1778

Grandchildren this year.

020302 Adam Christman (b.1778)
020504 Peter BILLINGTON (b.1778)
030301 Johan Frederick Christman (b.1778)

February 6

The French Treaty of Friendship

The French signed a treaty of friendship with the United States of America.

In early spring, General Schuyler tried to hold a council with the Six Nations without success. Only the Oneidas, Tuscaroras, and a few Cayugas and Onondagas showed up. The Mohawks and Senecas wanted revenge. In May, after hearing of the French alliance, General Schuyler tried again, thinking that the Senecas would be glad to side with their old French father; no success. Joseph Brant and the Mohawks had fought with the British against the French anyway. The Six Nation Confederacy was divided and finished, in large part due to the deception of Daniel Claus. If Conrad Weiser only knew what was going to happen!

Terror Raids



In late April, Joseph Brant was on his way to Oquaga.

By May, Butlers Rangers were in New York’s frontiers.

Their object was hit and run attacks on the settlements to destroy people, property and crops. The Mohawk Valley settlements had become a major source of food for the Continental Armies.

On May 1, the news of France’s entry into the war reached Washington’s camp in Valley Forge, and salutes were fired across the drill-grounds where Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben was training an army for the Americans. On July 11, 1780 the French finally arrived at Newport Harbor with six regiments including one regiment called the “Royal Deux-Ponts” which included subjects of the Palatine Duke of Zweibrucken. Baron von Steuben eventually settled in the Mohawk valley.

On May 30, Joseph Brant attacked Cobleskill with an estimated 200 men. A fight with the Schoharie militia ensued; only a rebel sergeant and four men survived. Brant’s Volunteers mutilated the corpses.

On June 2, near Cherry Valley, Joseph Brant shot and killed a young man and captured another, only to find out that they were loyalists. Rumors put Joseph Brant all over the map; the militia chased the phantom Brant, but Joseph was not all over the map. He was near Oquaga trying to get loyalist recruits for the British cause. He met John Butler at Tioga; the Senecas wanted revenge. They wanted to strike at the Connecticut people who settled on the land of their back door which was not fairly purchased. – It was the Wyoming Valley. What the Indians did not realize is that it was Sir William Johnson’s agent that guided the pen in the drunken hands of the Indians back in 1754. - Remember?

England had two problems to solve:

First - to secure the support of the Six Nations.
Second - to solve disunity in the colonies.

The Albany Congress was supposed to solve both problems. Conrad Weiser and William Johnson carried on the Indian negotiations, and Benjamin Franklin drafted a proposal called the Albany Plan of Union - the forerunner and prototype for the Continental Congress.

When the Indian part of the conference had ended, the Indians left Albany with 30 wagons of presents and no commitment of allegiance - only assurance that they were not in collusion with the French. Just like always. But something else happened too. Conrad persuaded a Connecticut Company that William Johnson had an interest in not to pursue a project for the Wyoming Valley; and, in the meantime, William Johnson’s Albany agent, John Henry Lydius, made the purchase anyway. Outside of the proceedings in a room down the street, Lydius got the sachems drunk and, guided the pen in their drunken hands, as they signed away the Wyoming Valley.

The Wyoming Valley Massacre

July 3

Eight forts were destroyed; 1000 houses burned; livestock slaughtered; 227 murdered and scalped, only 5 prisoners. Men, women, and children, begging for their lives, tortured and mutilated. John Butler said that they couldn’t help it. Guy Johnson boasted of the accomplishment where the Tories and Indians burned women and children alive in their houses, screaming, crying and choking, while Indians cut the tongues out of the cattle so they could writhe to death in agony.

Description of Guy Johnson

“Captain Snyder described Guy Johnson as being a short, pursey man, about forty years of age, of stern countenance and haughty demeanor - dressed in a British uniform, powdered locks, and a cocked hat. His voice was harsh, and his tongue bore evidence of his Irish extraction.” - William L. Stone

Description of Joseph Brant

“While in the guard house the prisoners were visited by Brant, of whom Captain Snyder says - “He was a likely fellow, of fierce aspect - tall and rather spare - well spoken and apparently about thirty (forty) years of age. He wore moccasins, elegantly trimmed with beads - leggings and breech-cloth of superfine blue - short green coat, with two silver epaulets - and a small, laced, round hat. By his side hung an elegant silver-mounted cutlass, and his blanket of blue cloth, purposely dropped in the chair on which he sat, to display his epaulets, was gorgeously decorated with a border of red.”- William L. Stone

July 18

Joseph Brant raided Andrewstown and Springfield. Andrewstown was totally destroyed; in Springfield 14 families lost their homes and were captured. Eight men were killed. It was a time of fear during harvest time. Crops lay rotting. John Butler went back to Niagara.

