History of the discovery of America; of the landing of our forefathers at Plymouth, and of their most remarkable engagements with the Indians in New-England, from their first landing in 1620, until the final subjugation of the natives in 1679. To which is annexed the particulars of almost every important engagement with the savages at the westward to the present day. Including the defeat of Generals Braddock, Harmer [!] and St. Clair, by the Indians at the westward; the Creek and Seminole war, & c.

Front matter

li the Savages m os an Indian Chief, | the left, enemy.

5 'i'ecutnsfl

6 A savage

Chapter I Y

Invasion of New. York and New-England, and destruction of

Schenectady by the French and Indians, . . . 75

CHAPTER V.

Massacre of the inhabitants of Deerfield, and captivity of the

Rev. John Williams and family by the savages, . 80

CHAPTER VI.

Of the different tribes of Indians inhabiting the Western country, 95

CHAPTER VII.

Washington's Expedition, and defeat of Gen. Braddock by

the Indians, 116

CHAPTER VIII.

Adventures of Capt. Daniel Boon, comprising an account of the wars with the Indians on the Ohio, from 1769 to 1782, written by himself, . . . . . . 121 iv CONTENTS.

CHAPTER IX.

Expedition of Gen. Harmer, and his defeat by the Indians, . 134

CHAPTER X.

Defeat of Gen. St. Clair by the Indians, . , . 138

Indians defeated, . ■. . . . . " .146

Defeat of Major M'Mahon, .147

CHAPTER XL

Depredations of the Indians on the frontiers, . . 149

CHAPETR XII.

Defeat of the Indians by Gen. Wayne, . . . .166

CHAPTER XIII.

Gov. Harrison's engagement with the savages on the Wabash, 172

CHAPTER XIV.

Engagement with the Indians during the late war with Great

Britain, . .179

CHAPTER XV.

Creek War, Massacre at Fort Mims, Battle at Tallushatches,

CHAPTER XVL

Creek war continued, Battle at Antosse, Attack upon Camp

Defiance, &c. - 199

CHAPTER XVIT.

Conclusion of the Creek war, Brilliant Victory at the bend of

the Tallapoosa, &c. - - - - - 215

CHAPTER XVIII.

Seminole war, Preliminary Observations, &c. - - 224

CHAP. L

DISCOVERY OF AMERICA, BY CHRIS- TOPHER COLUMBUS.

Mankind owe the discovery of the western world to the gold, the silver, the precious stones, the spices, silks and costly manufactures of the East; and evert these incentives, were for a considerable time, insufficient to prompt to the undertaking, although the most skilful navigator of the age proffered to risk his life in the attempt.

Christopher Columbus, who was destined to the high honour of revealing a new hemisphere to Europeans, was by birth a Genoese, who had been early trained to a sea-faring life, and having acquired every branch of knowledge connected with that profession, was no less distinguished by his skill arid abilities, than for his intrepid and persevering spirit. This man, when about forty years of age,had formed the great idea of reaching the East-Indies by sailing westward 5 but as his fortune was very small, and the attempt required very effectual patronage, desirous that his native country should profit by his success, he laid his plan before the senate of Genoa,but the scheme appearing chimerical, it was rejected. He then repaired to the court of Portugal ; and although the Portuguese were at that time distinguished for their commercial spirit, and John II. who then reigned, was a discerning and enterprising prince, yet the prepossessions of the great men in his court, to whom the matter was referred, caused Columbus finally to fail in his attempt there also. He

6 BTSGOYERY OF AMERICA.

next applied to Ferdinand and Isabella, king and queen of Arragon and Castile, and at the same time sent his brother Bartholomew (who followed the same profession 5 and who was well qualified to fill the immediate place under such a leader) to England, to lay the proposal before Henry VII. which likewise, very fortunately for the future well being of the country ? met with no success. Many were the years which Christopher Columbus spent in ineffectual attendance at the Castilian court ; the impoverished state into which the finances of the United Kingdoms were reduced, the war with Granada repressing every disposition to attempt great designs ; but the war being at length terminated, the powerful mind of Isabella broke through all obstacles ; she declared herself the patroness of Columbus, whilst her husband Ferdinand, declining to partake as an adventurer in the voyage, only gave it the sanction of his name. Thus did the superior genius of a woman effect the discovery of one half of the globe.

