1901-2.] Joseph Brant in the American Revolution. 393 



eighteen miles beyond Tioga. The distance from Shemung to the 

 heart of the Seneca settlements is not above 60 or 70 miles through an 

 open and travelled country very susceptible of the passing of a body of 

 troops with artillery and stores." 



After announcing his intention of dividing the invading force into 

 three columns to move simultaneously up the Mohawk, Susquehanna, 

 and Allegany rivers, he added : — 



" These different attacks will terrify and distract the Indians, and, I 

 hope, facilitate our project. It is also to be hoped in their confusion 

 they may neglect in some places to remove the old men, women, and 

 children and that these may fall into our hands. If they attempt to 

 defend their country, we may obtain some decisive advantage, if not, 

 we must content ourselves with distressing them as much ^s possible 

 and destroying this year's crop." 



The Congress of the State of New York promptly furnished a 

 thousand militiamen under General James Clinton, a brother to the 

 Governor, who was instructed to assemble this force at Canajoharie on 

 the Mohawk river by May 12th. The first blow was directed against 

 the Onondaga village, the most accessible settlement of the hostile 

 Indians. On April 20th, Clinton advanced swiftly from Fort Schuyler 

 with about 500 soldiers and surprised the village in the absence of most 

 of the men, captured thirty-four women and children and burnt every 

 building there. 



The preparations for the main expedition under Sullivan's com- 

 mand went on without interruption. Hundreds of boats built for the 

 purpose were incessantly employed for several months in transporting 

 supplies to Wyoming, which was selected as the base of operations. 



" The expedition you are to command " Washington wrote to 

 Sullivan on May 31st, " is to be directed against the hostile tribes of the 

 Six Nations, their associates and adherents. The immediate objects 

 are the total destruction and devastation of their settlements, and the 

 capture of as many prisoners of every age and sex as possible. It will 

 be essential to ruin their crops now in the ground and prevent their 

 planting more 



Parties should be detached to lay waste all the 



settlements around with instructions to do it in the most effective 

 manner that the country may not be merely overrun, but destroyed. 