The Destruction of German Flatts

“But the most considerable event of the season in that vicinity, was the entire destruction of the comparatively extensive and populous settlement of the German Flatts. This settlement, originally called Burnetsfield, from the circumstance that the patent had been granted by Governor Burnet, extended over the richest and most beautiful section of the Mohawk Valley, comprehending the broad alluvial lands directly beyond the junction of the West Canada creek and the river, and including about ten miles of the valley from east to west. Midway of the settlement, on the southside of the river, yet stands the ancient stone church, the westernmost of the line of those structures built under the auspices of Sir William Johnson. A short distance west of the church stood the large and massive-built stone mansion of the Herkimer family, which, like the church itself, was used as a fort. Hence it was called Fort Herkimer. On the north side of the river, upon a gravelly plain, elevated some ten or fifteen feet above the surrounding flatts, stood Fort Dayton.

At the time of which we are writing, the settlement on the south side of the river numbered thirty-four dwelling-houses, and there were about an equal number upon the north side, together with as many barns and out-buildings, and several mills. The population, for the number of houses, was numerous.

The lands, rich by nature, and well cultivated, had that year brought forth by handfuls; so that the barns were amply stored with their products.

It was at the close of August, or early in the month of September, that this fine district was laid waist under the direction of Brant. Most providentially, however, the invasion was attended with the loss of but two lives - one man being killed outright, and another, named McGinnis, perished in the flames. The particulars of this hostile irruption were these: - Entertaining some suspicions of Brant., who was at Unadilla, a scout of four men had been dispatched into that vicinity for observation. Three of these men were killed at the Edmeston settlement. The fourth, John Helmer, succeeded in making his escape, and returned to the flatts at half an hour before sundown, just in time to announce that Brant, with a large body of Indians, was advancing, and would, in a few hours, be upon them. All was, of course, terror and alarm through the settlement; and the inhabitants - men, women, and children - were gathered into Forts Dayton and Herkimer for security. In flying to those defenses, they gathered up the most valuable of their stuff, and by means of boats and canoes upon the river, succeeded, in the course of the evening, in collecting a large portion of their best articles of furniture. But they had no time to look after their flocks and herds.

Early in the evening Brant arrived at the edge of the settlement, but as the night came on excessively dark and rainy, he halted with his forces in a ravine, near the house of his Tory friend Shoemaker, where the younger Butler and his party were captured the preceding year. Here the chieftain lay with his warriors until the storm broke away toward morning - unconscious that his approach had been notified to the people by the scout in season to enable them to escape the blow of his uplifted arm. Before the dawn he was on foot, and his warriors were sweeping through the settlement; so that the torch might be almost simultaneously applied to every building it contained. Just as the day was breaking in the east, the fires were kindled, and the whole section of the valley was speedily illuminated by the flames of houses and barns, and all things else combustible.

The spectacle, to the people in the forts, was one of melancholy grandeur. Every family saw the flames and smoke of its own domicile ascending to the skies, and every farmer the whole product of his labor for the season dissolving in ashes...Nothing upon which they could lay their hands was left; and the settlement; which the day before, for ten miles had smiled in plenty and beauty, was now houseless and destitute.” - William L. Stone

Among the names of the suffers at German Flatts with the number of their dependents over or under 16 years old, on page 116 of “The Book of Names”, by MacWethy, it lists Christman, Jacob, 2 above, 5 under, Christman, John, Jr., 2 above, 3 under, and Christman, Nicholas, above 2, under 1.

