aad Albany^ to intercept our Couriers, All
the Forces, and the VelTeis, with the Artillery and
Stores, being arrived in the Bay of N/xoure^ the
Place of general Rendezvous, the Marquis dc Mont-
calm ordered his advanc'd Guard to proceed to a
Creek calfd, /Infe aux Cahamies^ three Leagues
from Ojwego, But, —
To carry on this Account the more accurate and
intelligible to the Reader, I fhall recite the Actions
of the trenjj and ourielves together, as a more
clear and fuccind Manner, of making thofe unacr*
quainted with the Art of War moreienlible of this
important Affair.
Colonel Mercer^ who was then commanding Ofr
iicer of the Garrifon at Oj'wego^ having on the 6th
of Jiigiift^ Intelligence of a large Encampment of
French and Indians^ about twelve Miles off, dilr
patch'd one of the Schooners, with an account of it to
Captain Bradley^ who was then on a Cruize with
the large Brigantine and two Sloops ; at the fame "
Time, deliring him to cruize as far to the Eaft-
ward as he could, and to endeavour to prevent the
Approach of the hrench on the Lake; but meet-
ing the next Day with a moft violent G-aleof Wind,
the large Brigantine was drove on Shore near Oj- "
wego in attem pting to get into the Harbour ; of
which
of Peter Williamson. 89
which Misfortune, the Indians immediately gave
M. de Montcalm^ the French General, Notice,
who took that Opportunity of tranfporting his
heavy Cannon to within about a Mile and a Half
of the Fort, which he could not otherwife have
done.
For on the loth, the firft DiviOon of the French
being arrived at Anfe aiix Caharmes^ at two o'CJock
ia the Morning ; the Van-guard prooceded at four
in the Afternoon, by Land, acrois Woods to ano-*
ther Greek within Half a League of Ofisjego^ in
order to favour the Debarkation. At Mid-night
their firft.Diviiion repaired to this Creek, and there
erected a Battery on the Lake Ontario,
Colonel Mercer^ in the Morning of the loth, on
Ibme Canoes being i'ctn to the Eaftvvard, lent out
the fniall Schooner to make Difcovery of what they
were; Ihe was fcarce Haifa Mile from the Fort,
before fhe difcovered a very large Encampment,
dole under the oppofite Point, being the iirft Di-
vifion of the Fr^;/c^ Troops above-mentioned. On
this, the two Sloops (the large Brigantine being
ftill on Shore) were fent out with Orders, if poffi-
ble, to annoy the Enemy ; but this was to no
Purpofe; the Enemy's Cannon being large and well
pointed, huU'd the VelTels almoft every Shot,
while their's fell fhort of the Shore.
This Day and the next, the Enemy were em-
ployed in making Gabions, Fauciffons, and Fal-
cines, and in cutting a Road crofs the Woods,
from the Place of landing, to the Place where the
N Trenches
go The LIFE
Trenches were to be opened ; And, the iecond
Divifion of the Enemy arming en the i ith, in the
Morning, with the Artiikry and Piovificns, the
fame were immcdi.ue'y landed without any Oppo*
fition. Though Difp")iit'un'^ were,made for opening
the Trenches on the loth at Nij^ht, it was Mid-
night before they could begin the Trench, whicf^
was rather a Parallel, of about loo 'lories * ia
Front, and opened at the Diftance of 5)0 Toiles
from the Fols of Fort Ontario^ in Ground cmbat!?
rifled with liunks of Trees.
About fiyg iri the Morning, of the 1 1 th, tbi?
Parallel was tinifhcd, and the \s orknien began to
ered the Batteries. Thus was the Place invefte^
by about 5000 Men aqd thirty- two Pieces ot Can?
non, from twelve to eighteen Pounders, befides
feveral large Brafs Mortars and fjoyets. < among
which Artillery, was Part of General Braddock's)
A-bout Neon, they began the Attack of Fort Ofir
tano^ with fmall A'-ms, which was briskly return d.
A!l this Day the Garrilon was employed on the
Weft-fide of the River in repairing the Batteries
on the South^lid.? of th,^ Old fort.
