Wyoming valley massacre book

Wyoming commemorative association, 1919, by wyoming commemorative association pa. The horrors of the wyoming massacre has many times been told in song and story but only those who were eye witnesses will ever know of the barbarities perpetrated by the indians and tories. This telling of the events surrounding the 1757 massacre was written circa 1862 by 80 yearold thomas pattison, a son of sarah utter pattison, whose kidnapping by indians in 1757 during the french and indian war after the massacre of her mother and siblings is the chief subject of this text. The wyoming massacre i was born and grew up in northeastern pennsylvania, not far from wilkesbarre. The massacre was british soldiers killing colonial forces during the revolution. This is a list of the men, as far as can be recollected, who were killed in or escaped during the wyoming battle and massacre of 3 july, 1778. More than three hundred patriots were killed in the battle. The battle of wyoming also known as the wyoming massacre was an encounter during the american revolutionary war between american patriots and loyalists accompanied by iroquois raiders that took place in the wyoming valley of pennsylvania on july 3, 1778. The wyoming valley massacre unknown binding january 1, 1978 by brother c edward author. Book excerpt were about to rest upon solid earth, when a stick submerged in the mud broke under his moccasin with a snap singularly loud in the silence of the night. Printed in black and pale gray outer border and title lettering. Stained from previous framing in margins, stain partially obliterates part of statement of attribution, mounted on cloth backing. The whole story of the 1778 battle and massacre in wyoming valley.

The wyoming valley massacre geneva historical society geneva. The battle of wyoming and the socalled wyoming massacre that followed was a relatively small event, but its impact would help to dictate the fates of britain, the american indians, and the newborn united states. For liberty and life explores the infamous 1778 revolutionary war battle in wyoming valley, pennsylvania. The massacre which followed lasted twelve hours, until daybreak the next morning. This table is compiled from two lists in plumbs book of the men, as far as can be recollected, who were killed in or who escaped during the wyoming battle and massacre. John sullivan to lead a huge and carefully planned campaign against the iroquois on the pennsylvania and new york frontier in the. Indians, colonists, and the racial construction of pennsylvania.

But the massacre came when the iroquois and a contingent of loyalist rangers routed an american militia force in battle. And still almost a year after the wyoming massacre, the devastating sullivan expedition began 18 june 1779. The first severely bitter fruit of the alliance of great britain with the american savages was tasted in the wyoming valley in the summer of 1778. Later that year, joseph brant under the command of butler further retaliated in the cherry valley massacre. It was the attack on the settlements in cherry valley and wyoming valley that captured the attention of the american army, primarily due to various reports that exaggerated the number of unarmed civilians killed. The battle of wyoming late in june 1778 colonel denison was informed by scouts that a force of approximately seven hundred tories, rangers and indians under the command of major john butler and chief sayenqueraghta of the seneca were gathering near pittston at fort wintermute. Dear ms vandivier, thank you for your interest in the wyoming valley massacre. My earliest impressions of the wyoming valley, bisected by the susquehanna river, were physical. Pittston gazette centennial handbook, 17781878 one. The battle of wyoming and the massacre that followed, in july 1778, has been called the surpassing horror of the american revolution because of the brutal and horrific acts committed by iroquois confederation warriors and their british and loyalist allies against the connecticut yankees who had settled pennsylvanias wyoming valley.

Steuben butler, a son of the colonel commanding, and a daughter of col. Browse the amazon editors picks for the best books of 2019, featuring our. Early nichols and the wyoming massacre cady library. A big question raised by historians about the massacre is how involved john. After the massacre in july of 1778, jonathan and his family, who had been spared, did not join the settlers. After the battle, settlers claimed that the iroquois raiders had hunted and. Wyoming valley massacre, pennsylvaniawyoming valley massacre, pennsylvania. Case in point, on july 3, 1778, over 100 loyalist rangers under the command of lieutenant colonel john butler along with a few hundred seneca warriors descended upon wyoming valley, pennsylvania and slaughtered over 300 soldiers at forty fort named after the first 40 settlers to the region who built itmost of them connecticut and. While the poem is a highly romanticized version of the battle, or massacre as many put it, and while the flamingoes he mentions would surely be out of place in northeastern pennsylvania, campbells poem made the wyoming valley known throughout the englishspeaking world in the 19th century. It focuses on the area located along the susquehanna river surrounding todays city of wilkesbarre, pennsylvania. The pennsylvania center for the book battle of wyoming.

