Life of Joseph Brant-Thayendanegea

Front matter

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Chapter I

Birth and parentage — Discussion of the doubts cast upon his origin — Visit of Mohawk chiefs to Glueen Anne — Evidence of Brant's descent from one of those — Digression from the main subject, and Extracts from the private and official journals of Sir Wilham Johnson — Connexion between Sir WiMiam and the family of Brant — Incidental references to the old French war — Illustrations of Indian proceedings, speeches, &c. — Brant's parentage satisfactorily established — Takes the field in the Campaign of Lake George (1765.) — Is engaged at the conquest of Niagara (1759.) — Efforts of Sir William Johnson to civilize the Indians — Brant is sent, with other Indian youths, to the Moor Charity School, at Lebanon — Leaves school — Anecdote — Is engaged on public business by Sir William — As an Inter-

Freter for the Missionaries — Again takes the field, in the wars against Pontiac — ntended massacre at Detroit — Ultimate overthrow of Pontiac — First marriage of Brant — Entertains the Missionaries — 'Again employed on public business — Death of his wife — Engages with Mr. Stewart in translating the Scriptures — jMarries again — Has serious religious impressions — Selects a bosom friend and confidant, after the Indian custom — Death of bis friend — His grief, and refusal to choose another friend. -..--.---- Page 1

Chapter II

Early symptoms of disaffection at Boston — Origin of the Revolutionary War — First blood shed in 1770 — Stirring eloquence of Joseph Warren — Feelings of Sir William Johnson — His influence with the Indians and Germans, and his unpleasant position — Last vi.^it of Sir William to England — His death — IVIysterious circumstances attending it — Suspicions of suicide unjust — His son. Sir John Johnson, succeeds to his title and estates — His son-in-law, Col. Guy Johnson, to his oflice as Superintendant General of the Indians — Early life of Sir John — Joseph Brant appointed Secretary to Guy Johnson — Influence of the Johnson family — Revolutionary symptoms in Tryon County, fomented by the proceedings in New England — First meeting of Tryon County Wbigs — Declaration of Rights — First meeting of Congress — Effect of its proceedings — in England — Tardiness of Provincial legislature of New- York — Spirit of the people — Notes of preparation in Massachusetts, &c. — Overt acts of rebellion in several Stnfes — Indians exasperated bv the Virginia borderers in 1774 — Melancholy story of Lo^an — Campaign of Lord Dunmore and Colonel Lewis — Battle of theKanhavva — Speech of Logan — Its authenticity questioned — Peace of Chilicothe — Unhappy feeling of the Indians. - 29

CHAPTER IIL Unyielding course of the parent Government — Efforts of the Earl of Chatham unavailing — Address to the Crown from New-York— ^Leslie's Expedition to Salem— Affair of Lexington — Unwise movements of Tryon County loyalists — Reaction — Public meetings — The Sammons family — Interference of the Johnsons — Cluarrel at CaUghnawaga — Spirited indications at Cherry Valley-^Counteracling: efforts of the Johnsons among their retainers — Intrigues with (he Indians — Massachusetts attempts the same — Correspondence with the Storkhridge Indians —Letter to Mr. Kirkland— His removal By Guy John«on — Neutrality of the Oneidas — Intercepted despatch from Brant to the Oneidas — Apprehensions of Guy Johnson — Correspondence — Farther precautions of the Committees — Reverence for the Laws — Letter of Guy Johnson to the Committees of Albany and Schenectady — Substance of the reply. .--.-.* 49

