The Battle of Wyoming
The Bennett, Benedict, Blackman and Weeks families - all related to me - were affected by the Wyoming Massacre. Some lost their homes. Some lost their families. And others lost their lives.
See note below
The Battle of Wyoming, which became known as the Wyoming Massacre, was an encounter during the American Revolutionary War between American Patriots and Loyalists accompanied by Iroquois raiders that took place in the Wyoming Valley of Pennsylvania on July 3, 1778. More than three hundred Patriots were killed in the battle, including some of my relatives. Thankfully, my 5th great-grandfather, Elisha Blackman Jr. survived. The details of the battle and his survival are recorded in several books from contemporary accounts. I have quoted some of that here:
"The British forces arrived in the Wyoming Valley on June 30, 1778 having alerted the settlers to their approach by killing three men working at an unprotected gristmill on June 28. The next day Colonel Butler sent a surrender demand to the militia at Wintermute's (Wintermoot) Fort. Terms were arranged that the defenders, after surrendering the fort with all their arms and stores, would be released on the condition that they not bear arms again during the war."
"On July 3, however, the British saw that the defenders were gathering in great numbers outside of Forty Fort (E on map). Butler organized an ambush. He ordered Fort Wintermute set on fire, and the Patriots, believing it signified a British retreat, advanced rapidly. Butler told the Indians to lie flat on the ground so as not to be seen."
"The militia - including 18-year-old Elisha Jr. (son of Elisha II), a private in the “Lower Wilkes-Barre Company” - advanced to within a hundred yards of the British rangers and fired three volleys at them. The Seneca rose to their feet, fired one time, and then charged the militia to engage in hand-to-hand combat.
An order to reform the Patriot line instead turned into a frantic rout as the inexperienced militiamen panicked and began to run. It became a deadly footrace, from which only about sixty Patriots escaped. Many militiamen were tortured, slain, and in some cases scalped, despite the British orders to respect their remains.
In the hardest part of the battle Elisha Jr. saw his brother-in-law, Darius Spafford, fall mortally wounded, and he became so intent on avenging his death that it was some time before he discovered that the Americans were losing ground. In the flight from the field he and a companion headed for the river. Indians chased them and called to them to surrender, assuring them that they would not be hurt. Blackman did not surrender, but his companion did, only to have his skull immediately split open with a tomahawk. Elisha Jr. strained every nerve to escape and did so by swimming to Monocanock Island—with the bullets fired by the pursuing savages whistling about his head. He remained in hiding on the island until after nightfall, and then made his way to Forty Fort. The next morning he set out for Wilkes-Barre, where his father, Elisha II was stationed with the rest of the family.
Elisha Blackman II (father of Elisha Jr.,) was among those garrisoned at Fort Wilkes-Barre (B on map) during the Wyoming Massacre. The day after the battle, July 4, fearing for his family’s safety, he said to his wife, Lucy:
“Take the children and make the best of your way to a place of safety; we must stay and defend the fort.” Lucy took her daughters, Lucy (wife of Titus Darrow), Lovina (wife of Darius Spafford) and sons Ichabod (who was 17) and Eleazer (who was only 13) and set out by the “Warrior Path.” They took with them two horses, but in their alarm and distress took no provisions. They got on their way a scanty supply of huckleberries, but on the third day, having reached the German settlements in Northampton County, they were kindly cared for and supplied with proper food. They finally arrived at their old home in Connecticut.
Late in the morning of July 4th Elisha II was joined at the Wilkes Barre fort by his son Elisha Jr., who had escaped from the battlefield, and in the afternoon they set out on foot for Fort Penn. The Blackman family’s house and barn and their contents were totally destroyed when Wilkes-Barré was burnt by the British and their allies. He also lost his oxen and other stock, with the exception of two cows. That afternoon, father and son followed their family to Connecticut. In August 1778, Elisha Jr. returned to Wyoming with Captain Spalding’s company, and in August helped to bury the dead at Wyoming.
Several of my ancestors and their families were affected by the Wyoming Massacre. Mu ancestor, ABIGAIL BEERS, was first married to PHILLIP WEEKS, who, along with his two brothers, was killed in the battle. Her second husband (my ancestor), ISHMAEL BENNETT was stationed at nearby Pittson Fort with his first wife, Sarah (or Martha) and three children. Luckily, he survived to later marry Abigail.
Here is an account of farmer Weeks (father of Abigail’s first husband, Phillip) and how he lost several family members but managed to escape with his two granddaughters (they are only related to us by marriage but still an incredible story):
At the time of the Wyoming Massacre, Sarah (Benedict) and her younger sister, Tirzah, together with her father, the mother having died, were living with their elderly grandfather Mr. Weeks in the Wyoming valley. Seven persons had gone out to battle, Philip, Jonathan and Bartholomew Weeks, his son-in-law, Jabez Beers, A. Benedict (Sarah’s father) and Josiah Carman, his relatives, and Robert Bates, a boarder. Horrible slaughter. — The whole seven lay dead on the field at night. A band of Indians came to the house of Mr. Weeks and bade him remove.
“How can I?” said he. “My whole family you have slain.”
Taking provisions, the Indians feasted heartily, when one of them wheeled a large rocking chair into the road, took the hat from the old gentleman and putting it on his own head, sat down and rocked himself. Allowing him to take a pair of oxen, they gave Mr. Weeks 3 days to prepare for his departure when they set fire to the buildings and “destroyed all that was left.”