At the battle of wyoming, many of the american militiamen died by torture, but only 5 seneca died. The name, for 200 years, conjured images of rampaging iroquois warriors slaughtering americans. The battle of wyoming and the socalled wyoming massacre that followed was a relatively small event, but its impact would help to dictate the fates of. The fighting is said to have lasted no more than forty five minutes to one hour.

The acts of congress for the defense of the wyoming valley, pennsylvania, 17761778. The wyoming valley battleor massacre, depending on who is telling the. The cherry valley massacre convinced general george washington to launch a massive, noholdsbarred retaliatory expedition on the afternoon of nov. Carey was a participant in the wyoming massacre, july 3, 1778, serving under capt. And when the town of doubtful, wyoming, explodes, cotton will lay down the lawif the law doesnt lay him down first. Message boards localities north america united states states pennsylvania counties wyoming wyoming valley massacre message boards search for content in message boards. His enthusiasm was reinforced by the younger and more adventurous among the group.

The wyoming monument is an american revolutionary war monument and gravesite located in the borough of wyoming, pennsylvania, in luzerne county. Abebooks, an amazon company, offers millions of new, used, and outofprint books. The wyoming massacre posted by frank moore on 20 july 1778, 10. A forgotten hero of the massacre of wyoming, pennsylvania. Reprint of the act of congress for the defense of the wyoming valley, pennsylvania, 17761778 115471 160224l. History of hanover township and wyoming valley ancestry.

Although the name was applied to most of the northern quarter of pennsylvania, the wyoming valley of the revolution was the twentyfivemile stretch of the susquehanna river below the mouth of the lackawanna river, including modern wilkesbarre. What his wife did for her sons is a story of the love a mother. Wyoming valley massacre upriver settlers, comprised of dutch, german, some pennsylvanians knowing they cannot count on the penn family for protection and not really enamored of the british cause yet joining them for protection and redress of wrongs from the connecticut settlers of the susquehanna company known as the yankees or wild yankees. During the past week many of the distressed refugees from the wyoming settlement on the susquehannah, who escaped the general massacre of the inhabitants, have passed through poughkeepsie, in new york. The penns creek massacre was an october 16, 1755 raid by lenape delaware native americans on a settlement along penns creek, a tributary of the susquehanna river located in central pennsylvania. Wyoming massacre, july 3, 1778, during the american revolution, the killing of 360 american settlers in the wyoming valley of pennsylvania, part of the steppedup british campaign of frontier attacks in the west. While the frontier land of the wyoming valley in pennsylvania may not seem to. In his pictorial fieldbook o f the revolution, benson lossing stated that brant. Richmond for the remainder of the revolutionary war. Battle of wyoming indian massacre july 3, 1778 summary.

The wyoming valley was largely depopulated of white settlers after the summer of 1778. Tomlinson page images at hathitrust major john garrett, slain july 3, 1778. Connecticut yankees in a pennamites fort journal of the. The most fascinating aspect to this story, however, is the sequence of events which led up to, and undoubtedly was responsible for, the massacre in 1778. History of hanover township and wyoming valley our past. The battle of wyoming also known as the wyoming massacre was an encounter during the american revolutionary war between american patriots and loyalists accompanied by iroquois raiders which took place in the wyoming valley of pennsylvania on july 3, 1778 in exeter and wyoming, pennsylvania.

