Proceedings of the New York Historical Association [1906]New York State Historical Association. Meeting
History
Proceedings of the New York Historical Association [1906]
New York State Historical Association. Meeting
New York (State) -- History -- Periodicals; New York State Historical Association -- Periodicals
The events of the succeeding days during which the expedition was
prosecuting its errand of destruction, were a constant repetition of
each other. The army was almost constantly on the move, searching out
and destroying such settlements as could be found. The Indians skulked
away like a pack of wolves at the approach of the hunter, turning now
and then to snap at their pursuers, and then vanishing. Where once had
stood their pleasant villages surrounded by fruitful fields, was only
left heaps of smouldering ashes and masses of trampled grain and
prostrate fruit trees. They needed no spies to keep them informed of the
progress of the invaders. A trail of smoke by day and a ruddy glow on
the sky at night told it too plainly. The scourge had fallen. Not only
were the frontiers cleared but the doom of the Iroquoian Confederacy was
sealed, and its dominion over the vast territory which it had so long
ruled was destroyed forever. From the mountains of northern
Pennsylvania, through the beautiful valley of the Susquehanna and the
lake region of central New York to the fruitful valley of the Genesee,
no Indian settlement of importance was left. Said Sullivan in his
official report: "The number of towns destroyed by this army amounted
to 40, beside scattering houses. The quantity of corn destroyed, at a
moderate computation, must amount to 160,000 bushels, with a vast
quantity of vegetables of every kind. Every creek and river has been
traced, and the whole country explored in search of Indian settlements,
and I am well persuaded that, except one town situated near the
Allegheny, about 50 miles from Genesee, there is not a single town left
in the country of the Five Nations.
"It is with pleasure I inform Congress that this army has not suffered
the loss of forty men, in action or otherwise, since my taking the
command, though perhaps few troops have experienced a more fatiguing
campaign. I flatter myself that the orders with which I was entrusted
are fully executed, as we have not left a single settlement or field
of corn in the country of the Five Nations, nor is there even the
appearance of an Indian on this side of Niagara."
CONTINUATION OF NATHANIEL WEBB'S JOURNAL
* * * * *
As Published in the Elmira Republican
of Sept. 11th and 12th, 1855.
* * * * *
Note--In the volume containing the "Journals of the Military
Expedition of Major General John Sullivan against the Six Nations of
Indians in 1779," prepared by Frederick Cook, Secretary of State, and
published by the State in 1887, on page 285 et seq, is published part
of the Journal of Nathaniel Webb, and a note says that a portion of the
Journal cannot be found.
In a scrap-book originally kept by Thos. Maxwell, Esq., which was
recently bought in an old book shop in New York, I find the missing
Journal, and give herewith the portion supposed to be lost.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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