The ships sent on this important search were only three in number, two of them very small. They had ninety men on board. Although the expense of the expedition had long remained the sole obstacle to its being undertaken, yet when every thing was provided, the cost did not amount to more than 17,760 dollars, and there were twelve months provisions put on board.

Columbus set sail from port Palos, in the province of Andalusia, on the 3d of August, 1492; he proceeded to the Canary islands, and from thence directed his course due West in the latitude 28 North. In this course he continued for two months, without falling in with any land, which caused such a spirit of discontent and mutiny to arise as the superior address and management of the commander became unequal to suppress, although for these qualities he was eminently distinguishedr He was at length reduced to the necessity of entering into a solemn engagement to abandon the enterprize and return home, if land did not appear

DISCOVERY OF AMERICA.

si? three days. Probably he would not have been able to retain Ins people so long from acts of violence and outrage, in pursuing so untried and dreary a course, had they not been sensible that their safety in returning home depended very much on his skill as a navigator in conducting the vessel.

At length the appearance of land changed their despondency to the most exulting rapture. It was an island abounding with inhabitants,both sexes of which were quite naked ; their manners kind, gentle, and unsuspecting. Columbus named it San Salvador It is one of the clusters which bears the general name of Bahama. It was only 3 deg. 30 min. lat. to the South of the island of Gomora, one of the Canaries, from whence he took his departure This navigator was still so confirmed in the opinion which he had formed before he undertook the voyage, that he believed himself then to be on an island which was situated adjacent to the Indies. Proceeding to the South, he saw three other islands which he named St. Mary, of the Conception, Ferdinand and Isabella. At length he arrived at a very large island, and as he had taken seven of the natives of San Salvador on board, he learned from them it was called Cuba, but he gave it the name of Juanna. He next proceeded to an island which he called Espagnola, in honour of the kingdom by which he was employed, and it still bears the name of Hispaniola. Here he built a fort and formed a small settlement. He then returned home, having on board sGme of the natives, whom he had taken from the different islands. Steering a more southern course, he fell in with some of the Carribee islands, and arrived at the port of Palos on the loth of March, 1493 5 having been seven months and eleven days on this most important voyage* On his arrival letters patent were issued by the king and queen confirming to Columbus, and to his heirs, all the privileges contained in a capitulation which had been executed before his departure, and his fa« mi\y was ennobled.

8 DISCOVERY OF AMERICA.

Not only the Spaniards, but the other nations of Europe, seem to have adopted the opinion of Col urn - bus, in considering the countries which he had discovered as a part of India. Whence Ferdinand and Isabella gave them the name 4 * Indies 53 in the ratification of their former agreement with Columbus. Even after the error was detected the name was retained, and the appellation of " West Indies 55 is now given by all Europe to this country, and that of Indians to the inhabitants.

Nothing could possibly tend more effectually to rouse every active principle of human nature, than the discoveries which Columbus had made ; no time was therefore lost, nor expense spared, in preparing a fleet of ships, with which this great man should revisit the countries he had made known. Seventeen ships were got ready in six months, and fifteen hundred persons embarked on board of them, among whom were many of noble families, and who had filled honourable stations. These engaged in the enterprise from the expectation that the new discovered country was either the Cipango of Marco Paulo, or the Ophir from which Solomon obtained his gold and precious ynerchandize. Ferdinand, now desirous of securing what he had before been unwilling to venture for the obtaining, applied to the Pope to be invested with a right in these new discovered countries, as well as to all future discoveries in that direction ; but as it was necessary that there should be some favour of religion in the business, he founded his plea on a desire of converting the savage natives to the Catholic faith, which plan had its desired effect.

