prisoners and sent under an escort to Easton Jail ; the greater number succeeded in reaching the Fort where they immediately prepared for their defence. Night was approaching and Ogden did not think proper to attack the Fort. He accordingly removed his troops with their booty to their encampment at Solomon's Gap. A consultation was held in Fort Durkee, and it was concluded as they had provision and ammunition to last some time, to send messengers to Coshutunk on the Delaware, for assistance. Accordingly about midnight the messengers departed, and thinking that Ogden and his party would be likely to guard the direct road to Coshutunk, they concluded to go out through Solomon's Gap. Ogden's party for their better security had encamped without fires, and took the messengers prisoners in the Gap; they learned from them the confused situation of the Fort, filled with men, women and children. Upon receiving this intelligence they concluded to make an immediate attack upon the Fort. Accordingly Ogden's whole force was immediately put in motion, and a detachment commanded by Capt. Craig suddenly entered the fort under cover of the night, knocked down the centinel and arrived at the door of the block-house before the garrison received notice of the attack. Several of the latter were killed in attempting to make resistance in the block-house, and Capt. Craig's men having forced a number into a small room where they were trampling upon the women and children, knocked down Capt. Butler and were about to pierce him

with their bayonets, when Capt. Craig himself en tered the apartment, drove the soldiers back and prevented further bloodshed. The Fort being thus taken, the principal portion of the garrison were again sent to prison at Easton, but Capt. Butler and a few others were conducted to Philadelphia where they were confined.

Ogden and his party then plundered the settlement of whatever moveable property they could find, and having formed a garrison in the Fort, withdrew with his booty to the settlements below the mountains where most of his men resided.→→ The Connecticut party having disappeared, the garrison considered themselves as secure, the Fort being in a good state of defence; but on the 18th of December about 3 o'clock in the morning, while the garrison were asleep, a body of armed men, consisting of twenty-three persons from Hanover in Lancaster county, and six from New England, under the command of Capt. Lazarus Stewart, suddenly entered the fort and gave the alarm to the garrison by a general huzza for King George. The garrison at this time consisted of only eighteen men besides a considerable number of women and children, who occupied several hou. ses erected within the ramparts of the Fort, of the men made their escape by leaping from the parapet, and flying naked to the woods; the remaining twelve were taken prisoners, who, with the women and children, after being deprived of their moveable property, were driven from the Valley, and Stewart and his party garrisoned the Fort.

Six

CHAPTER III.

Fort Durkee besieged-Nathan Ogden killed Fort Durkee abandoned-Wyoming Fort built and besieged-Amos Ogden escapes from the Fort-Pennsylvania Garrison re-enforced by troops under Col. Clayton. Wyoming Fort surrendered to the Connecticut forces-Civil Government established at Wyoming as a separate Colony-Wilkesbarre built-Connecticut sends Commissioners to treat with Pennsylvania-Negociations on that subject-Wyoming settlements apply to be taken under the protection of Connecticut Civil Government established there by Connecticut-Connecticut settlement on the West Branch of the Susquehanna destroyed-War with England-Wyoming settlers apply to Congress-Resolutions of that body-Plunket's expedition to Wyoming Invasion by the British and Indians-Battle and Massacre of Wyoming -Wilkesbarre burnt-Skirmish at Laurel Run -Arrival of General Sullivan's army-His victory over the Indians-Decree at TrentonPennsylvania Commissioners sent to Wyoming -Great Ice-fresher-Inhabitants of Wyoming driven from their settlements by Pennsylvania troops-Murder of Pierce and Garret-Garri son formed at Forty-Fort.

Frontier warfare has been in all ages and in all countries much the same, an irregular and unrestrained exhibition of the human passions; and the reader will observe in the troubles at Wyoming,

and the border wars" of former times, as great a similarity as the situation of the country, and the improvements in the art of war, would permit. Fort Durkee, and Ogden's block-house, like two ancient Castles, became alternately the property of the victorious party, and an indiscriminate plunder was the consequence of a defeat.

After Ogden's house had been plundered and consumed, the Judges of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania issued warrants for the arrest of Lazarus Stewart, Lazarus Young and Zebulon Butler, for the crime of arson, and in pursuance of one of these warrants Stewart was arrested in Lebanon, Pennsylvania; but a number of his asso ciates being near, and hearing of his arrest, suddenly rode into the town under arms to rescue him, and on their approach Stewart knocked down the Constable and joined his companions, who having bid defiance to the civil authority of the village, deliberately departed with Stewart at their head. Information being now received that Stewart and his party were in possession of Fort Durkee, a new warrant was issued by Thomas Willing, Esq. a Judge of the Supreme Court, for his apprehension, directed to Peter Hacklein, Esq. Sheriff of Northampton County, who raised a posse and proceeded to Wyoming, where he arrived on the 18th. of January, 1771, and demanded admittance into the Fort. Stewart informed him from the parapet that none but friends could be admitted; that Wyoming was under the jurisdiction of Connecticut, and that he should recognize no authority whatev

H*

er in any persons acting under commissions from the Government of Pennsylvania. The approach of night closed this parley, and the Sheriff and his posse withdrew to a new block-house which Ogden and his party had began to build. Finding that a siege would perhaps be necessary, the next day (being Sunday,) the Sheriff and his posse assisted Ogden in completing and fortifying his block-house. On Monday morning Nathan Ogden accompanied the Sheriff and his posse to the Fort, when admittance was again demanded and refused, upon which Ogden and his party commenced a fire upon the Fort. The fire was immediately returned by which Ogden was killed, and three others wounded. The Sheriff and his posse, having secured the body of Ogden, withdrew to the block-house to consult upon further measures, which occupied the day; and during the following night Stewart and about forty of his party abandoned the Fort, leaving it in the possession of twelve men who the next day surrendered to the Sheriff and his posse, Gov. Penn in his message to the General Assembly represents this transaction as a most treacherous murder, and by their recommendation offered a reward of three hundred pounds for the apprehension of Lazarus Stewart. The Sheriff having given possession of the Fort to Amos Ogden, withdrew with his prisoners to Easton, and Ogden formed a garrison and induced most of his former associates to return to their possessions. Affairs there continued quiet until the 6th. of July when upwards of seventy of the Connecticut party armed