Sl)c jTarmer's iUontl)lij jlisitciv. 



141 



green Iiills, as far as the eye could reach, rising 

 like the seats of an amphitheatre, and the dis- 

 tance of the iM()sj)ect gave the river and hoats 

 tlie beainilid resemhlance of miniature [.aiming. 

 After niarrhing aliout two miles we descended 

 into the low groimds of VVyaltising, where every 

 one was amazed at the luxuriant growtli of tim- 

 Im r, chiefly sycaniore— few of the trees heitig 

 less than 6 feet in diameter; and to close this 

 (l,i\'s njarch the more ngreealily, after passiiig 

 tn'rr half a mile piny barren, the plains ol' Wya- 

 liisiiig opened to om- sight, covered with Kuglisli 

 -iMss, the greenest and richest carpet that natiu'e 

 ever spiead. There was once an Indian town at 

 the place, consit^ting of about 60 hous(^s or Imts, 

 bnilt in two parallel right lilies, forming a street 

 of 00 or 70 feet wide, with a chnrcli or chapel 

 in the centre. The plan of the town is still plain 

 to he seen from the old ruins that remain on the 

 ground. The natives it seemed ha<l actually em- 

 braced the Christian religion, which was taught 

 them by a Moravian Missionary, sent from Beth- 

 lehem for that purpose, lii the year 1770 the 

 Comiecticut Company having purchased the hinds 

 on tliis river, the Indians retired further West 

 and left this place in the possession of a few 

 Americans, who have joined the enemy since 

 the commencement of this war, notwithstanding 

 the settlement has been overrun by the savages 

 and the town burnt. The Susquehaima at this 

 ])lace makes nearly a right-angle, and forms a 

 point on which the town stood, and where Gen. 

 Sullivan's army lay two days encamped. 



gtb. — Sunday moridng, 7 o'clocU, moved on 

 towards Tioga and encamped on a piece of low 

 groirnd by the river, where there has been a set- 

 tlement and four tiimilies dwell in the year 1775. 

 This place is called "Standing Stone Bottom." 

 Ca|)t. Spahlinff, who coinmatuls the independent 

 company in Gen. Hand's light troops, lived at 

 this place, distant 10 miles. 



9l|,. — Marched .-it 6 this morning, and baited 

 to breathe near a cold stream called VVesawkiug, 

 about 3 1-2 miles from last encampment — then 

 pursued our route without rest or rcfieshcnent 

 about 1'2 miles farther, the weather hot and men 

 very much fatigued. This brings us to Sbeslm- 

 koiiuncU Bottom, a large meadow of near 150 

 acres, lying on the Susquehaima, covered with 

 a vast iiurthen of wild grass. We rested here 

 this evening and next day, and Wednesday morn- 

 ing. 



lltb.-— The armv received orders to inarch to 

 Tioga, . I bout two" miles above Sheshekonunck 

 plain. 'J'he troo|is forded the river where the 

 stream wa* rapid and pretiydeep; nolwithslniid- 

 ing, the men came all salii over except one who 

 was carried down by the current a considerable 

 distance, and s;ivpd " by Lieut. Col. Barber, Adjt. 

 (ieneral, at the hazard of his own life. The cat- 

 tle and pack-horses were as Ibrlniuite in crossing 

 as the troops, After advancing about one mile 

 through a rich bottom covered wilh strong and 

 stately tiudier, which shut out the sun and shed 

 a coul iigrenahle twilight, we unexpectedly were 

 introdu(-ed into a plain as large as that off 

 Sheshekonunck, calltil "Queen Easier I'lanla- 

 tatiou." It was on this plain near ihe baid< of 

 the Sus(pieliauna, that Easter Qu(a'ii of the 

 Senc<-a Irihe, dwelt in retirement .-md sullen maj- 

 1 -ty, detached from all the subjects of her naiion. 

 The rums of her palace are still to be seen.— 

 Surrounded in what we supposed to be the ('bap- 

 el, ivas Ibmul aii idol, which might well enough 

 III- worshipp<'d without a breach of the 2d Com- 

 mandment, oil account of its likeness to any 

 thing either in heaven or eanh. About sunrise 

 the General gave orders for the lowii to be illu- 

 minated, and accordingly we bad a glorious bon- 

 fire of upwards of 30 buildings at once. A 

 melancholy and desperate spectacle to the sav- 

 ages I many of whom must have beheld it lioin 

 a^neighboi mg hill, near which we fbmid a party 

 of them had encamped last night. And from 

 appearances, the inhabitants had left the town 

 but a few hours before llie troops arrived. Geii. 