Alexander VI. who then filled the papal chair, it ought to be mentioned, was the most profligate and abandoned of men. Being a native of Arragon, and desirous of conciliating the favour of F erdinand, for the purpose of aggrandizing his family, he readily granted a request, which, at no expense or risk, tended to extend the consequence and authority of the

DISCOVERY

OF AMERICA.

papacy ; he therefore bestowed on Ferdinand and Isabella, " all the countries inhabited by infidels, which they had discovered." But as it was necessary to prevent this grant from interfering with one not long before made to the crown of Portugal, he appointed that a line supposed to be drawn from pole to pole, one hundred miles to the westward of Azores, should serve as a limit between them ; and in the plenitude of his power, conferred all to the east of this imaginary line upon the Portuguese, and all to the west of it upon the Spaniards.

Columbus set sail on his voyage from the port of Cadiz, on the 25th of September, 1493. When he arrived at Espagniola, he had the affliction to find that all the Spaniards whom he had left there, amounting to thirty-six in number, had been put to death by the natives, in revenge for the insults and outrages which they had committed. After having traced out the plan of a town in a large plain, near a spacious bay, and given it the name of Isabella, in honour of his patroness the queen of Castile, and appointed his brother Don Diego, to preside, as Deputy Governour in his absence, Columbus, on the 24th of April, 1494, sailed with one ship and two small barks, to make further discoveries in those seas. In this voyage he was employed five months, and fell in with many small islands on the coast of Cuba, but with none of any importance except the island of Jamaica. Soon after his return to Hispaniola, he resolved to make war with the Indians, who, according to the Spanish historians, amounted to 100,000 men. These having experienced every lawless act of violence from their invaders, were rendered extremely inveterate, and thirsted for revenge, a disposition which appears to have been foreign from their natures. Having collected his full force, he attacked them by night, whilst they were assembled on a wide plain, and obtained a most decisive victory, w ithout the loss of one man on his part. Beside the effect of cannon and firearms; the noise of

©ISCOVERtf OF AMERICA.

which was appalling, and their effect against a mime* to us body of Indians, closely drawn together, in the Jiighest degree destructive, Columbus had brought over with him a small body of cavalry. The Indians who had never before seen such a creature, imagined the Spanish horses to be rational beings, and that each with its rider formed but one animal 5 they were astonished at their speed, and considered their impetuosity and strength as irresistible. In this onset they had beside another formidable enemy to terrify and destroy them : a great number of the largest and iiercest species of dogs which were then bred in Europe, had been brought hither, which, set 00 by their weapons, without attempting resistance, they Med with all the speed which terror could excite. Numbers were slain, and more made prisoners, who were immediately consigned to slavery.

The character of Columbus stands very high in the estimation of mankind ; he is venerated not only as a man possessing superior fortitude, and such a steady perseverance, as no impediments, dangers or sufferings could shake, but as equally distinguished for piety and virtue. His second son Ferdinand, who wrote the life of his father, apologizes for this severity towards the natives, on account of the distressed state into which the colony was brought. The change of climate, and the indispensable labours which were required of men unaccustomed to any exertions, had swept away great numbers of the new settlers, and the survivors were declining daily, whilst such was the irreconcileable enmity of the natives, that the most kind and circumspect conduct on the part of the Spaniards, would not have been effectual to regain their good will. This apology seems to have been generally admitted, for all modern writers have bestowed upon the discoverer of the new world the warmest commendations unmixed with censure. It is an unpleasant task to derogate from exalted merit, and to impute a deliberate plan of cruelty and ex-

DISCOVERT OP AMERICA.

It tirpation to a man revered for moral worth : but although a pert affectation of novel opinions could only originate in weak minds, and can be countenanced only by such, yet a free and unreserved scrutiny of facts, can alone separate truth from error, and apportion the just and intrinsic degree of merit belonging to any character. That Columbus had formed the design of waging offensive war against the Indians, and reducing them to slavery, before he entered upon his second voyage, and consequently before he was apprized of the destruction of the people which he had left upon the island of Hispaniola, may be inferred from his proceeding himself with such a number of fierce and powerful dogs.