Chapter IV

Council of the Mohawk chiefs at Guy Park--A second council called by Johnson at. Cosby's Manor — Proceeds thither with his retinue — First full meeting of Tryon County Committee — Correspondence with Guy Johnson — No council held — Johnson proceeds farther West, accompanied by his family and most of the Indians — Consequent apprehensions of the people — Communication from Massachusetts Consress—Ticonderoga and Crown Point taken by Ethan Allen — Skenesborough and'St. Johns surprised — Farther proceedings in Massachusetts — Battle of Bunker Hill — Death of Warren— Council with the Oneidas and Tuscaroras at German Flatts — Speech to the Indians — Subsequent council with the Oneidas — Conduct of the people toward Guy Johnson — Speech to, and reply of Oneidas — Guy Johnson moves westwardly to Ontario — His letter to the Provincial Congress of New- York — Holds a great Indian council at the West — Unfavourable influence upon the dispositions of the Indians — Causes of their partiality for the English^ Grreat, but groundless alarm of the people — Guy Johnson, with Brant and the Indian warriors, descends the St. Lawrence to Montreal — Council there — Sir Guy Carleton and Gen. Haldimand complete the work of winning the Indians over to the cause of the Crown. --------- Page 71

Chapter V

Meeting of the second Continental Congress — Measures of defence — Declaration — National fast — Organization of an Indian department — Address to the Six Nations — Council called at Albany — Preliminary consultation at German Flatts — Speeches of the Oneidas and ethers — Adjourn to Albany — Brief interview with the commissioners — Conference and interchange of speeches with the Albanians — Proceedings of the grand council — Speeches of the commissioners — Replies of the Indians — Conclusion of the grand council — Resumption of the conference with the Albanians — Speech of the Albany Committee — Reply of the Indians — Disclosures of Guy Johnson's proceedings at Oswego — Close of the proceedings — Epidemic among the Indians— Small benefit resulting from the council — Proceedings in Tryon County resumed — Doubtful position of New-York — Symptoms ot disaffection to the cause of the people— Sir John Johnson — Sheriff White deposed by the people — The royal authorities superseded by appointments from the people — Affray at Johnstown — First gun fired at Sampson Sammons — White recommissioned by Tiyon — His flight — Labors of the Committee— Opposition of the Tories — Designs of Sir John Johnson and Sir Guy Carleton — Letter and deputation to Sir John — Prisoners for political offences sent to gaol — Letter from Provincial Congress — Mohawks commence fighting at St. Johns — Speech of the Canajoharies in explanation— Indians apply for release of prisoners — Review of the progress of the Revolution in other parts of the Colonies — Proceedings of Parliament — Burning of Falmouth — Descent upon Canada — Ethan Allen taken — Arnold's expedition — Siege of GLuebec — Fail of Montgomery — Caughnawaga and Delaware Indians. -.....-...91

Chapter VI

Lord Dunmore — Glance at the South — Suspicious conduct of Sir John Johnson — Conduct of the Tories in Tryon County — Gen. Schuyler directed by Congress to march into that Coimty and disarm the Tories — Preliminary mission to the Lower Mohawks — Message to them — Their displeasure and reply — March of Schuyler — Meets the Indians at Schenectady — Interview and speeches — Advance of Schuyler — Letter to Sir John Johnson — Interview — Negotiations of capitulation — Terms proposed — Schuyler advances to Caughnawaga — Joined by Tryon County Militia — Farther correspondence with Sir John — Interview with the Indian mediators — Terms of surrender adjusted — Schuyler marches to Johnstown — Sir John, his household, and the Highlanders, disarmed — Troops scour the country to bring in the loyalists— Disappointment as to the supposed Tory Depot of warlike munitions — Return of Schuyler to Albany — Resolution of Congress — Additional trouble with Sir John — Preparations for his seizure — Expedition of Col. Dayton — Flight of the B-ironet and his partisans to Canada — Their sulTt-rings — And subsequent conduct — How the violation of his parole was considered. .---.......- 119

