A Narrative of the Life of Mrs. Mary JemisonSeaver, James E. (James Everett)
History
A Narrative of the Life of Mrs. Mary Jemison
Seaver, James E. (James Everett)
Jemison, Mary, 1743-1833; Seneca Indians
When Lieut. Boyd found himself a prisoner, he solicited an interview
with Brandt, whom he well knew commanded the Indians. This Chief, who
was at that moment near, immediately presented himself, when Lieut.
Boyd, by one of those appeals which are known only by those who have
been initiated and instructed in certain mysteries, and which never fail
to bring succor to a "distressed brother," addressed him as the only
source from which he could expect a respite from cruel punishment or
death. The appeal was recognized, and Brandt immediately, and in the
strongest language, assured him that his life should be spared.
Lieut. Boyd, and his fellow-prisoner, Parker, were immediately conducted
by a party of the Indians to the Indian village called Beard's Town, on
the west side of Genesee river, in what is now called Leicester. After
their arrival at Beard's Town, Brandt, their generous preserver, being
called on service which required a few hours absence, left them in the
care of the British Col. Butler, of the Rangers; who, as soon as Brandt
had left them, commenced an interrogation, to obtain from the prisoners
a statement of the number, situation and intentions of the army
under Gen. Sullivan; and threatened them, in case they hesitated or
prevaricated in their answers, to deliver them up immediately to
be massacred by the Indians, who, in Brandt's absence, and with the
encouragement of their more savage commander, Butler, were ready to
commit the greatest cruelties. Relying, probably, on the promises which
Brandt had made them, and which he undoubtedly meant to fulfil, they
refused to give Butler the desired information. Butler, upon this,
hastened to put his threat into execution. They were delivered to some
of their most ferocious enemies, who, after having put them to very
severe torture, killed them by severing their heads from their bodies.
The main army, immediately after hearing of the situation of Lieut.
Boyd's detachment, moved on towards Genesee river, and finding the
bodies of those who were slain in Boyd's heroic attempt to penetrate
through the enemy's line, buried them in what is now the town of
Groveland, where the grave is to be seen at this day.
Upon their arrival at the Genesee river, they crossed over, scoured the
country for some distance on the river, burnt the Indian villages on
the Genesee flats, and destroyed all their corn and other means of
subsistence.
The bodies of Lieut. Boyd and Parker were found and buried near the bank
of Beard's creek, under a bunch of wild plum-trees, on the road, as it
now runs, from Moscow to Geneseo. I was one of those who committed to
the earth the remains of my friend and companion in arms, the gallant
Boyd.
Immediately after these events the army commenced its march back, by the
same route that it came, to Tioga Point; thence down the Susquehanna to
Wyoming; and thence across the country to Morristown, New-Jersey, where
we went into winter quarters.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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