The next Morning, (the i ath), at Day-break, a
large Number of Fretah Batteaux were dilcovered
on the Lake, in their Way to join the Enemy's
Camp; on which, Colonel Mener ordered the two
Sloops to be again ient out, with Direj^tions to get
between the Batteaux and the Camp, jbut before
our
* A Toife is a French Meafyre, and ccntains about *y»ro jFg-
thorn or fix Feet in I^engih,
0/" pETiIk Williamson* pt
bur VefTels came up, the Batteanjc had Scared
thcmielves under the Fire of their Cannon.
In the Evening a Detachment was made of f oo
Men of the 5rth (Gefleral T-;}^^er ell's) Regiment,
and I 26 of the New-Jerjey Provincials, under the
Command of (^ol. SthiMer to take PofTelhon of
the Fort on the Hill, t'^ the Weft ward of the
Old Ixirt^ and under rhe Dire6:ion cf the Engineer,
Mr. Mfickller^ were to put it into the beft State
of Defence they co .Id ; in which Work, they were
employed all the following Night.
The Enemy on the Eaft-fide continued their Ap-^
jproaches to Fort Ontano-^ but with their utmoft
Efforts for a long Tiiie thty could not bri^g their
Cannon to bear on it. However, drawing theit
Cannon with great Expedition, next Morning, (the
13th), about Ten o'Clock, to a Battery ere^Ved
within hxtv Yards from it; they play'd them very
hotly on the Garrifon, not\^ ithftanding the cons'
ftant Fire kept on them, and the Lofs of their priti^
cipal Engineer, who was kill'd in the Tbenchefi
A Council of War, was immed'ately held by the
Officers of General TefpereU\ Regiment,, who ob-
lerving the Mortars were bcginn ng to p^ay, Con-
tluded it moft advileable to quit Vd\xOi?hirio^ and
join Col. Schiiyler\ Regimen: at Fort Ccorge^ (or
Fort Rafcal) '^ and an Account of this laiier Bat-
tery being fent toCdlv M'eixer by theCon^mandant
of the Enemy, ordering him to evacuate the Forr,
they accordingly did, about Three in the Afternoon,
dcitroying the Cannon Ammmunition, ai<d l^ro-
vifidhs thereitt) and managed iheir Retreat foas to
N 2 pais
92 The L I F E
pafs the River, and join the Troops at the Weft-fide
without the Lois of a Man. Thele Troops being
about 370, were immediately ordered to join Col.
Schuyler^ which they accordingly did, and were
employ 'd all the following Night in completing
the Works of that Fort.
M. Montcalm immediately took PoiTeffion of
Fort Ontario^ and ordered the Communication of
the Parallel to be continued to the Banks of the
River, where, in the beginning of the Night, they
began a Grand-battery, plac'd in fuch a Manner,
that it could not only batter Fort O(wego^ and the
Way from thence to Fort George^ but alfo the In-
trenchment of Ofwego,
In the Morning, of the 13th, the large Brigan-
tine being off the Rocks and repaired, a Detach-
ment of eighty Men of the Garrifon was put on
board her and the two Sloops, in order to go out
immediately) but the Wind continuing to blow di^
redly into the Harbour, rcnder'd it impoffible for
them to get out before the Place was furrendered.
This Night, as well as the Night before. Parties
of the Enemy's Irregulars made feveral Attempts
to furprize the advanced Giards and Centinels on
the Wfft-fide of the River, but did not fucceed in
any of them.
The Enemy were employed this Night in bring-
ing up their Cannon and raifing a Battery. On
our Side, we kept a conftant Fire of Cannon and
Shells irom the Old Irort, and Works about it.
The Cannon which moft annoyed the Enemy,
were
Of Peter Williamson. 93
were four Pieces, which we reversed on the Plat-
form of an earthen Work, which furronnded the
Old Forty and which was intirely enfiladed by the
Fnemy's Battery on the oppofite Shore : In this
Situation without the leaft Cover, the Train, afl
fifted by a Detachment of fifty of Sh-rl-y's Regi-
ment behaved remarkably well.
