354 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Messrs Halsey and Ketchum both quote a description of Brant I 

 in 1782 from Capt. Jeremiah Snyder: 



He was a likely fellow, of a fierce aspect — tall and rather spare j 

 — well spoken, and apparently about thirty years of age. He ■ 

 wore moccasins, elegantly trimmed with beads, leggings and 

 breech-cloth of superfine blue, short green coat, with two silver ,. 

 epaulets, and a small laced round hat. By his side hung an ■ 

 elegant silver mounted cutlass, and his blanket of blue cloth, 

 purposely dropped in the chair on which he sat, to display his 

 epaulets, was gorgeously decorated with a border of red. 



Some time after Harper met a party at Schenevus creek, and 

 learned that they meant to destroy the Johnston settlement. 

 With 17 men he surprised the party at night, securing all 

 unharmed. Over 700 Indians were now at Oquaga under Brant, 

 and in May he went up the river with nearly 80 warriors. At 

 Unadilla he made the settlers supply him with provisions and 

 took some cattle. Those not loyalists soon removed. He burned 

 some deserted houses, and other places were abandoned, but the 

 Tories sought Unadilla as a refuge and base of operations. 



The people of Harpersfield asked aid ; and Gen. Nicholas Her- 

 kimer went to Unadilla to confer with Brant, reaching there late 

 in June. The conference was unsatisfactory and just escaped 

 violence. Herkimer returned to Cherry Valley June 28, and the 

 next day Brant put Unadilla in the hands of the Tories, remain- 

 ing near by himself, and committing depredations. He soon 

 after went to Oswego with 300 Indians, where many were 

 already, to meet the English in council there. Colonel Johnson 

 had already reported that the Six Nations had called in all their 

 people to make a diversion on the frontier of New York, and had ! 

 made successful attacks on the border from Fort Stanwix to 

 Ohio. 



In June he had a letter from the Iroquois chiefs, written for 

 them by Brant. They had met in May, as directed, and were 

 all ready but the Oneidas. All " would act as one man." They 

 had cut ofif a sergeant and 12 men at Fort Stanwix, had sent 

 parties to Pennsylvania, and had defeated a party with 50 head 

 of cattle for the American garrisons on the Mohawk. The 700 



