. The Indians
and their allies entered the valley near its northern boundary; and they
quickly took one of the forts called Wintermoots, which they burned. The
militiamen and regulars assembled at Forty-fort, a stronger place on
the west side of the Susquehanna, and four miles below the camp of the
invaders. Had Colonel Zebulon Butler remained in this fort he might have
stemmed the onward progress of the invaders till assistance could have
been obtained from Washington. Zebulon Butler, however, resolved to
leave the fort and encounter the enemy. He found them posted in a plain,
partially covered with pine trees, dwarf oaks, and underwood. He moved
towards them in single column, but as he was passing along he was
saluted by the fire of Indians, who lay concealed behind bushes and
trees. Notwithstanding, Zebulon Butler formed into line and prepared for
battle. His left flank, which was composed of militiamen, was quickly
turned by a body of Indians, who poured a destructive fire on his rear,
and he was compelled to command a retreat. All fled precipitately,
but the enemy was in their front, while on one side was a marsh and a
mountain, and the other a deep river. A dreadful scene ensued. Throwing
away their rifles and muskets, the Indians and their enraged allies fell
upon the fugitives with their tomahawks, and heeded not the loud cry
which was raised for quarter and mercy. About sixty men, with Colonels
Zebulon Butler and Dennison, escaped by swimming across the river,
hiding in the marsh, or climbing the mountain; but the rest, amounting
to nearly four hundred men, were butchered on the spot. Zebulon Butler
fled from Wyoming with his few surviving men, and Dennison proposed
terms of capitulation, which the enemy granted to the inhabitants.
These unfortunate people, however, dreading the vengeance of their white
brethren, generally, abandoned their homes, and in their turn became
outcasts and wanderers. The invaders then collected all the property
of the district worth carriage; burned all the houses and levelled the
forts; and then returned to the wilderness from whence they came. The
troops of congress shortly after made some retaliation. Washington was
at the very time of the invasion sending some troops to the defence of
Wyoming, and these being reinforced by a great many riflemen of Morgan's
corps, they rushed upon the Indian settlements, burned their villages,
exterminated all they could discover, and compelled the