At Day-break, on the 14th, we renewed our
Fire on that Part of the oppofite Shore, where we
had the Evening before, obferved the Enemy at
Work in raifing the Battery.
The Enemy in three Columns, confifting of 2500
Canadians and Savagesj crofled the River, fome
by fwimming, and others by wading, with the
Water up to their Middles, in order to inveft and
attack the old Fort. This bold Adion, by which
they intirely cut off the Communication of the
two Forts \ the Celerity with which the Works
were carried on, in Ground that we thought imprac-
ticable; a continual Return of our Fire from a
Battery often Cannon^ twelve Pounders \ and their
preparing a Battery of Mortars and Hoyets, made
Colonel Mercer think it advileable (he not know-
ing their Numbers) to order Colonel Szhtiyler^
with 500 Men to oppofe them, which would ac-
cordingly have been carried into Execution, and
confequently every Man cf the 500 cut off, had
not Colonel Mercer been kill'd by a Cannon-Bail
a few Minutes after.
About ten o'Clock, the Enemy's Battery were
ready to play \ at which Time, all our Places of
Defence
94 "fhe LIFE
Defence were either enfiladed, or ruined by the con-
ftant Fire of their Cannon ; Fort Rafcal or George^
in particular, having at that Time no Gnns, and
fcarce in a Condition to defend irlelf againft fniall
Arms; with 2500 Irregulars on our Backs, ready
to ftorm us on that Sidq and 2000 of their Regu-
lars as ready to land in our Front, under the Fire
of their Cannon. Whereas,
Fort Rafcal might have been ihade a very de-
fenfiblc Fortrefs, lying on a Hill, and the Alcent
to it lb ft«^ep, that had an Enemy been ever fo nu-
merous, they muft have fuffered greatly in an At-
tempt to Storm it. Why it was not in a better
State, it becomes not me to fay, but Matters were
fa
And in this Situatidri \vt were, when tolonel
Littlchales-^ who fucceeded fcolonel Mercer in the
Command, called a Council of War, who were,
with the Engineers, unanimoufly of Opinion, that
the Works were no longer tenable ; and that it
was by no Means prudent to rifque a Storm with
fuch unequal Numbers.
The Chamade was accordingly ordered to be
beat, and the Firing ceas'd on both Sides ^ yet the
French were not idle, but improved this Opportu-
nity to bring up more Cannon, and advanfee the
main Body of their Troops within Mufquet-Qiot
of the Garrifon, and prepared every Thing for
a Storm. Two Officers were fent to the trench
General, to know what Terms he would give; the
Marquis de Montcalm made anfwer, That they
* mieht
of Peter Wilx-iamson, 95
^night exped whatever Terms were contift.nt witji
• the Service of His Mo^ ChrtjVtcin Majeity : He j^p-
cordingly agreed %o th? fojjpwin^ ;
Ankle T. ^* The Garrifon fliall furrendcr Pri-
" loners of War, and ihall be conduded fyom hence
^' to MofHyeci^l^ vvherie they Ih^ll be treated mx\x
" Hun^anity, and every one fhall have Treatment
" agreeable to thejr rerpediye K'^nks, ac.CQrd»i)g
*-' to the Cuftom of War,
II. " Oncers, and Solcjijers, apd Individuab,
^^ fliall have their Baggage and Cloatjis, and they
■'* lliaU be allovved to carry them along >vith them,
in. " They fhall remain Prilbner$ of War qn*
" til they are ex,change4."
Given at the Camf before Oswego,
Auguft 14, 17^6,
MONTCALM,
By Virtue of thjs Gapitulation, the Garrilbn
ilirrendcred Prjfonersiof War, and the tren(;h in?-
mediately took PolTeffion of Ofwego and Fort
George^ wl^icl? ^hey intirely dcftro)ed, agreeable
to their Orders, after removing the Artulery, War-
iikerStores, ^rjd Pjoyifions,
But, to defcribe the plunder, Havock, and Dei?
vallation, made by the French^ as well as the Sa*
viges, who ruIlVd in by Thoufands, is impoffible.