 Hand with some light-iufantry, pursued them 

 about a mile, when they gave him a shot from 

 ihe top of a ridge and ran according to their 

 i-uslom, when the fire was returned ; but niifortn- 

 iiarely liir us the savages wounded three officers, 

 killed six men ami wounded seven more. They 

 were pursued but without efiiict. Our next ob- 

 ject was their lii'lds of Indian corn, about forty 

 acres of which we cut down and destroyed. In 



doing this business Ihe Indians and Tories fired 

 upon three Regiments across the river, killed one 

 and woumled five. Having completed the ca- 

 tastrophe of the town and fields, we arrived at 

 Tioga about sunset the same day. very iiiucli fa- 

 tigued, having marched not less than 34 miles in 

 24 hours, w illiont rest in the extiemest heat. 

 14th. — No news to day. 



15th.— Nine hundred chosen men under the 

 command of Brig'r Gen. Poor, are ordered to 

 march to-moiruw morning up the Susrpiebaiiii;i 

 to meet Gen. Clinton, who is on his march to 

 join Sullivan's army wilh his Brigade. 



This afternoon a small ptirty of Indians fired 

 on some men who were without our guards. — 

 After some cattle killed, one man scalped and 

 another wounded, a body of men were sent out 

 in pursuit of the enemy, but could not come up 

 with them. The detachment under Gen. Poor 

 marched at 10 o'clock, P. M. in two columns and 

 proceeded 13 miles up the river. The lelt 

 column had very dilficult manhing, as they 

 marched some distance from the river ; the road 

 rough and thick wooded. Our encampment this 

 night is near an old Indian settlement called 

 Mockhowaunck. The land on the river is gen- 

 erally very good. 



]7ll,. — \Ve marched early this morning, pro- 

 ceeded 12 miles to Owago, an Indian town aban- 

 doned last spring-; here" is a large body of clear 

 intervale. Our march to day very severe. 



Igih. — We marched early this morning, pro- 

 ceeded 14 miles to Chocomit, another large Indi- 

 an town which was abandoned this summer. — 

 We burnt all the houses. Our day's march to- 

 day has been more severe than yesterday. We 

 marched through a swamp covered with large 

 pines slaudiut;' and lying and a remarkable growth 

 of bushes 20 feet high. At sunset we were 

 agreeably alarmed by the re)iort of a cannon, 

 which we supposed to be fired by Gen. Clinton's 

 army for an evening gun. 



Itith.— Our troops were put in motion very 

 early this morning. After proceeding one mile, 

 (jen. Poor received an express floin Gen. Clin- 

 ton, iiitbrming him ihat he expected to be here 

 by 10 o'clock this day. We returned to our old 

 eiicampment, where Gen. Clinton joined us with 

 2000 men, with provisions, ammunition, stores,&c. 

 At 12 o'clock the whole army and fleet moved 

 down the river Owago, and encamped, after 

 which the whole town of Owago was made a 

 bonfire of to grace our meeting. 

 20lh. — A very severe storm to-daj'. 

 21st.— Marched at 7 o'clock, 10 miles, and en- 

 camped. 



22d.— Marched at G o'clock, and at 11 o'clock 

 arrived at camp at Tioga ; we were saluted by 

 13 cannon. 



23(1. — About 5 o'clock this afternoon a very 

 shocking accident hap|iened in our brigade; a 

 soldier accidentally fired of!" a gun and killed 

 Capt. Kimball ; he was beloved and lamented by 

 all who knew him. An express arrived from 

 Col. Broaillicad at Fort Pill, informing that he is 

 on his way with a body of troops and Indians to 

 the Genesee country. 



2tJih. — Our army marched 5 miles and en- 

 campeil. 



27lli. — We marched at 8 o'clock, our march 

 greatly impeded by the ailillery, ammnnition, 

 was;;ous, &c. The army (djiiged to halt 7 hours 

 for the heavy artillery to come up. 



2t)ib. — AsGcn. Clinton's Brigade did not come 

 up, and having all the corn to cm down, wo did 

 not march until 2 o'clock, P. M. One lirigaile 

 and p.irt of another, wilh hiuses, callle. &c. ford- 

 ed the river twice Ihis afternoon ; the current 

 v^asvel■y rapid; some of our flour and ammu- 

 nition was ill the ford. Our march to-day not 

 more ihaii 3 miles. At 10 o'clock in the cvei.iii;,' 

 the ii-arof the baggage and part ol' the army en- 

 camped at Chemoung. By a small scout of ours 

 that came in this afleruoon, wc are informed 

 that a large encam[imei)t of the enemy lies about 

 4 miles from Chemoung; a small party of iliein 

 fired upon a party of ours, but did no damage. 