Men involved in the wyoming battle and massacre, 3 july 1778, pp. The massacre became an important propaganda tool for the patriot cause, forcing gen. The wyoming valley massacre and the battle of the chemung furnish more fighting and more adventures for the hero of the young trailers. The american public were outraged by reports of the. Among the connecticut settlers in the wyoming valley were some scotch and dutch families from the mohawk valley. The fort at cherry valley was built around the town meeting house and included a 250man garrison from the continental armys 7th massachusetts regiment, which was commanded by colonel ichabod alden, who had refused to believe rumors and reports about an approaching enemy force of natives planning to attack. The wyoming valley massacre geneva historical society. Cotton pickens is the most unlikely sheriff on the frontier. Massacre of wyoming but, the passionate words of luzarus stewart overcame the warnings of the more cautious. The british army was enough to face but the softfooted indian and treacherous tory knew nothing of mercy. How the native american raids on the pennsylvania and new york frontier towns of wyoming valley and cherry valley led to the. Historical address at the wyoming monument 3d of july 1878 on the 100th anniversary of the battle and massacre of wyoming by steuben jenkins wilkesbarre, pa printed by robert baur, 104 main street. In early june, colonel john butler led a force of 1,000 loyalists and iroquois. Battle of wyoming burial ground in wyoming, pennsylvania.

This valley of wyoming, watered by the sparkling susquehanna that winds among the hills like a belt of silver, seems from a distant view like a dream of eden. Aerial view of the borough of wyoming, the wyoming valley, and a section of the susquehanna river northward to horizon. Wyoming valley war in pa french and indian war foundation. As the revolution rolled on, the british looked for any way possible to disrupt the american patriots war fighting abilities. Sep 01, 2016 remember the wyoming valley wars between connecticut people and pennsylvania folks is not the same as the wyoming valley massacre. The battle of wyoming and the socalled wyoming massacre that followed was a relatively small event, but.

One had several accounts of attacks on settlers by indians but, not really understanding. Pittston gazette centennial hand book, 17781878 one hundredth anniversary of the battle and massacre of wyoming, july 3 and 4, 1878 containing a complete historical sketch of wyoming valley 14596679967. When the british butler saw the colonists forming a. Maroon faux leather boards with bright gold lettering on spine. The monument marks the gravesite of the bones of victims of the wyoming massacre, which took place on july 3, 1778.

The lost sister of wyoming jonathan slocum, the father of frances slocum, was a quaker from rhode island who had visited wyoming valley see previous post and, pleased with what he saw, brought his wife ruth tripp and their children there in 1777, settling on land in wilkes. The people of the wyoming valley, in pennsylvania, considered themselves connecticut citizens in a county which was created by the connecticut legislature. Learn how the seneca and british rangers massacre of settlers at the battle of wyoming helped fanned the flames of american independence. About thirty of them, suspected of being tories, were arrested at the beginning of the war, and sent to connecticut for trial. Archive for the wyoming massacre category frances slocum. Captin stephen harding story can be found in ancestor records. The inhabitants of these areas responded with force and the battle of wyoming valley was the result. On july 3, 1778 a contingent of about 300 american militia met a much larger invading army of british regulars, tories and indians in the wyoming valley near modern exeter south of scranton.

This book contains several lists of persons associated with the settlement of wyoming valley and the formation and history of hanover township up to 1885. In the michael shoemaker book pg 516 it says she married an ebenezer reynolds, who was wounded in june 1778 by the tories and indians and escaped capture, presumably as part of the wyoming valley massacre. Here is an account of the wyoming valley massacre from chapter xxxii in the book, our country. Jonathan slocum, the father of frances slocum, was a quaker from rhode island who had visited wyoming valley see previous post and, pleased with what he saw, brought his wife ruth tripp and their children there in 1777, settling on land in wilkesbarre a short distance from the fort. Of the 26 settlers they found living on penns creek, the lenape killed 14 people and took 11 captives. I would like to connect and find out more about the fate of women in the wyoming massacre. The former occurred before the revolutionary war which seemed to fade in the background during the revolution. Americans massacred at cherry valley in 1778 world history. Pennsylvaniawyomingvalley genealogy books, cds, maps. The year 2003 marks the 225th anniversary of the battle of wyoming and the infamous wyoming massacre during the revolutionary war. The whole story of the 1778 battle and massacre in wyoming. Those who attacked the residents of the wyoming valley with col.