For notwithijtandingthe Chriflian Promife made by
fhe Qener^ gf His Moft Chr'tjlian Majefty, they
all
96 The L I F E
allbehav'd more like infernal Beings, than Crea-
tures in human Shapes. In fhorr, not contented
with furrendering upon t'le above Terms, they
icalp'd and iciird all the Sick and wounded in the
Holpitals j mangling, butchering, cutting, and
chopping off their Heads, Arms, Legs, ^c. with
Spades, Hatchets, and other luch diabolical In-
ftrumentsj treating the whole Garrifon with the
utmoft Cruelty, notwithftanding the repeated In-
terceflions of the defenceleis Sick and Wounded for
Mercy; which w^re, indeed, piteous enough to
have Ibften'd any Heart poffeffed of the minuteft
Particle of Humanity !
Here, I cannot help obferving, that, notwith-
ftanding what has been laid of the Behaviour of
the Officers ofthefe (the 50th and 51ft) Regiments,
I muft, with the greateft Truth, give them the
Charaders of brave, but, I wifh I could fay, ex-
perienced. Men J every one of them, that T had an
Opportunity of obferving, during the Siege, be-
having with the utmoft Courage and Intrepidity.
Nor, in this Place, can I omit particularly naming
Captain James CawJ^hell^ and Hnfigns L'vern 2iX\d
Htckes^ who affifted with the greateft Spirit and
Alacrity, the private Men at the great Guns. But,
for fuch an Handful of Men as our Garrifons then
confifted of, and the Works being of luch a weak
and defenceleis Nature, to have made a longer De-
fence, or have caus'd the Enemy to raifc the Siege,
would have been fuch an Tnftance, as England^ for
many Years, never hath Experienced ; and, I am
afraid, will be many more, before it will, for Rea-
Ions that are too obvious.
, The
The LIFE 97
The Quantity of Stores and Ammunition we
then had in the three Forts, is almoft incredible.
But of what Avail are Powder and Ball, if Walls
and Ramparts are Defencelefs, and Men infufficient
to make \J{t of them. In fhort, the French, by-
taking this Place, made themfv^lves Matters of the
following Things; all which were immediately
lent to Frontenac, viz. Seven Pieces of Brafs
Cannon, nineteen, fourteen, and twelve Pounders;
Forty-eight Iron Cannon, of nine, fix, five, three,
and two Pounders; a Brafs Mortar of nine Inches
four-twelfths, and thirteen others of fix and three
Inches; forty-feven Swivel Guns; 23,000/^. of
Gun-powder ; 8000 //». of Lead and Mufquet-balls ;
two Thoufand nine Hundred and fifty Cannon-
balls ; one Hundred and fifty Bombs, of nine Inr
^hes, and three Hundred more, of fix Inches Dia-
meter ; one Thoufand four Hundred and feventy"
fix Grenadoes; one Thoufand and feventy Mui^
quets; a VefTel pierc'd for eighteen Guns; the
Brigantine of lixteen, a Goeletta of ten, a Patteau
often, (the Sloops already mention'd) another of
eight Guns, a Skiff of eighteen Swivels, and ano-
ther burnt upon the Stocks; feven Hundred and
four Barrels of Bifcu it, one Thoufand three Hun-
dred and eighty-fix Firkins of Bacon and Bctf-j
feven Hundred and twelve Firkins of Meal ; thirty-,
two live Oxen; fifteen Hogs, and a large Sum of
Money in the military Cheft, amounting, as the
French faid, to eighteen Thoufand fivp Hundred:
and ninety-four Li y res.
On this 1 6th, they b^g^n to remov.e us ; the Of^
iicers were firft fent in Batteaux, and tvvo Hundred
0 Spldier§
Soldiers a Day afterwards, *till the whole were
gone; being carried iirft to Montreal and from
thence to ^lebec. Our Duty in the Batteaux,
'rill we reached the firft Place, was very hard and
flavifh: And, during the Time we were upon the
Lake, or River, St. Lanreiice, it appeared to me,
very eafy and feafible, for Commodore Bradley^
(had he thought proper) to have deftroy'd all the
Enemy's Batteaux, and hive prevented them from
ever landing their Cannon, within torty Miles of
the Fort. But he knew liis own Reafons for omit-
ting this Piece of Service beft.