Having found the natives peaceable and well disposed, he had no reason to apprehend that they would commence unprovoked hostilities. The cavalry which he took over, whilst it tended to impress those people with the deepest awe and veneration, was fully sufficient for the security of the new colony, if the friendship of the natives had been sincerely meant to be cultivated by a kind and equitable deportment ; but to treat them as a free people was inconsistent with the views which led to planting a colony 5 for as the grand incentive to undertake distant voyages was the hope of acquiring gold, so, as Columbus had seen some worn as ornaments by the natives, and had been informed that the mountainous parts of the country yielded that precious metal, he had excited expectations in his employers, and in the nation at large ? which both his interest and ambition compelled him as far as possible to realize. The Spaniards could not obtain gold without the assistance of the natives, and those were constitutionally so indolent that no allurements of presents or gratification could excite them to labour. To rescue himself there! ore from disgrace, and to secure further support, he seems deliberately to have devoted a harmless race of men to slaughter and slavery. Such as survived the massacre ©f that dread-

DISCOVERY OF AMERICA.

ful day, and preserved their freedom, fled into the mountains and inaccessible parts of the island, which not yielding them sufficient means of subsistence, they were compelled to obtain a portion of food from their cruel pursuers, by procuring gold dust in order to support life ! a tribute being imposed on them which was rigorously exacted. These wretched remains of a free people, thus driven from fruitfulness to amenity ; compelled to labour for the support of life ; a prey to despondency, which the recollection of their former happiness sharpened, and which their hopeless situation rendered insupportable, died in great numbers, the innocent, but unrevenged victims of European avarice. Such are the facts which have been admitted; yet, strange contradiction! Columbus is celebrated for his humanity and goodness ! But should he not rather be considered as a most consummate dissembler ; professing moderation whilst he meditates subversion, and, like most of the heroes and conquerors whom history records, renouncing every principle of justice and humanity when they stopped the career of his ambition ! Ferdinand Columbus, his son and biographer, has, with great address, covered the shame of his father, whilst the admiring world has been little disposed to censure a man, the splendor of whose actions so powerfully fascinates and dazzles.

CHAP. IT.

LANDING OF OUR FOREFATHERS.

The English, conducted by John Cabot, in the year 1497, found the way to North America soon after Columbus had successfully crossed the Atlantic ; but as the torrents in that country brought down no gold, and the Indians were not bedecked with any costly ornaments, no attempts were made to explore the country for near a century after its discovery. Sir Francis* Drake, who traversed the whole circumference of the globe in one voyage, and in one ship, which had never been achieved before, when afterward annoying the Spaniards in the West Indies, and on the main, gained some knowledge of the eastern shore of the northern continent, as he had before of the western parts about the same parallel. Sir Walter Raleigh, however, was the first navigator who explored the coast, bestowed on it a name, and attempted to settle a colony.

At that time colonization made no part of the system of government, so that there were few stimulants to abandon a native soil for the purpose of seeking possesions in another hemisphere. At length a powerful incentive arose, stronger than the influence of kings,, than the love of ease, than the dread of misery. Keligion, which had long been converted into the most powerful engine which human subtlety ever made use of to subjugate the mass of mankind, no sooner ceased to be so perverted, than by its own proper forere it compelled large bodies of people to renounce every present enjoyment, the instinctive love of

LANDING

OF OUR

FOREFATHERS.

a native soil; rooted habits, and dearest connexions, and to settle in the dreary wilds of a far distant continent.

When England, by a very singular concurrence of circumstances, threw off the papal yoke, state policy so predominated in the measure, that the consciences of men were still required to bend to the discipline, conform to the ceremonials, and assent to the doctrines which the governing powers established. Although a dissent from the church of Rome was considered as meritorious, yet a dissent from the church of England was held to be heretical, and an offence to be punished by the civil magistrate. The human mind, somewhat awakened from a suspension of its powers by a Wickliffe, further enlightened by an Erasmus and Melanthon, and at length called forth into energy by the collision of those two ardent and daring spirits, Luther and Calvin, then began to bend ail its attention towards religious inquiries ; and exercised all its powers in such pursuits. Hence arose a vast diversity of opinions, which gave rise to numerous sects and denominations of Christians ; but as the Protestant establishment in England held it essential to preserve a unity of faith, those novel opinions obtained no more quarter there than under papal power.

