[siebert] loyalists AND SIX NATION INDIANS 85 



some of his own Rangers, some of Sir John Johnson's Royal Greens, 

 and many of the Tories recruited by Brant in the country of the upper 

 Susquehanna. Brant's own party of about 250 Indians and whites 

 were not in the Wyoming expedition, but invaded the Delaware 

 Valley as far down as Minisink instead. On his arrival in the Susque- 

 hanna country, Butler received a communication from John Buck, a 

 Loyalist owing a large property on the Delaware, offering to supply 

 him with beef. Thereupon, Butler sent forward Lieutenant McQuin 

 and two Indian chiefs, who brought away not only a large supply 

 of cattle, but also 40 of Mr. Buck's Loyalist neighbors. Subsequently, 

 the Revolutionists drove Buck into the Indian country and he took 

 refuge at Niagara, where he found a party of adherents of the Crown, 

 who had been released from Wyoming by Butler. This party had 

 followed an Indian trail through the almost unbroken forest to Oswego, 

 whence it had coasted in open boats along the shore of Lake Ontario 

 for nine days, living meantime on the hips of the wild rose.^ 



After the battle of Wyoming Butler returned to Niagara on 

 "sick leave," having first placed Captain William Caldwell in tem- 

 porary command. However, there was to be no cessation of effort 

 in recruiting : Caldwell's orders were to enlist as many able-bodied men 

 as possible who might be recommended for their loyalty. That 

 other officers from Niagara followed the same instructions is shown 

 by the accession of Thomas Garnett and 39 volunteers to the detach- 

 ment of Captain Gilbert Tice at the German Flatts, September 1, 

 1778. Tlowever, the census of those who wintered at Fort Niagara, 

 or drew rations there in 1778-79, is by no means to be regarded as show- 

 ing all that was accomplished in the way of aiding Tories and their 

 families to effect their departure from the enemy's country. In 

 November, 1778, Governor Haldimand wrote from Quebec that 111 

 women and children were expected from Niagara, and several weeks 

 later he directed Lieutenant Colonel Carleton at Montreal to send 40 

 of the members of this party to Machiche, but for some reason these 

 persons were allowed to remain with their fellow exiles under Carle- 

 ton's supervision. Others who were dependent upon enlisted men at 

 Niagara may have been disposed of in the same way, for the number 

 of Rangers in winter quarters at this post in December, 1778, was 300 

 men and 48 officers, constituting six full companies. In the fall 

 of this year so many white persons had found their way to Niagara 

 that the Indians made complaint that the whites were running away 

 from a quarrel which they had begun and were leaving the Indians to 

 defend. So scanty are the records that have been preserved that, de- 



1 Halsey, The Old New York Frontier, 214-216, 218; Second Report, Bureau of 

 Archives, Ont., Pt. II, 992; Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada, 83. 