Our Party arriving at Montreal^ in Canada^ on
the 28th ^ we were that Night fecured in the Fort,
as were the reft as they came in. The French uled
various Means to win Ibme of our Troops over to
their Intereft, or at leaft to do their Work in the
Fields, which many refuicd, among whom was
myfelf ; who were then conduced on board a Ship
and fentto ^lebec^ where, on arriving the 5th of
Sefternher^ we were lodged in a Jail, and kept for
the Space of one Mont^.
During this our Captivity, many of our Men,
rather than lye in Prifon, went out to work and
aflift the- French in getting in their Harvell;
they having then, fcarce any People left in that
Country, but old Men, Women, and Children, fb
that the Corn was continually falling into the Stub-
ble for Want of Hands to reap it: But, thole
who did go out, in two or three Days, chole Con-
finement a9;ain, rather than Liberty on (uch Terms,
being almoft Itarv'd, having nothing in the Coun-
try
O/" Peter Williamson. 99
try to live on but dry Bread, whereas, we in the
Prifon, were each of us allowed tvvo Pounds ofBrcad,
and Haifa Pound of Meat a Day, and otherwile
treated with a good deal of Hunjanity.
Eighteen Soldiers, were all the Guard they had
to place over us, who being greatly fatigued with
hard Duty, and dreading our rifing on them,
("wiiich had we had any Arms, we might eafily
have dorie, and rava,8:ed the Country round, as it
was then entirely Defencelcfs) and the Town's-
People themlelves fearing the Conieqpences of
hwing fnch a Number of Men in a Place where
Pro vi (ions were at that Time very fcarce and dear,
they thought fending us away, the moft eligible
Vv^ay of keeping themielves from Famine, and
accordingly put five Hundred of us on board a
VcfTel for England^
But, before I continue the Account of our Voyage
home to our native Country, I ihall juft make a
Ihort Retrofpetljon on trie Confequences which at-
tended the Lois of Ojixjego^ as appeared to us and
the red: of the People at ^lehcc^ who knew' that
Part o^'A.mrka^ to which, this important Place was
a Safeguard.
As fbon as Of^ego was taken, our only Com-
munication from the Mobavuk's River, ^othe Lake
Oneida^ was Hopt up, by filling the Place at *¥Ws
Creek with great Logs and Trees for many Miles
together. A few, Days afrerwards, the Forts at
the Great Carrying ThiC^ and then our molt ad-
vanced Poll into the Counrry of the uix Aa/ums.,
0 2 which
iBd TkeLiFt
•which I have before given a ihort Account of, (and
where there were at that Time above three Thou*
fand Men, including one Thoufand two Hundred
Batteau-Men; and which ft ill gave the Six Nations
Ibme Hopes that we would defend their Country
againft the French) were abandoned and deftroyed,
and the Troops, which were under the Command
of General IVebh^ retreated to Burnet's Field^
and left the Country and the Six Nations to 'the
Mercy of the Enemy.
The French^ immediately after the taking of 0/1
wego^ demolifh'd (as is faid bef<^e) all the Works
there, and return 'd with their Priibners and Booty
to Trinonderog£ y to oppole our provincial Army
tnder the Command of General Winjiow^ who had
JJoameftUly been kept, in Expedation of \.\\^ dilatory
Arrival of Lord Loudon^ from attacking Crown^
Pointy while the Enemy were weak, and it was -
eafily in bur Powei: to have beat them.
