Then followed other volumes of both New York annals and works other than history.
Mr. Watson’s first publisher and most active co-worker was Samuel Hazard, and to them is due the awakening of that spirit of antiquarianism and historical research from which sprung the great Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
Mr. Watson was an ardent collector of all objects of historic interest, many of which are now deposited in the Philadelphia Library and with the Historical Society.
Colonel Plunket Begins Action in Second
Pennamite War on December 24, 1775
The first armed conflict between the Proprietary Government and the Connecticut settlers in the Wyoming Valley occurred when the Yankees came down into the region in 1769 and seated themselves under the Government of Connecticut. The conflict lasted, with more or less intensity, until 1771, when the Penns were compelled to surrender and leave the intruders in questioned possession of that territory. This series of attacks, assaults and real battles has since been known as the first Pennamite War.
For four years the Yankees lived in tranquillity, and were not even seriously disturbed by the Indians.
On September 28, 1775, Colonel William Plunket, the Provincial commandant at Fort Augusta, at the head of a large body of troops, defeated the Yankees at Squire John Vincent’s in Judea Township on the West Branch, and marched all the men as prisoners to Sunbury.
The old colonel was more elated than wisdom seems to have justified. He became the man of the hour and, supported by a resolution of the Provincial Assembly, October 27, 1775, which justified the attack on the Yankees, he set about to muster troops for an expedition against the Connecticut settlers at Wyoming, in spite of the fact that the weather was becoming very severe. Snow had fallen early in November.