Chapter VII

History of Brant resumed — Advanced to the chieftaincy of the Confederacy— Mode of appointing chiefs and sachems — Embarks for England — Arrives in London — Received with niarited consideration— Becomes acquainted with James Boswell and others — Agrees to espouse the Royal cause, and returns to America— Steals through the country to Canada — Curious supposed letter to President Wheelock — Batlle of the Cedars— Cowardice of Major Butterfield — Outrages of the Indians—Story of Capt. M'Kinstry, who was saved from the stake by Brant — Indicfuation of Washington, the people, and Congress — Resolutions of retaliation —Mutual complaints of treatment of prisoners — Murder of Gen. Gordon — Indio'nation at the outrage — Indian deputation at Philadelphia — Speech to them — Congress resolves upon the employment of an Indian force — Schuyler opposed- Review of the incidents of the war elsewhere — Destitution of ihe Army — Evacuation of Boston by the English — Disastrous termination of the Canadian campaign — D'.plorable condition of the army — Humanity of Sir Guy Carleton — — Glance at the South — Declaration of Independence — Spirit of Tryon County — Cherry Valley — Fortifications at Fort Stanwix — American army moves to New- York — Arrival of the British fleet and army— Battle of Long-Island— Washington evacuates New-York— Battle of White Plains — Retreats across New-Jersey— Followed by Cornwallis— Defeat of Arnold on Lake Champlain

—Fall of Rhode Island— Battle of I'renton. Page 147

Chapter VIII

Continuation of movements in New Jersey— Extinguishment of the council-fire at Onondaga — Tryon County — Colonel Harper's mission to Oghkwaga — The Harper family — Adventure at the Johnstone settlement — Capture of Good Peter and his party— Thayendanegea crosses from Canada to Oghkwaga— Interview with the Rev. Mr. Johnstone — Doubtful course of Brant — Feverish situation of the people— Expedition of General Herkimer to Unadilla— Remarkable meeting between Herkimer and Brant— Meditated act of treachery— Wariness of the chief— Meetins abruptly terminated — Ended in a storm — Brant draws off to Osweao — Grand~council there— The Indians generally join the Royal standard — Approach of Brant upon Cherry Valley— How defeated— Death of Lieutenant

Chapter IX

British preparations for the prosecution of the war — Indications at the North — Doubtful position and conduct of General Howe — Embarrassing to the Americans — Intercepted correspondence — General Howe sails to the Chesapeake— Enters Philadelphia in trium[)h — Burgoyne approaches from the North — Indian policy— Sir Guv Carleton— False estimates of the strength of Ticonderoga— Burgoyne arrives at Crown Point— Feasts the Indians- Invests Ticonderoga— Carries the outworks—Fortifies Sugar Hill — The fortress evacuated by St. Clair— Retreat of the Americans— Battles near Skenesborough and at Fort Ann— Burgoyne enters the valley of the Hudson — Schuyler, without means, retreats from Fort Edward- Terror of the people— Cruelties of the Indians— Story of Miss M'Crea— General flight of the population— Mrs. Ann Eliza Bleecker— Heroism of Mrs. Schuyler— Attempted assassination of General Schuyler. ----- 195

Chapter X

Expedition against the Mohawk Valley from Oswego — Despondency of the people in Tryon County— Letter of John' Jay— Arrest of several of the disaffected — Fhght of others to Canada — Schuyler's complaints of the cowardice of the people — Great discouragements — Proclamation of General Herkimer— Letter from Thomas Spencer— St. Leger's approach— Caution and plan of his march — Diary of Lieut. Bird— Fort Stanwix invested— Colonel Gansevoort takes cotnmand— Its deplorable condition — Gansevoort joined by Willett — Story of Captain Gregg-^ Situation of the garrison — Arrival of St. Leger — His proclamation — Burgoyne's afl^airs becoming critical— Aff'air of Bennington— General Herkimer, with the Tryon County militia, advances to the relief of Gansevoort-Battle of Oriskany— Bloody upon both sides— Unexampled bravery of Captain Gardenier— Major Watts — Dissatisfaction of the Indians — Sortie and success of Colonel Willett — Death and character of General Herkimer. ------ 2C«?>

X CONTENTS.

