He marched from Fort Muncy, September 18, with two hundred troops and twelve days’ rations. In his report to Congress, the Colonel says: “In our route we met with great rains and prodigious swamps, mountains, defiles and rocks which impeded our march, we had to open and clear the way as we passed.
“We waded or swam the River Lycoming upward of twenty times. In lonely woods and groves we found where the Indians had dressed and dried scalps of the frontier victims. On the morning of the 26th, the advance party met nineteen Indians in a skirmish. An important Indian chief was killed and scalped.” They burnt Tioga, Queen Esther’s Town and other settlements.
Colonel Hartley performed the marvelous feat of marching his small army 300 miles and fighting several severe battles with Indians and Tories in two weeks; bringing in fifty head of cattle, twenty-eight canoes and much plunder and above all else rendered such signal service to the frontiers that the settlers could return to their habitations and harvest their crops in safety.
Both the Provincial Council and the Continental Congress, Nov. 14, 1778, adopted resolutions of commendation to Colonel Hartley for the success of his expedition.
Colonel John Armstrong Destroyed Indian
Town of Kittanning September 8, 1756
Before Governor Robert Morris was superseded by William Denny he concerted with Colonel John Armstrong an expedition against the Indian town of Kittanning, on the Allegheny, the stronghold of Captains Jacobs and Shingas, the most active Indian chiefs, and from which place they distributed their war parties along the frontier.
When Governor Denny assumed the office of Governor his predecessor communicated to him his plans for this expedition, which were favorably received by the Governor and his Council.
The details of this enterprise had been perfected in great secrecy. It is quite likely that Colonel Armstrong was selected for this purpose, not only on account of his well-known military prowess, but for the further fact that his beloved brother, Lieutenant Edward Armstrong, had been killed in the attack and destruction of Fort Granville, and for the many other depredations which the Indians had committed in the Juniata Valley.