DESTRUCTION OF HERKIMER
Col. Bellinger’s Report to Governor Clinton on the Destruction of German Flatts, N. Y.
German Flatts, Sept. 19, 1778.
May it please your Excellence. I humbly beg to lay our distresses open to your Excellency. On Thursday the 17th instant about six in the morning the enemy attacked Fort Dayton on the north side of the German Flatts and burned and destroyed all the houses, barns and grain and drove a great number of horses and horned cattle away with them. The church fort, together with two houses Is all that is left on that side and they had two men killed and one wounded. The enemy tried to take Fort Dayton but they kept them off. On the south side of the river they began about six miles above Fort Herkimer and burned all the houses, barns and grain quite down to the church at Fort Herkimer they tried to set fire to the barn but we sallied out with what men we could spare and kept them from destroying any more homes. We have built in our district four garrisons -and have none but my regiment to guard them and a few rangers. I sent out a scout of the rangers, nine men, three days before this happened. They met the enemy at Major Edmonston’s place at the head branch of Unadilla river, the enemy attacked them and drove them into the river. They have killed two of the rangers and scattered the rest. One of them came in the night before the Flatts was attacked. And immediately I wrote per express to Col. Klock and another to be signed by him, to be sent to the nearest place for assistance as the enemy was within nine miles of us when the rangers saw them last. In my letter to Col. Klock I begged him for God’s sake to assist us with men land if he had marched his men on directly, he might have been at the Flatts before we was attacked and if he had sent 200 men we might in all probability have saved a great many houses and a great deal of grain and creatures. But alas we could get no assistance. Several times this summer we have intelligence that they intended to destroy this place and I have wrote to General Stark in Albany for assistance but could get none and once I wrote to your Excellency but I imagine you did not receive it. Our case is really very hard as the enemy threatens us yet.
Therefore I am obliged to be thus troublesome to Your Excellency to desire the favor of a reinforcement, otherwise I cannot pretend to keep the inhabitants here any longer. I have given orders to the A. D. C. of issues at Fort Dayton to supply these who have lost their effects with provision as they was crying to me for bread. But If your Excellency does not approve of it I hope you will send me orders how I must behave In the said affair.
After the enemy had finished the destruction of the Flatts they went off about noon. In the afternoon I sent an express again to Col. Klock desiring him to send to Col. Alden at Cherry Valley that if he would turn out with about 400 men and strike across to the creek at Unadilla where I was certain they would come up with the enemy they might have recovered most part of the plunder again but as far as I can learn they did not mind it. I had a great deal of trouble I can assure your Excellency to keep the inhabitants from moving off on the account of having no assistance. I was obliged to threaten them that I would take their effects from them. But as the place Is mostly destroyed I have prevailed on them to wait till I have orders from your Excellency how to behave in our distressed circumstances. But if there is no reinforcement comes up I shall not be able to hinder them from moving off. I here send your Excellency an account of the damage done by the enemy on both sides of the river. They burned 63 dwelling houses, 57 barns with grain and fodder, 3 grist mills, I sawmill and they have taken away with them 235 horses, 229 horned cattle, 269 sheep and they killed and destroyed a great number of hogs and they have burned a great many out houses.
I hope your Excellency will take our circumstances into consideration and grant; us a reinforcement sufficient to hinder the enemy from utterly ruining of us. So relying entirely on your Excellency I beg leave to subscribe myself your Excellencies most ,obedient humble servant.
PETER BELLINGER, Colonel.
To His Excellency, George Clinton, Esclr. – from Mac Wethy’s, Book of Names

In Canada, Walter Butler was made a captain of Butlers Rangers and prepared to join up with Brant’s Volunteers.

October 13

Brant attacked Peenpack on the Neversink River. The Continental Army and the Tryon County Militia attacked and destroyed Oquaga and Unadilla, Brant’s home base. If Klock’s regiment was involved then Johann Jacob and Nicholas Christman may have been involved.

The Indians that fled the two towns joined up with Walter Butler. Brant’s Volunteers joined them. The Seneca Chief Sayengaraghta controlled the Six Nations Loyalists. They held council, and decided to attack Cherry Valley. On October 29, they were on their way.