Chapter XI

Siege of Fort Schuyler continued— Forced letter from prisoners to Col. Gansevoort — St. Leger summons the garrison to surrender — Refusal of Gansevoort — Appeal of Sir John Johnson to the people of Tryon County — Secret expedition of Colonel Willett and Major Slockwell — Schuyler orders Arnold to the relief of Gansevoort — Willett proceeds to Albany — Arrest of Walter Butler, and others, at German Flatts — Tried and convicted as a spy — Reprieved — Sent to Albany — Escapes — ■ Arnold's proclamation — Advance of the besiegers — Uneasiness of the garrison — Sudden flight of St. Leger and his forces — Stratagem of Arnold — Story of Hon- Yost Schuyler — Merriment and mischief of the Indians — Arrival of Arnold at the Fort — The spoils of victory — Public estimation of Gansevoort's services — Address to his soldiers — His promotion — Address of his oflicers. - Page 249

Chapter XII

Recurrence to the invasion of Burgoyne — General Schuyler again superseded by Gates — Causes of this injustice — Battle of Stillwater — Both armies entrench — Battle and victory of Behmus's Heights — Funeral of General Frazer— Retreat of Burgoyne — Difliculties increasing upon him — His capitulation — Aleeting of Burgoyne and Gates — Deportment of Gates toward Gen. Washington — Noble conduct of Gen. Schuyler. ,-----.-. 265

Chapter XIII

Sir Henry Clinton's attempt to co-operate with Burgoyne — Storming of Forts Clinton and Montgomery — Burning of ^sopus — Review of military operations elsewhere — Expedition to Peekskill — Of Gov. Tryon to Danbury — Progress of Sir William Howe in Pennsylvania — Battle of Brandy wine — Massacreof the Paoli — Battle of Germantown — Death of Count Donop — Murder of Captain Deilz and family at Berne — John Taylor — Lady Johnson ordered to leave Albany — Exasperation of Sir John — Attempts to abduct Mr. Taylor — An Indian and white man bribed to assassinate General Schuyler — Fresh alarms in Tryon County — Address of Congress to the Six Nations — The appeal produces no effect — Articles of confederation — Close of the year. ..-...- 280

Chapter XIV

Treaty of alliance with France — Policy of France — Incidents of the Winter — Projected expedition against St Johns — Lafayette appointed to the command of the North — Failure of the enterprise for lack of means — Disappointment and chagrin of Lafayette — Unpleasant indications respecting the Western Indians — Indian council at Johnstown — Attended by Lafayette — Its proceedings — And result — Reward offered for Major Carleton — Letter of Lafayette — He retires from the Northern Department — Return of the loyalists for their families — Unopposed — Their aggressions — Prisoners carried into Canada — Their fate — Re-appcarancc ofBrant atOghkwagaand Unadilla— Anecdote of Brant — Comparative cruelty of the Tories and Indians — Murder of a family— Exposed situation of the people — Captain McKean — Sends a challenge to Brant — Burning of Springfield — First battle in Schoharie. - - - 298

Chapter XV

The story of Wyoming — Glance at its history — Bloody battle between the Shawanese and Delawares — Count Zinzendorf— Conflicting Indian claims and titles — Rival land companies of Connecticut and Pennsylvania — Murder of Tadeusund — The first Connecticut Colony destroyed by the Indians — Controversy respecting their titles — Rival Colonies planted in Wyoming — The civil wars of Wyoming- Bold adventure of Captain Ogden — Fierce passions of the people — The Connecticut settlers prevail — Growth of the settlements— Annexed to Connecticut — Breaking out of theRevolution — The inhabitants,stimulated by previous hatred,take sides — Arrest of suspected persons in January — Sent to Hartford— Evil consequences — The enemy appear upon the outskirts of the settlements in the Spring — Invasion by Colonel John Butler and the Indians— Colonel Zebulon Butler prepares to oppose them — Two of the forts tnken — Colonel Z. Butler marches to encounter the enemy- Battle of Wyoming— The Americans defeated— The flight and massacre — Fort Wyoming besieged — Timidity of the garrison — Zebulon Butler's authority not sustained — He escapes from the fort — Colonel Denniston forced to

CONTENTS. XI

capitulate— Destruction of the Valley— Barbarities of the Tories— Brant not in the expedition— Catharine JMontour— Fiigiit of the fugitives— Expedition of Colonel Hartley up the Susquehanna— Colonel Zebulon Butlnr repossesses hnnself of Wyoming', and rebuilds the fort— Indian skirmishes— Close of the history of Wyoming. ^".-'^is

