THE WAR ON THE FRONTIER.

URING the summer of 1778, a destructive

war was carried on by the Indians and Tories against the settlers on the western frontier of the Middle States. Congress had desired that the numerous Indian tribes should either become their allies or remain neutral during the war. But that body had not the means of supplying them with those European commodities which they had been in the habit of using. The British agents zealously strove to rouse their hostility against the

people of the States. They represented them as rebels against their lawful sovereign, whose power would soon crush them, and supplied the red men with those commodities which they prized most-such as ardent spirits, fire-arms and ammunition. The result was, the Indian tribes of the northwestern frontier generally espoused the British cause, and the tomahawk and scalping-knife were soon at work.

The flourishing and beautiful settlement of Wyoming was one of the first scenes of carnage and desolation. That fine tract of country, lying on both sides of the Susquehanna, had been settled principally by emigrants from Connecticut. It contained about 1000 families, and was in every respect a thriving place. But the seeds of political dissension were blown even to this happy valley. A great majority of the settlers were zealous supporters of the American cause; but a few espoused the royal interest, and these were sufficient to embitter society and maintain

a violent controversy. Families were divided, and the most revengeful feeling took the place of filial and fraternal affection. The royalists, at length, considering themselves as harshly treated by their political opponents, withdrew from the settlement and sought refuge among the savages. Animated by a fierce desire for revenge, they meditated the most terrible schemes of desolation.

Foremost among the refugees was Colonel John Butler, cousin of Colonel Zebulon Butler, commander of the militia of Wyoming. The settlers suspected the hostile designs of their enemies, and wrote to Congress and to General Washington for assistance. But their letters were intercepted by the royalists, and government remained ignorant of the impending hostility. Every means was used to lull the inhabitants into security. At the first rumor of the approach of the enemy, however, they betook themselves to their forts, the principal of which was Forty Fort.

On the morning of the 3d of July, 1778, the officers of the garrison at Forty Fort held a council to determine on the propriety of marching from the fort, and attacking the enemy wherever found. The debates in this council of war are said to have been conducted with much warmth and animation. The ultimate determination was one on which depended the lives of the garrison and safety of the settlement. On one side it was contended that their enemies were daily increasing in numbers; that they would plunder the settlement of all kinds of property, and would accumulate the means of carrying on the war, while they themselves would become weaker; that the harvest would soon be ripe, and would be gathered or destroyed by their enemies, and all their means of sustenance during the succeeding winter would fail; that probably all their messengers were killed, and as there had been sufficient time, and no assistance arrived, they would probably receive none, and consequently now was the proper time to make the attack. On the other side it was argued, that probably some or all the messengers might have arrived at head-quarters, but that the absence of the commander-in-chief might have produced delay; that one or two weeks more might bring the desired assistance, and that to attack the enemy, superior as they were in number, out of the limits of their own fort, would produce almost certain destruction to the settlement and themselves, and captivity, and slavery, perhaps torture, to their wives and children. While these debates were going on, five men belonging to Wyoming, but who at that time held commissions in the continental army, arrived at the fort; they had received information that a force from Niagara had marched to destroy the settlements on the Susquehanna, and being unable to bring with them any reinforcement, they resigned their appointments, and hastened immediately to the protection of their families: they had heard nothing of the messengers, neither could they give any certain information as to the probability of relief.

The prospect of receiving assistance became now extremely uncertain. The advocates for the attack prevailed in the council, and at dawn of day, on the morning of the 3d of July, the garrison left the fort, and began their march up the river, under the command of Colonel Zebulon Butler. Having proceeded about two miles, the troops halted for the purpose of detaching a reconnoitring party, to ascertain the situation of the enemy. The scout found the enemy in possession of Fort Wintermoot, and occupying huts immediately around it, carousing in supposed security; but on their return to the advancing column, they met two strolling Indians, by whom they were fired upon, and upon whom they immediately returned the fire without effect. The settlers hastened their march for

the attack, but the Indians had given the alarm, and the advancing troops found the enemy already formed in order of battle a small distance from their fort, with their right flank covered by a swamp, and their left resting upon the bank of a river. The settlers immediately displayed their column and formed in corresponding order, but as the enemy was much superior in numbers, their line was much more extensive. Pine woods and bushes covered the battle-ground, in consequence of which, the movements of the troops could not be so quickly discovered, nor so well ascertained. Colonel Zebulon Butler had command of the right, and was opposed by Colonel John Butler at the head of the British troops on the left, Colonel Nathan Denison commanded the left, opposed by Brant at the head of his Indians on the enemy's right. The battle commenced at about forty rods distance, and continued about fifteen minutes through the woods and brush without much execution. At this time Brant with his Indians having penetrated the swamp, turned the left flank of the settlers' line, and with a terrible war-whoop and savage yell made a desperate charge upon the troops composing that wing, which fell very fast, and were immediately cut to pieces by the tomahawk. Colonel Denison having ascertained that the savages were gaining the rear of the left, gave orders for that wing to fall back. At the same time, Colonel John Butler, finding that the line of the settlers did not extend as far toward the river as his own, doubled that end of his line which was protected by a thick growth of brushwood, and having brought a party of his British regulars to act in column upon that wing, threw Colonel Zebulon Butler's