The tonfetjuiences of the Deftrudion of onr
torts at the Great Carrying Tlace^ and General
Webh\ retreating to Burnet's Field, is now, Alas!
too apparent to every one acquainted with Ameri-
can kksXxs. The Indians of the Six Nations^ un-
doubtedlv, look'd upon it as abandoning them and
their Country to the French-^ for they plainly favv
that we had no ftrong Hdld near them, and that
(by the Place at Wood's Creek^ being ftoppM up),
we conld not, if we wotild, afford them any Al^
iiftance at Onondaga^ Cayuga^ and in the Senekea's
Country, which were their chief Caftles: That,
the Forts begun by us in thofe Countries, were left
unfitiifh''tJ.
of PEtER Williamson. lot
unfinifh'd, and therefore could be of no Ule to
them 'y and which, if we had kept the Carrying
Tlace^ we might have finifh*d, and given them
fiiil Hopes of our being able to defend.
But, defpairing of our being furfher lerviceabic
to them, thofe Jroijuols^ who were before our
Friends, and fome ot the others, have indeed de-
lerted us, and the Confequence of fuch their Junc-
tion with the Irench^ has begun already to be felt
by us in the Lofs of Fort'(jeorge oa LakeSacra^
7nent,
The fine Country on the MobawF s'River, down
to Albany^ was by this Step left open to the Ra-
vages of the Enemy, and an eafy PalTage open'd to
the Irench and their Indians^ into the Provinces of
'Tenfyhania and New-Jerjey^ by the Way of
Sufqiiehanna and De-la^ware Rivers, v/hich were
before covered by our Settlements on t\\Q Mohawk* s
River, and tl[\i^ Six Natiofis. To conclude, it left
the hrench without the lead Fear of our being
able to give them the leaft [nterruption in their Pal-
fage thro' LakcOntarit} and Lake Erie, to the Fron-
tiers of Pensylvania, Maryland, Virginia,
and a/l the fomher/i Country.
Whether thele my Animadverfions are true, or
riot. What has been fince tranfacled in thefe Parts
and the prefent Campaign there, vv^ill evince. — I
fhail therefore return to our Embarkation at c%/^-
hc.
Fire
Five Hundred of us, being to be fent to England^
we were pat on board L.a Revomwe^ a trench
Pacquet-boat, Capt. Dermis Vitree., Commander:
We failed under a Flag of Truce, and tho' the
Fremb behaved with a good deal of Politenefs,
yet were we almoft fiarved for want of Provifions.
One Bilcirt and two Ounces of Pork a Day, being
all our Allowance, and half-dead with Cold, having
but few Cloaths, and the VelTel being fo fmalJ,
that the major Part of us were obliged to be upon
Deck in all Weathers, After a PafTage of fix
Weeks, we at lafr, to cur great Joy, arrived at
Plymouth on the 6th of No'vemher^ 1756. But
there our Troubles und Hardihips were not as we
expected, put a Period to for fome Time; for
Scruples arifing to the CommilTaries and Admiral
there about taking us on Shore, as there was no Car-
tel agreed on between the hrenih and Engl}fr.\ we
•were ftill com^n'd on board, *tiil the Determination
of the Lords of the Admiralty fhould be known ;
lying there in a miferable Condition fevcn or
eight Days, before we received Orders to dilem-
bark, which, when wzwtxt fermhted to ^,0^ being
orderM from thence, in different Parties to 'Totnes^
Ktngshr'idge^ Newton-BpJJjel and Ke'JJton-Ahhot^
in De'DonJh'tre^ I was happy in being quarter'd aC
Kings bridge^ where I met with fuch Civility and
Entertainment, as I had for a long Time been a
Stranger to.
In about four Months, we were again order'd to
Plymouth- Dock^ to be draughted into other Pvcgi^
ments; where, on being infpedcd, I was on Ac-
c Mnt
Of Peter Williamson. 103
count of the Wound I had receiv'd jn my Hand
difcharg'd as incapable oi' jurther Service.
For want of a Certificate from my Colonel^ or
fome other neceljary ^; allocations I am ignorant
of, I could not get any Provifion made for me,
by Penlion, or other wife. Indeed, as a Reward
for my Sufferings and Services, I had the Favour
of a Pass allowed, and the5//«^of Six Shillings
paid, to carry me to Aberdeen^ about eight liwu
dred Miles Only, from the Place whereat I was
Discpiarg'd.
FINIS.
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