Chapter XVI

Evacuation of Philadelphia by Sir Henry Clinton— Followed through New Jersey by Washington— Battle of Monmouth— Conduct and arrest of General Lee- Retreat of the enemy— Arrival of the French fleet— Combined attack of the Americans and French upon the British armv of Rhode Island— British fleet escapes from Count D'Estaing— Battle of Rho'de Island— Failure of the expedition- Projected campaigns against the Indians — Captains Pipe and White-Eyes — M'Kee and Girty— General M'Intosh ordered against the Sandusky towns — Irruption of Brant into Cobleskill— Of M'Donald into the Schoharie settlements — Pusillanimity of Colonel Vrooman— Bravery of Colonel Harper— His expedition to Albany— Captivity of Mr. Sawyer— Slays six Indians and escapes— Colonel WiUiam Butler sent to Schoharie— Morgan's rifle corps— Daring adventures of Murphy and Elerson— Death of Service, a noted Tory— Murphy's subsequent adventures— Affairs at Fort Schuyler— Alarming number of desertions— Destruction of Andros-town by the Indians— Conflagration of the German Flatts — Expedition of Colonel WiUiam Butler from Schoharie to Unadllla and Oghkvvaga.

Chapter XVII

Walter N. Butler— His flight from Albany, bent on revenge— The Great Tree- Hostile indications among the Senecas and Cayugas — Premonitions of an attack by Butler and Brant upon^Cherry Valley— Discredited by Colonel Alden— Scouts sent out and captured — Surprise of the town — Massacre and burning — Death of Colonel Alden— Families of Mr. Wells, Mr. Dunlop, and others— Brutality of the Tories— Family of Mr. Mitchell— The monster Newberry— Departure of the enemy with their captives — A night of gloom — Women and children sent back- Letter of Butler to Gen. Schuyler — Murder of Mrs, Campbell's inother— Vindication of Brant — Interesting incident — Brant's opinion of Capt. M'Kean — Colonel John Butler laments the conduct of his son — Letter of General James Clinton to Walter Butler— Letter of Butler in reply— Mnljy Brant—Pnrticulars of Mrs. Campbell's captivity — Feast of thanksgiving for their victory — The great feast of the White Dogs— Return of WalterButler from auebec— Col. Butler negotiates with the Indians for Mrs. Campbell— She eoes to Niagara— Catharine Montour and her sons— Mrs. Campbell finds her children— Descends the St. Lawrence to Montreal— Meets Mrs. Butler— Arrives at Albany, and is joined by her husband —Grand campaign projected— Jacob Helmer and" others sent privately to Johnstown for the iron chest of Sir John— Execution of Helmer— Arrival of British Commissioners— Not received— E.xchange of Ministers with France— Incidents of the war elsewhere for the year. ..----- 369

Chapter XVIII

Indian siege of Fort Laurens— Successful stratagems— Flight of the pack-horses — The fort abandoned— Projected enterprise from Detroit- Gov. Hamilton captured at St. Vincent by Col. Clarke— Projects of Brant— Unfasiness in the West of New- York— Deliberations of the Oneidas and Onondagas— Brant's projects defeated—Treachery of the Onondagas— Colonel Van Sciiaick marches to lay waste their towns— Instructions of General Clinton— Passage of Wood Creek and_ Oneida Lake— Advance upon the Indian towns— Their destruction— Return of the expedition to Fort Schuyler— Mission of the Oneidas to Fort Schuyler m behalf of the Onondagas— Speech of Good Peter— Reply of Colonel Van Schaick— Irruption of Tories and Indians into the lower Mohawk country— Stone Arabia — Defence of his house by Captain Richer— The Indians in Schoharie— General Clinton traverses the Mohawk valley— M'Clellan's expedition to Oswegatchie— Unsuccessful— Irruption of the Onondagas into Cobleskill— Defeat of the Americans—The settlement destroyed— Murders in the neighborhood of Fort Pitt- Irruptions of Tories into Warwasing— Invasion of M inisink— Battle near the Dela ^vare — Massacre of the Orange County militia— Battle with the Shawanese. 396

Introduction

It is related by ^sop, that a forester once meeting with a Hon, they travelled together for a time, and conversed amicably without much differing in opinion. At length a dispute happening to arise upon the question of superiority between their respective races, the former, in the absence of a better argument, pointed to a monument, on which was sculptured, in marble, the statue of a man striding over the body of a vanquished lion. " If this," said the lion, " is all you have to say, let us be the sculptors, and you will see the lion striding over the vanquished man."