In the year 1810, a company of the persecuted religionists, composing the church of a Mr. Robinson, having previously determined to remove to a country where they might be enabled to worship God, agreeable to the dictates of their consciences, emigrated to Holland, and settled in the city of Leyden ; where they continued to reside until the year 1620. Although the ecclesiastical laws of Holland did not at this time sanction or condemn the principles of any particular sect of Christians, yet great were the disadvantages under which the emigrants laboured ; for notwithstanding the Dutch gave them a welcome reception, and manifested a disposition to treat them with great respect, they never could be prevailed upon by

LANDING OF OUR FOREFATHERS.

the former to conform to their mode of worship, or to renounce principles which the English conceived destructive to moral society ; nor did the emigrants here succeed in other respects agreeable to their views. So far from increasing their little flock, they found that in the course of ten years they had experienced a diminution of more than one half their original number 5 many in consequence of the impoverished state of the country, had spent their estates and returned to England. Hence it was that the remaining few formed the determination of attempting once more to seek a country better adapted to their pious purposes, and such as would promise a more fruitful abode to their offspring. To some the unexplored parts of America was proposed, and after a day set apart for solemn humiliation and praise to Almighty God, it was resolved that a part of the church should first emigrate to America, and if there meeting with a favourable reception, should prepare an abode for the remainder.

They easily obtained a royal grant of a very extensive tract of land (now called New-England) whither they intended to repair, not to amass wealth, or to exterminate the inhabitants, but to subsist by industry, to purchase security by honourable intercourse with the natives, and to acquire strength under the auspices of freedom.

They made a purchase of two small ships, and on the 5th August, 1620, having repaired to Plymouth (Eng.) for the purpose, were in readiness to embark ; previous to which, they were very affectionately addressed by their pious pastor, Dr. Robinson, who in fervent prayer commended them all to the holy keeping of Him, who rides the destinies of all men.

At 1 1, A. M. with a fair wind, they set sail, and bid adieu for ever to their native country. Nothing material occured to obstruct their passage until the 25th, when they experienced a tremendous gale, which threatened them with instant destruction! For three days successively they whre tossed about at the mercy of the waves. The ships were, however, enabled to keep company until the stonn had somewhat abated, when those on board one of them conceived their vessel no longer sea- worthy, abandoned her and were received on board the other.

On the 10th November, they, to their inexpressible joy, discovered land, which proved to be that of Cape Cod, where they with much difficulty the day following succeeding in landing. As soon as on shore, they fell upon their knees and returned thanks to the Almighty for enabling them to reach in safety their place of destination. But although they had thus far sue ceded in their views, although they had been enabled to iiee from persecution, to cross a wide and boisterous ocean, what was their situation now ! Sojourners in a foreign land ! Traversing the broken and unwrought shores of a wild and unexplored country ! They found here no friends to welcome, or house to shelter them from the inclemency Gf an approaching winter; on one side they beheld nought but a hideous and desolate wilderness, the habitation of wild and voracious animals, and probably the abode of a race of beings not less wild and unmerciful ! On the briny ocean foaming, and with tremendous roar dashing against the huge and projecting rocks, which, as far as the eye could perceive, marked the sea-beaten shores.

After succeeding, with much difficulty, in discovering a harbour in which their ship could ride with safety, they made choice of ten of the most resolute of their number to explore the adjacent country, and discover, if possible, a more convienent place for their future abode 5 who, on the morning of the 16th, provided with a musket each, set out for this purpose. They had not penetrated the woods above three miles, when they discovered five of the natives, which were the first seen by them since their arrival. They were eloathed with the skins of animals^ and armed with bows and arrows. The English, with sings offriendshu), made toward them, but were no sooner discov-

LANDING OF OUR FOREFATHERS.

