1896-97-] BRAiNT IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. 263 



which they were always ready to run Hke ground-hogs. I left this place 

 about 8 o'clock next day and marched fifteen miles. There are two 

 roads, one through the woods, the other along the river. We were 

 coming up this way the next morning, and I sent two men to examine 

 the other road, the only way the rebels could come to attack us. These 

 men discovered the enemy's path, not far from our camp, and discovered 

 they had got before us to lay in ambush. These two rascals were 

 afraid when they saw the path, and did not return to inform us, so that 

 the rebels had fair play at us. They fired at the front of our people 

 when crossing the river. I was then about four hundred yards in the 

 rear. As soon as the firing began, I immediately marched up a hill in 

 their rear with forty men, and came round on their backs. The rest of 

 my men were all scattered on the other side ; however, the rebels soon 

 retreated, and I pursued them until they stopped upon a rocky hill 

 round which we were employed, and very busy, for nearly four hours 

 before we could drive them out. We have taken forty odd scalps and 

 one prisoner, a captain. I suppose the enemy have lost near half their 

 men and most of their officers ; they all belonged to the militia and 

 were about 150 in number. I have sent my party to Shimong to remain 

 till I join ; I am now setting off with eight men to the Mohawk River in 

 order to discover the enemy's motions. In the last skirmish we had 

 three killed and ten wounded. John, the Mohawk, is dangerously 

 wounded, and three more nearly as bad." 



American accounts corroborate Brant's in every essential particular. 

 His party is stated to have consisted of sixty Indians and twenty-seven 

 Rangers. The pursuers originall}' numbered 150, and were joined on the 

 march by a few more. Two colonels and many officers of lesser rank 

 were among the killed, and of the entire force not more than thirty are 

 said to have escaped from that disastrous field. 



This desperate struggle occurred at a ford near the mouth of the 

 Lackawaxen branch of the Delaware on the 22nd of July. On the 2nd 

 of August, with his usual celerity of movement, Brant appeared unex- 

 pectedly on the Mohawk, at the head of his small scouting party, took a 

 few prisoners, alarmed the inhabitants, and disappeared. 



On his return he wrote to Colonel Bolton, at Niagara : " After I took 

 the two prisoners, the militia followed me, and in time came up, when I 

 received a wound in my foot by a buckshot, but of no consequence, and 

 am now almost as well as ever. However, I took care to bring off my 

 prisoners. * "f- * i j^,-pj ^ little afraid we shall have hard work to 