The moral of this fable should ever be borne in mind when contemplating the character of that brave and ill-used race of men, now melting away before the Anglo-Saxons like the snow beneath a vertical sun— :-the aboriginals of America. The Indians are no sculp, tors. No monuments of their own art commend to future ages the events of the past. No Indian pen traces the history of their tribes and nations, or records the deeds of their warriors and chiefs — their prowess and their wrongs. Their spoilers have been their historians ; and although a reluctant assent has been awarded to some of the nobler traits of their nature, yet, without yielding a due allowance for the peculiarities of their situation, the Indian character has been presented with singular uniformity as being cold, cruel, morose, and revengeful ; unrelieved by any of those varying traits and characteristics, those lights and shadows, which are admitted in respect to other people no less wild and uncivilized than they.

Without pausing to reflect that, even when most cruel, they have been practising the trade of war — always dreadful — as much in conformity to their own usages and laws, as have their more civilized antagonists, the white historian has drawn them with the characteristics of demons. Forgetting that the second of the Hebrew monarchs did not scruple to saw his prisoners with saws, and harrow them with harrows of iron ; forgetful, likewise, of the scenes at Smithfield, under the direction of our own British ancestors ; the

Xiv INTRODUCTION.

historians of the poor untutored Indians, almost with one accord, have denounced them as monsters sui generis — of unparalleled and unapproacliable barbarity ; as though the summary tomahawk were worse than the iron tortures of the harrow, and the torch of the Mohawk hotter than the faggots of Queen Mary.

Nor does it seem to have occurred to the " pale-faced " writers, that the identical cruelties, the records and descriptions of which enter so largely into the composition of the earlier volumes of American history, were not barbarities in the estimation of those who practised them. The scalp-lock was an emblem of chivalry. Every warrior, in shaving his head for battle, was careful to leave the lock of defiance upon his crown, as for the bravado, " Take it if you can." The stake and the torture were identified with their rude notions of the power of endurance. They were inflicted upon captives of their own race, as well as upon the whites ; and with their own braves these trials were courted, to enable the sufferer to exhibit . the courage and fortitude with which they could be borne — the proud scorn with which all the pain that a foe might inflict, could be endured.

But they fell upon slumbering hamlets in the night, and massacred defenceless women and children ! This, again, was their own mode of warfare, as honourable in their estimation as the more courteous methods of committing wholesale murder, laid down in the books.

But of one enormity they were ever innocent. Whatever degree of personal hardship and suffering their female captives were compelled to endure, their persons were never dishonoured by violence ; a fact which can be predicated, we apprehend, of no other victorious soldiery that ever lived.

In regard, moreover, to the countless acts of cruelty alleged to have been perpetrated by the savages, it must still be borne in mind that the Indians have not been the sculptors — the Indians have had no writer to relate their own side of the story. There has been none " to weep for Logan !" while his wrongs have been unrecorded. The annals of man, probably, do not attest a more kindly reception of intruding foreigners, than was given to the Pilgrims landing at Plymouth, by the faithful Massassoit, and the tribes under his jurisdiction. Nor did the forest kings take up arms until they but too clearly saw, that either their visiters or themselves, must be driven from the soil which was their own — the fee of which was derived from the Great Spirit. And the nation is yet to be discovered that will not fight for their homes, the graves of their fathers, and their family altars. Cruel they were, in the prosecution of their contests ;