ered by tho savages, than they, with a terrible yell fled with the greatest precipitancy. Night approaching, the English erected a small temporary emcampinent, and after placing their sentinels, retired to rest. Early the ensuing morning they continued their journey, following for a considerable distance the tracts of the live Indians above mentioned, in hopes thereby to discover their habitations and obtain therefrom afresh supptj of provision, of which they were much in want 5 but in this they did not fully succeed. At about noon they arrived at an extensive plat of clear ground, near which they discovered a pond of fresh water, and several hillocks of raised earth, which they conjectured to he the graves of the Indians. Proceeding a little further west, they discovered a large quantity of stubble, which they imagined to be that of some kind of Indian grain peculiar to the country 5 they also discovered a spot where they suspected an Indian hut had recently stood, as they found near by some planks curiously wrought, and a small earthen pot. Proceeding still farther they discovered a number more of the little hillocks of broken ground as above described, and which they now began to suspect to be the place of deposit of something more than the dead ! Curiosity leading them to examine more closely one of these, what they had before supposed to be Indian sepulchres, they, to their great surprise, found it to contain a large quantity of the Indian grain (corn) above mentioned ! It was still in the ear, and excited to no small degree the curiosity of the English, as they had never before seen any thing of the kind. By a few of the company the discovery was deemed of importance, but by others, who had attempted to eat of the corn in its raw state, it was pronounced indifferent food of little value ! They, however, concluded it best to return and make known the discovery to their brethren.

Having succeeded with some difficulty in reaching the place from which they started, they were met by

LANDING OF OUR FOREFATHERS.

those whom they had left behind with the most unspeakable joy and satisfaction, to whom they exhibited a specimen of the grain which they had found, and recommended the spot from which it was procured, as the most convenient and suitable at which to abide through the approaching w inter. The company accordingly, on the 25th, proceeded for and in safety reached the place abovementioned, with which being so much pleased, they termed New Plymouth, in remembrance of the port at which they last embarked in Europe. Here they concluded to abide until such time as further discoveries could be made. They erected a few temporary huts, sufficient to shelter them from the weather, and soon after by mutual consent entered into a solemn combination, as a body politic 5 and on the 10th December, assembled to form for themselves such a government and laws, as they should deem the most just and equitable ; previous to which, the following instrument was drawn up, which being first read and assented to by the company, received their signatures, to wit :

" In the name of God, amen. We, whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of our dread sovereign, King James, by the grace of God, King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, and defender of the faith, &,c. having undertaking for the glory of God, advancement of the Christian faith, and honor of our king and country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the north parts of America, do by these presents solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God, and one another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic, for our own convenience and the preservation and support of the ends aforesaid ; and by virtue hereof, do enact, constitute and frame such just and equal laws, ordinances,acts, constitutions and officers,from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the colony, unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witness whereof we have hereunto sub-

LANDING OF OUR FORK FATHERS.

scribed our names, at New Plymouth, on the 10th day of December, A. D. 1620/'

The company next proceeded by ballot to the choice of a Governor, and on counting the votes it appeared that John Carver had the greatest number, and was declared chosen for one year.

On the 19th December, Mrs. Susannah White, the wife of William White, was delivered of a son, which was the first born of the English in New- England.

On the 21 st of the same month it was agreed by the company to despatch a second exploring party, by water, ro make, if possible, further discoveries. The persons selected for this purpose were Governor Carver, Messrs. Bradford, Winslow,Standish, Howland, Warren, Hopkins,Allerton,Tilley, Clarke, Tinker,Turner and Brown. They embarked at 10 A. M. with a view of circumnavigating the deep bay of Cape Cod. On the morning of the 23d they discovered a large party of the natives on shore, who were employed in cutting up a fish resembling a grampus. By order of Governor

John Carver, William Bradford, Edward Winslow, William Brewster, Isaac Allerton, Miles Standish, Joseph Fletcher, John Goodman, Samuel Fuller, Christopher Martin William White, Richard Warren, John Howland, Stephen Hopkins, Digery Priest/ Thomas Williams, Gilbert Winslow, Edmund Morgeson, Peter Brown,