2i)th. — The army moved at 9 o'clock and pro- 

 ceedt^d 5 miles, when our lijilii troops discovered 

 a line of hreaslwork about 80. rods on their lioni, 

 whi<di upon reconnoitcu iiig we found to extend 

 about half a mile, with a large brook in fionl, 

 the river on llieir right, a mcumlain on their left, 

 and a large settlement in their rear, calleil New 

 Town. Their works were very artfully made 



with green bushes, so that discovering them wa» 

 accidental. The ground was well chosen. Skir- 

 mishing commenced as soon as they (bund our 

 people discovered them, antl continued till our 

 disposition was maile, viz: ihe arfilh-ry to fbriii 

 ill tVoiit of their ranks, and Gen. Poor's brigade 

 with the right flanking division turned the ene- 

 my's left; we ascendcil the mountain and fell in 

 with the enemy's rear, supported by Gen. Clin- 

 ton's brigade ; (ien. Maxwell's brigade formed a 

 cor|is de reserve; Gc'ii. Hand's and the left flank 

 covered the artillery to |iiirsiie the (uiemy if they 

 should retreat. At .3 o'clock Geo. Poor began 

 his route by columns liorn the right of regiments, 

 passed a very thick swamp, lorded a large creek, 

 destroyed a considerable number of houses that 

 appeared to have been lately built. After passing 

 the creek, we soon began to ascend the mountain, 

 when we were saluted by a brisk fire from llie 

 enemy, and the Indian war-whoop; the riflemen 

 kept up a scalK.iing fire, while we formed the 

 line of battle wilh fixed bayonets, without firing 

 a shot, althougl) the enemy kept up a steady fire 

 upon us all the way up ihe hill. Cid. Reid's regi- 

 ment on the left of the brigade was most severely 

 attacked, which prevented his being able to ad- 

 vance as fast as the rest of the brigade. Alter 

 we had all, except Col. Reiil, gained the summit 

 of the bill, we commenced a heavy fire upon the 

 enemy, which they were not able to withstand, 

 but look to their heels. Half an hour before the 

 action became serious «ilh ns, the artillery com- 

 menced a very heavy fire upon ilie enemy, which 

 soon made tlieni retire, pursued by our light iii- 

 fiintry about 3 miles ; ihe enemy lost a great part 

 of their packs, &c. The w hole killed and wound- 

 ed in our brigade were 2 killed, 2!) wounded — 

 since died, ! captain, 1 lieiit. 1 sergeant, and 11 

 men. The enemy's loss found on the ground, 

 II Indian warriors dead, 1 squaw, 1 tory, 1 negro, 

 prisoners. The enemy's strength was 200 whites 

 and COO Indians, and they had a great number 

 killed and wounded, and the remainder most 

 horribly jianic struck. At sunset wc encamped 

 oil the ground lately occ-npied by the enemy, 

 where we Ibnnd a considerable number of blan- 

 kets, many packs, trinkets, <S:.c. 



30lh. — This day remained on the groniid, de- 

 stroyed vast qnantilies of corn, and burned 4 

 houses. The army, by request of Gen. Sidlivaii, 

 have agreed to live on half allowance of meat 

 and flour «hcn we cannot get com. This night, 

 all our wounded, with 4 pieces of our heaviest 

 artillery, all the anmiiiuilion and waggons, are 

 sent off by water to Tinga. 



3]sr.— We marched at 10 o'cdock, 'the right 

 column over the hills, Ihe left by the river; we 

 proceeded 4.J miles to where the Ablegaroa and 

 Caynaga branches unite, where there was a 

 pretty town called Kaiiiiawatshalla, which they 

 abaniloiied this morniiig ; some boats uere seen 

 going oft' by our advance parties. Al'ler halting 

 idiout ail hoiu', we proceeded up between the two 

 rivers on a fine plain, and encamped. The w hole 

 army formed a square. A detachment of our 

 u-my pursued a party of the emuiiy up the Alle- 

 ijhany, but could not overtake them, hut found 

 jiiil destroyed several large corn-fields. 



Sept. 1st.— We marched at 1(1 o'clock, proceed- 

 ed 3 miles on a plain, passed a narrow defile be- 

 tween a high mountain and a deep morass, then 

 proceeiled one mile and entered what is called 

 the nine miles swamp, Ihrongli which we had to 

 open a road for the ariilleiy betueen t"0 tre- 

 mendous ridges of mountain.s, where runs a 

 murmuring stream « hich our arlillery and pack- 

 horses were obliged to ford between 20 and 30 

 times. Our advance guard arrived at a town 

 called French Katteieen : at dusk found fires 

 burning, ami every appearance id' the enemy 

 having left the place but a few minules. The 

 main army at dark was I wo miles from the town, 

 in oiie of th" thickest and most miry swamps I 

 ever saw. We arrived at Ihe town at 10 o'clock 

 at night, all except Gen. Clinton's brigade, very 

 inncii fiitigiied. This lou n contains about 30 

 houses; tlie stream we folded so olieii to-day 

 runs Ihrnngh this town and into Canandaguia or 

 Seneca Lake, ihe soiiih cud of u hich is three 

 mil'-'s from this lov, n. 



2,1. We lay still to-day to recruit the men, 



and destroy the corn, i.*v:c. We found an old 

 srpiiiw in the; hushes, from whom vve learn that 

 liiiiler uilli the lories went frmii ibis place with 

 all the boats the ilav before ; the Indian warriors 



