Home / O'Callaghan, E.B., ed. The Documentary History of the State of New York, Vol. IV. Albany: Weed, Parsons and Co., 1851. / Passage

Documentary History of the State of New York, Vol. IV

O'Callaghan, E.B., ed. The Documentary History of the State of New York, Vol. IV. Albany: Weed, Parsons and Co., 1851. 318 words

Divided our force in two--Lieutenant Couwenhoven and I led the right wing, and Lieutenant Stilwil and Ensign Niessen the left wing. Proceeded in this disposition along the hill so as not to be seen and in order to come right under the fort ; but 'as it was somewhat level on the left side of the fort and the soldiers were seen by a Squaw, who was piling wood there and who sent forth a terrible

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scream which was heard by the Indians who were standing and working near the fort, we instantly fell upon them. The Indians rushed forthwith through the fort towards their houses, which stood about astoue's throw from the fort, in order to secure their arms, and thus hastily picked upa few guns and bows and arrows, but we were so hot at their heels that they were forced to leave many of them behind. We kept up a sharp fire on them and pursued them so closely that they leaped into the creek which ran in front of the lower part of their maize land. On reaching the opposite side of the Kill, they courageously returned our fire, which we sent back, so that we were obliged to. send a party across to dislodge them. In this attack, the Indians lost their Chief, named Papequanaehen, fourteen other warriors, four women and three children, whom we saw lying both on this and on the other side of the creek but probably many more were wounded, when rushing from the fort to the houses, when we'did give them a brave charge. On our side three were killed and six wounded and we have recovered three and twenty Christian prisoners out of their hands. We have also taken thirteen of them prisoners, both men and women, besides an old man who accompanied us about half an hour but would not -go farther.