to Fort Pitt; but were soon liberated.

It is a remarkable fact, that at the time the whites were planning the
destruction of the Moravian villages, because of their supposed
co-operation with the hostile savages, the inhabitants of those
villages were suffering severely from the ill treatment of those very
savages, because of their supposed attachment to the whites. By the
one party, they were charged with affording to Indian war parties, a
resting place and shelter, and furnishing them with provisions. By the
other, they were accused of apprizing the whites of meditated
incursions into the country, and thus defeating their purpose, or
lessening the chance of success; and of being instrumental in
preventing the Delawares from entering in the war which they were
waging. Both charges were probably, well founded, and the Moravian
Indians yet culpable in neither.[17]

Their villages were situated nearly midway between the frontier
establishments of the whites, and the towns of the belligerent
Indians, and were consequently, convenient resting places for warriors
proceeding to and from the settlements. That they should have
permitted war parties after ravages to refresh themselves there, or
even have supplied them with provisions, does not argue a disposition
to aid or encourage their hostile operations. It was at any time in
the power of those warring savages, to exact by force whatever was
required of the Moravian Indians, and the inclination was not wanting,
to do this or other acts of still greater enormity. That the warriors
were the better enabled to make incursions into the settlements, and
effect their dreadful objects by reason of those accommodations, can
not be questioned; the fault however, lay not in any inimical feeling
of the christian Indians towards the whites, but in their physical
inability to withhold whatever might be demanded of them.

And although they exerted themselves to prevail on other [231] tribes
to forbear from hostilities against the whites, and apprised the
latter of enterprizes projected against them, yet did not these things
proceed from an unfriendly disposition towards their red brethren.
They were considerate and reflecting, and saw that the savages must
ultimately suffer, by engaging in a war against the settlements; while
their pacific and christian principles, influenced them to forewarn
the whites of impending danger, that it might be avoided, and the
effusion of blood be preven