INTRODUCTION. XV

but it would require the aggregate of a large number of predatory incursions and isolated burnings, to balance the awful scene of conflagration and blood, which at once extinguished the power of Sassacus, and the brave and indomitable Narragansets over whom he reigned. No ! until it is forgotten, that by some Christians in infant Massachusetts it was held to be right to kill Indians as the agents and familiars of Azazel; until the early records of even tolerant Connecticut, which disclose the fact that the Indians were seized by the Puritans, transported to the British West Indies, and sold as slaves, are lost ; until the Amazon and La Plata shall have washed away the bloody history of the Spanish American conquest ; and until the fact that Cortez stretched the unhappy Guatimozin naked upon a bed of burning coals, is proved to be a fiction, let not the American Indian be pronounced the most cruel of men !

If, then, the moral of the fable is thus applicable to aboriginal history in general, it is equally so in regard to very many of their chiefs, whose names have been forgotten, or only known to be detested. Peculiar circumstances have given prominence, and fame of a cer. tain description, to some few of the forest chieftains, as in the instances of Powhatan in the south, the mighty Philip in the east, and the great Pontiac of the north-west. But there have been many others, equal, perhaps, in courage, and skill, and energy, to the distinguished chiefs just mentioned, whose names have been steeped in infamy in their preservation, because " the lions are no sculptors." They have been described as ruthless butchers of women and children, without one redeeming quality save those of animal courage and indifference to pain ; while it is not unlikely, that were the actual truth known, their characters, for all the high qualities of the soldier, might sustain an advantageous comparison with those of hah the warriors of equal rank in Christendom. Of this class was a prominent subject of the present volume, whose name was terrible in every American ear during the war of Independence, and was long afterward associated with every thing bloody, ferocious, and hateful. It is even within our own day, that the name of Brant * would chill the young blood by its very sound, and cause the lisping child to cling closer to the knee of its mother. As the master spirit of the Indians engaged in the British service during the war of the Revolution, not only were all the border massacres charged directly upon him, but upon his head fell the public maledictions for every

* Almost invariably written Brandt in the books, even in despite of nis own orthography, which was uniformly Brant.

XVI INTRODUCTION.

individual act of atrocity which marked that sanguinary contest, whether committed by Indians, or tories, or by the exasperated regular soldiery of the foe. In many instances great injustice was done to him, as in regard to the affair of Wyoming, in connexion with which his name has been used by every preceding annalist who has written upon the subject ; while it has, moreover, for the same cause, been consigned to infamy, deep and foul, in the deathless song of Campbell. In other cases again, the Indians of the Six Nations, in common with their chief, were loaded with execrations for atrocities of which all were alike innocent — because the deeds recorded were never committed — it having been the policy of the public writers, and those in authority, not only to magnify actual occurrences, but sometimes, when these were wanting, to draw upon their imaginations for accounts of such deeds of ferocity and blood, as might best serve to keep alive the strongest feelings of indignation against the parent country, and likewise induce the people to take the field for revenge, if not driven thither by the nobler impulse of patriotism.*

Such deliberate fictions, for political purposes, as that by Dr. Franklin, just referred to, were probably rare ; but the investigations into which the author has been led, in the preparation of the present work, have satisfied him, that from other causes, much of exaggeration and falsehood has obtained a permanent footing in American history. Most historians of that period, English and American, wrote too near the time when the events they were describing occurred, for a dispassionate investigation of truth ; and other writers who have succeeded, have too often been content to follow in the beaten track, without incurring the labour of diligent and calm inqfbiry. Reference has been made above to the affair of Wyoming, concerning which, to this day, the world has been abused with monstrous fictions — with tales of horrors never enacted. The original causes of this historical inaccuracy are very obvious. As already remarked, our histories were written at too early a day ; when the authors, or those supplying the materials, had, as it were, but just emerged from the conflict. Their passions had not yet become cooled, and they wrote under feelings and prejudices which could not but influence minds governed even by the best intentions. The crude, verbal reports of the day — tales of hear-say, coloured by fancy and aggravated by fear, — not only found their way into the newspapers, but into the journals of military officers. These, with