The Cherry Valley Massacre

November 11

NEW YORK This day, a party of Tories, Indians, and Regulars, under the command of Colonel Butler, made a decent on the fort at Cherry Valley. An officer who was in the fort, gives the following account of their affair:
On Saturday night, 7th of November, an express arrived from Fort Stanwix, informing that an Oneida Indian had aquainted them that he sat in council in the Seneca country with the Six Nations, and other tribes, and that they had concluded to attack Fort Alden, in Cherry Valley...
On Wednesday, the 11th, it rained very hard; the enemy came by the above mentioned path, passed by two houses, and lodged themselves in a swamp a small distance back of Mr. Well’s house, headquarters; at half-past eleven, A.M., Mr. Hamlin came by and discovered two Indians, who fired upon him, and shot him through the arm; he rode to Mr. Wells’ , and aquainted the colonel, the lieutenant-colonel, major, and adjutant being present; the two last (the house at this time being surrounded by Indians) got to the fort through their fire; the colonel was shot near the fort. The enemy eight hundred in number, consisting of five hundred Indians, commanded by Brant, fifty regulars under Captain Colvill, and another captain with some of Johnson’s Rangers, and above two hundred Tories, the whole under Colonel Butler’s command, immediately surrounded the fort, exculding several officers who were quartered out of the garrison, and had gone to dinner; they commenced with a very heavy fire upon the fort, which held three and a half hours, and was as briskly returned; they were so near as to call the fort and bid the “damn’d rebels” to surrender, which was answered with three cheers, and a discharge of cannon and musketry. At four P.M., the enemy withdrew. Captain Ballard salied out with a party, which the enemy endeavored to cut off, but were prevented by a reinforcement.
The next day they made it their whole business to collect horses, cattle, and sheep, which they effected, and at sunset left the place. The enemy killed, scalped, and most barbarously murdered, thirty-two inhabitants, chiefly women and children, also Colonel Alden, and the following soldiers (10 names)... the following prisoners (4 names) and thirteen privates; burnt Twenty-four houses with all the grain, &c., took above sixty inhabitants prisoners, part of whom they released on going off. They committed the most inhuman barbarities on most of the dead. Robert Henderson’s head was cut off, his skull bone was cut out with the scalp. Mr. Willis’ sister was ripped up, a child of Mr. Willis’, two months old, scalped and arm cut off, and many others cruelly treated. Many of the inhabitants and soldiers shut out from the fort, lay all night in the rain with the children, who suffered very much. The cattle that were not easy to drive, they shot. We were informed by the prisoners they sent back, that the lieutenant-colonel, all the officers and Continental soldiers, were stripped and drove naked before them...
New-Jersey Gazette, December 31, 1778

“Tory Ranger Captain Walter N. Butter (son of John Butler) infiltrated the sleeping camp of Sergeant Adam Hunter near the fort on the night of November 10. Facing 800 Tories and Indians, Hunter revealed the strength of Fort Alden (as lchabod Alden had christened Cherry Valley’s stockade) and, even more importantly, revealed that Alden and other principal officers were quartered outside the fort, at the house of Robert Wells. Consequently, the first objective on November 11, when Brant and Seneca chiefs Little Beard and Gu-cinge began their attack, was to surprise and cut off the Wells house. At 10:30 A.M., they stormed the house, killing the Wells family as well. as Colonel Alden. Brant tried to intervene in order to save the family, with whom he was acquainted, but he was too late. Indeed, although the Indians had promised Walter Butler that they would refrain from unnecessary cruelty, the Senecas and some of the Mohawks ran amok, scalping, dismembering, even indulging in ritual cannibalism. Some of the Tory soldiers were even more bloodthirsty.

Lieutenant Rolf Hare participated in the brutal stabbing of a woman named Sarah Dunlop and watched as a halfbreed named William of Canajoharie ate chunks of her flesh.

By two in the afternoon, Cherry Valley was virtually destroyed, with every building outside the stockaded fort ablaze---except for the house of Joseph Brant’s friends, the Shanklands… By the day’s end, the death toll reached 74, including 42 military men and 32 civilians. Thirty-two of 3 houses were burned, in addition to 231 barns, two mills and a blacksmith’s shop. Not one of the attackers was killed, and only one was injured-by the unfortunate Sarah Dunlop, who struck William of Canajoharie with frying pan before he killed her.” – Alan Axelrod

After Cherry Valley while on the way back to Niagara, Brant wanted to burn General Herkimer’s house. Near Fort Plank, he burned four houses and barns. Brant went to Niagara for the winter. Herkimer’s house stands.

That was the cloud of fear that the people of the Mohawk Valley lived under.

Just like it had been in the Palatinate during the Thirty Years War.

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