es Hill upward they plundered, murdered, and destroyed. Every
man capable of bearing arms was said to have been killed. Johnson
withdrew hastily, as he was pursued by militia. Of course hundreds of
people fled to Albany and Schenectady. Governor Clinton hurried at the
head of troops from Kingston to Fort George, and, ordering others to
meet him at Ticonderoga, he pushed on to Crown Point, but was too late
to capture Sir John.

Brant delayed his attack until late in July, 1780, and then made a
feigned attack on Fort Schuyler. General Van Rensselaer, then at Stone
Arabia, hastened to the relief of Fort Schuyler, and Brant in early
August fell upon the Canajoharie settlements and destroyed them
mercilessly. Troops were sent from Albany to protect the settlements,
but they were not sufficient.

September 7 an extra session of the New York legislature sat at
Poughkeepsie, and authorized Governor Clinton to order out such number
of militia as he thought necessary. Brigadier-General James Clinton
was assigned command at Albany and authorized to call for assistance
from the brigades of Generals Ten-Broeck and Van Rensselaer. As I have
already said, Colonel Brown on the 18th of October was in command at
Fort Paris, subject to orders of General Robert Van Rensselaer. Fort
Paris was two or three miles north of the Mohawk. In September and
early October Sir John Johnson led his forces by way of the Oswego
River, Oneida Lake, and across country to the Susquehanna Valley. He
ravaged the Schoharie Valley, laid siege to Middle Fort
unsuccessfully, then, turning north, raided all the country from Fort
Hunter. He let loose his forces for the general purpose of
devastation. He again did his work thoroughly,--brutally, as was
customary in Indian warfare at that time. Major Jelles Fonda, one of
the victims of this ruthless destruction, who had been a confidential
officer under Sir William Johnson, was absent, being a State senator.
Sir John's forces burned his homestead, "The Nose," at Palatine, and
destroyed, it is said, $60,000 worth of his property. On the night of
October 18 Sir John encamped with his forces nearly opposite or rather
above the Nose, and on the 19th he crossed the river to the north at
Keder's Rifts, near Spraker's Basin. A detachment of 150 men proceeded
at once against Fort Paris, but, after marching two miles, the main
body joined them.

October 18 General Van Rensselaer found Caughnawaga in flames. He was
in camp