[FN] MS. letter of Jacob R. Cork and Peter Wagner to General Clinton, and General Clinton's letter to the Governor.
On the 30th of April, Lieutenants McClellan and Hardenburgh returned to Fort Schuyler from an unsuccessful expedition at the head of a body of Indians, against the small British garrison at Oswegatchie. It was their intention to take the fort by surprise; but, falling in prematurely with some straggling Indians, several shots were imprudently exchanged, by reason of which their approach became known to the garrison. They then attempted by stratagem to draw the enemy from the fort, and partly succeeded, but could not induce them to venture far enough from their works to cut them off; and on approaching the fort themselves, the assailants were so warmly received by cannister and grape, as to be compelled to retreat without unnecessary delay. The only service performed was to send a Caughnawaga Indian into Canada with a letter, in French, by "a French General," probably the Marquis de Lafayette, addressed to the Canadians, and written in the preceding Autumn. [FN-1] This expedition was despatched from Fort Schuyler on the day before Colonel Van Schaick moved upon Onondaga; and from a letter addressed by General Clinton, six weeks afterward, to General Sullivan, there is reason to believe one object was to get clear of the Oneida Indians then in the fort, until Colonel Van Schaick should have proceeded so far upon his expedition, that they or their people would not be able to give the Onondagas notice of his approach. All the Indians still remaining in Fort Schuyler on the 18th, were detained expressly for that object of precaution. General Clinton conceded their usefulness as scouts and spies upon the British forces; but, he observed, "their attachment to one another is too strong to admit of their being of any service when employed against their fellows." [FN-2] This testimony is certainly not discreditable to the Indian character as such.
[FN-1] McClellan's letter to General Clinton.
[FN-2] Letter of Gen. Clinton to Gen. Sullivan.
But if, as has been seen, the Oneidas were disposed to send a deputation to make pacific inquiries at Fort Schuyler, in regard to Colonel Van Schaick's attack upon their neighbors, the descendants of Garanguli and Sadakenaghtie [FN-1] were not themselves willing to pass the matter over thus lightly. Fired with indignation at the destruction of their villages and castle, and the putting out of the great council-fire which they had so long kept burning at their national altar, they resolved upon summary vengeance. To this end, three hundred of their warriors were speedily upon the war-path, bending their steps to the valley of the Schoharie-kill. The settlement of Cobleskill, [FN-2] which had suffered so severely the preceding year, situated about ten miles west of the Schoharie-kill, and yet comprising nineteen German families, was the first object of attack. But they were prevented from taking the place by surprise, in consequence of two of their number straggling a considerable distance in advance of the main body, who were discovered by a scout of two of the Cobleskill militia. One of the Indians was shot, and the other fled; and the scouts hastened home to give the alarm. Intelligence of the enemy's approach was immediately despatched to Schoharie, with a request for assistance. A captain of the Continental army was thereupon sent to Cobleskill with a detachment of regular troops. On the following morning a party of Indians sallied out of the woods, and after approaching the settlement, suddenly returned. They were pursued by a small detachment of troops to the edge of the forest, where their reception was so sharp as to compel a retreat. The Captain himself immediately marched to the scene of action with the whole of his little band, together with fifteen volunteers of the militia. The Indians receded before the whites for a time, and continued the deception by showing themselves at first in small numbers on the skirt of the forest, until they had accomplished the identical purpose they had in view. The Captain and his men pursued, without any knowledge of the disparity of numbers they had to encounter, until the Indians had drawn them sufficiently within their toils to make a stand. Their numbers now multiplied rapidly, and the battle became animated. The Captain fell wounded, and was soon afterward killed. His men, panic-stricken, instantly fled; but in the twinkling of an eye, a cloud of several hundred savages, until then in concealment, rose upon all sides of them, pouring in a deadly shower of rifle balls, and making the forest ring with their appalling yells. The inhabitants of the settlement, on perceiving the disaster which had befallen the troops, fled in the direction of Schoharie with a portion of the fugitive soldiers. Their flight was facilitated, or rather they were prevented from being overtaken, by seven of the Captain's brave fellows, who took possession of a deserted house and made a resolute defence. From the windows of their castle they fired briskly upon the Indians, and bringing them to a pause, detained them until the inhabitants had made good their flight to Schoharie. Unable to drive the soldiers from the house, the Indians at length applied the brand, and the brave fellows were burnt to death within its walls. The whole settlement was then plundered and burnt by the Indians. But they did not proceed farther toward Schoharie. The loss of the whites was twenty-two killed and two taken prisoners. The bodies of the slain were found the next day, sadly mutilated; and in the hand of one of them the Indians had placed a roll of Continental bills—a severe satire upon the description of money for which the soldiers were serving. The great fact, however, that it was the cause, and not the pay, which kept the Americans in the field, could scarcely be appreciated by the forest warriors. They were led in this battle by a Tory, who was subsequently killed by the celebrated Murphy. [FN-3] Their loss was severe, but to what extent was not known. Thus was amply avenged the destruction of Onondaga.
[FN-1] Two illustrious Onondaga warriors and orators of the preceding century. Vide Colden's Canada.
[FN-2] Usually thus written; but the old inhabitants say it should be Cobuskill.—Spafford.