Item 17: Letter from Zebulon Butler to George Washington (removed to black box #5), 1780 April 2
Item — Box: 12, Folder: 58
Dates
- Created: 1780 April 2
Creator
- Butler, Zebulon, 1731-1795 (Person)
Access:
All series and subseries within this collection are open for research, with the exception of a few files within the Academia series that are restricted. The Academia series contains financial and sensitive institutional records from Wilkes College, and financial report records from Princeton University that will remain restricted for 80 years upon creation.
Extent
1 items
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Type of Material:
Letter
Condition Note:
Poor. Vinegar smell. The paper is separated into many pieces due to tears and folds, however the tears do not affect legibility. The condition of the paper is relatively poor, with it showing extreme signs of age, as well as containing severe staining.
Measurements:
13 ½ in. x 8 ½ in.
Description:
This letter consists of Zebulon Butler’s account of his journey through Wyoming in the snow, along with the telling of soldiers being captured and killed by the Native Americans. The majority of this letter is about three men who managed to return from being captured by the Native Americans. They returned with various items such as Tomahawks and Indian guns according to Zebulon Butler. The three men also shared with Butler what they experienced while being captured. During the time that this letter was written Zebulon Butler was commanding the garrison of Forty Fort located in the Wyoming Valley of Pennsylvania.
Location:
Wyoming
Transcription:
Wyoming 2d April 1780
May it Please Your Excellency
I arrived at this Post the 22nd , after A Tedious journey and Obliged to travel about forty miles of the last of it on foot the snow being to deep and yet too deep to get a horse through the woods, am making preparation to joyn [sic] as soon as possible.
I think it my Deuty [sic] to inform your Excellency with the late Transaction of the enemy near this post on the 27. March as three men were at work about three miles above the Garrison by the river they were taken on the the 28 early in the morning as two men were marching shugar [sic] about eight mile down the river one was killed and the other taken on the 29 very early in the morning about twenty miles further down on Fishing Creek three men were killed and thee taken on the same day in the afternoon on their return they came across a party that went to give notice to some men that were out marching shugar [sic] Wounded two of them but they all saved themselves by takeing [sic] to a house and all with the two wounded are come in. The two wounded like to recover on the 30h as they were still returning they took one man his wife a child who were out marching shugar [sic] they dismissed the women and child who say they were above thirty in numbers and confirms they account of above mentioned prisoners and on the evening of the same the three men mentioned of being taken the 27 March came in indian guns tomhacks & and say that they were taken as above mentioned and carried about forty miles up the River and that on the 28th March afternoon they Met A Party of about thirty Indians one White man and one of the Indians they knowd [sic] and they met two small Partys [sic] afterwards pushing down the river. Those Partys [sic] told our men that there were five hundred out and A large Party coming on after them Brant with a party was gone to the Mohawk River A Party to – and A Party to the West branch if Susqh [sic] [Suquehanna].
Those three men early in the morning of the 29 March those on their master killed three wounded the fourth and two ran which is confirmed by their bringing in five indian guns one silvermounted [sic] Hanger some tomhocks [sic] and other indian affairs. The party they met on the 28 March afternoon have not done any mischief hear [sic] yet as it was impossible for them to be down to so low as when the above mentioned was done we are looking for them . Every hour the three men further say that by the appearance of snow shall track as far up as they went that there had our numbers of Indians there for some months from the above representation which I have carefully taken and have no reason to doubt the truth of them your excellency will be able to judge what is nessesary [sic] for the Defence of the Frontiers in these post and can only say I am with all attention your excellency most Obl [sic] [obliged] Humble servt [sic] [servant]
Zebn [sic] [Zebulon] Butler Colo
His Excellency Genrl [sic] [general] Washington
Back
Coppy [sic] Letter to Genrl Washington 2d April 1780
No. 19
Back
Coppy [sic] Letter to Genrl Washington 2d April 1780
No. 19
Creator
- Butler, Zebulon, 1731-1795 (Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Wilkes University Archives Repository
Contact:
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu