Governors, found his authority very fast declining, and not being able to afford the relief so immediately necessary to Ogden, he wrote from Philadelphia on the 6th. of April to General Gage who then commanded his majesty's troops in the city of New York, for the assistance of the force under his command. In his letter, after informing the General that the Connecticut people were forming settlements in Pennsylvania, that they had built a large stockade fort at Wyoming, &c. he says:"They have lately gone so far as to fire upon a party of our people who had several of their associates under legal arrest which obliged them to return the fire, and it unfortunately happened that one of the rioters was killed and another wounded." He goes on further to add: "Not having any militia in the Province, I find myself under the disagreeable necessity of applying for the aid of the military to support the civil power" Gen. Gage, in his answer dated New York, April 15, 1770, among other things says: "The troops in all the Provinces have orders in general to assist the civil power when they shall be legally called upon, but the affair in question seems to be a dispute concerning property in which I cannot but think it would be highly improper for the King's troops to interfere." Not succeeding in this attempt to obtain assistance, the Proprietaries of Pennsylvania concluded to assemble such forces as their personal exertions could raise, for the recovery of Wyoming; and accordingly in September a force of one hundred and forty men was placed under

the command of Capt. Ogden. A Proclamation had been published at Philadelphia by Gov. Penn on the 28th. day of June, directing all intruders to depart from Wyoming, and forbidding any settlements to be made there without the consent of the Proprietaries, and Ogden marched with his forces, accompanied by Aaron Van Campen, Esq. and other civil officers, ostensibly for the purpose of carrying this Proclamation into effect. Ogden, knowing his strength was insufficient for the reduction of the settlement in case the settlers should be in garrison, concluded if possible to attack them by surprize; and to effect this the more safely, he commenced his march by way of Fort Allen on the Lehigh near the Water-gap, and thence by the warrior's path to Wyoming. Having arrived in sight of the Wyoming mountains they left the path for the greater safety, and on the night of the 21st. of September encamped on the head waters of Solomon's creek. In the morning of the 22d., Ogden with a few attendants ascended the high nob of Bullock's mountain, now called "Penobscott," which commands a view of the whole Valley of Wyoming, from which with his glasses he obServed the settlers leave the fort and go into the fields in detached parties at a distance to their work. He concluded to attack them in this situ ation unprovided with arms, and accordingly divided his forces into several detachments which commenced their attacks nearly at the same time. The working parties were immediately dispersed in every direction, and many of them were taken

H

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 accoFdingly 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 entered 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 houses erected within the ramparts of the Fort. Six 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 Valfey, and Stewart and his party garrisoned the Fort

CHAPTER III.

Fort Durkee besieged-Nathan Ogden killedFort 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-freshet-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,