Sarah was at this time a girl of 16. She walked nearly all the way to Connecticut, a distance of at least 300 miles, carrying her 4-year old sister, Tirzah. It was a terrible journey wading deep streams, climbing mountains and continually fearful of the Indians. But at last they reached Connecticut safely. Two years later, she married John Taylor, and came back to Pennsylvania to live. They settled at Providence, Luzerne County. She made a number of visits back to Connecticut on horseback, carrying one or two of her children with her. She never ceased trying to impress on her children and grandchildren the importance of those strenuous days when they were pioneering, when Indians were friendly and otherwise.
* Map - A-Fort Durkee, B-Fort Wyoming or Wilkesbarre, C-Fort Ogden, D-Kingston Village, E-Forty Fort, G-battleground, H-Fort Jenkins, I-Monocasy Island, J-Pittstown stockades, G-Queen Esther's Rock.
"The British forces arrived in the Wyoming Valley on June 30, 1778 having alerted the settlers to their approach by killing three men working at an unprotected gristmill on June 28. The next day Colonel Butler sent a surrender demand to the militia at Wintermute's (Wintermoot) Fort. Terms were arranged that the defenders, after surrendering the fort with all their arms and stores, would be released on the condition that they not bear arms again during the war."
"On July 3, however, the British saw that the defenders were gathering in great numbers outside of Forty Fort (E on map). Butler organized an ambush. He ordered Fort Wintermute set on fire, and the Patriots, believing it signified a British retreat, advanced rapidly. Butler told the Indians to lie flat on the ground so as not to be seen."
"The militia - including 18-year-old Elisha Jr. (son of Elisha II), a private in the “Lower Wilkes-Barre Company” - advanced to within a hundred yards of the British rangers and fired three volleys at them. The Seneca rose to their feet, fired one time, and then charged the militia to engage in hand-to-hand combat.
An order to reform the Patriot line instead turned into a frantic rout as the inexperienced militiamen panicked and began to run. It became a deadly footrace, from which only about sixty Patriots escaped. Many militiamen were tortured, slain, and in some cases scalped, despite the British orders to respect their remains.
In the hardest part of the battle Elisha Jr. saw his brother-in-law, Darius Spafford, fall mortally wounded, and he became so intent on avenging his death that it was some time before he discovered that the Americans were losing ground. In the flight from the field he and a companion headed for the river. Indians chased them and called to them to surrender, assuring them that they would not be hurt. Blackman did not surrender, but his companion did, only to have his skull immediately split open with a tomahawk. Elisha Jr. strained every nerve to escape and did so by swimming to Monocanock Island—with the bullets fired by the pursuing savages whistling about his head. He remained in hiding on the island until after nightfall, and then made his way to Forty Fort. The next morning he set out for Wilkes-Barre, where his father, Elisha II was stationed with the rest of the family.
Elisha Blackman II (father of Elisha Jr.,) was among those garrisoned at Fort Wilkes-Barre (B on map) during the Wyoming Massacre. The day after the battle, July 4, fearing for his family’s safety, he said to his wife, Lucy:
“Take the children and make the best of your way to a place of safety; we must stay and defend the fort.” Lucy took her daughters, Lucy (wife of Titus Darrow), Lovina (wife of Darius Spafford) and sons Ichabod (who was 17) and Eleazer (who was only 13) and set out by the “Warrior Path.” They took with them two horses, but in their alarm and distress took no provisions. They got on their way a scanty supply of huckleberries, but on the third day, having reached the German settlements in Northampton County, they were kindly cared for and supplied with proper food. They finally arrived at their old home in Connecticut.
Late in the morning of July 4th Elisha II was joined at the Wilkes Barre fort by his son Elisha Jr., who had escaped from the battlefield, and in the afternoon they set out on foot for Fort Penn. The Blackman family’s house and barn and their contents were totally destroyed when Wilkes-Barré was burnt by the British and their allies. He also lost his oxen and other stock, with the exception of two cows. That afternoon, father and son followed their family to Connecticut. In August 1778, Elisha Jr. returned to Wyoming with Captain Spalding’s company, and in August helped to bury the dead at Wyoming.
Several of my ancestors and their families were affected by the Wyoming Massacre. Mu ancestor, ABIGAIL BEERS, was first married to PHILLIP WEEKS, who, along with his two brothers, was killed in the battle. Her second husband (my ancestor), ISHMAEL BENNETT was stationed at nearby Pittson Fort with his first wife, Sarah (or Martha) and three children. Luckily, he survived to later marry Abigail.
Here is an account of farmer Weeks (father of Abigail’s first husband, Phillip) and how he lost several family members but managed to escape with his two granddaughters (they are only related to us by marriage but still an incredible story):
At the time of the Wyoming Massacre, Sarah (Benedict) and her younger sister, Tirzah, together with her father, the mother having died, were living with their elderly grandfather Mr. Weeks in the Wyoming valley. Seven persons had gone out to battle, Philip, Jonathan and Bartholomew Weeks, his son-in-law, Jabez Beers, A. Benedict (Sarah’s father) and Josiah Carman, his relatives, and Robert Bates, a boarder. Horrible slaughter. — The whole seven lay dead on the field at night. A band of Indians came to the house of Mr. Weeks and bade him remove.
“How can I?” said he. “My whole family you have slain.”
Taking provisions, the Indians feasted heartily, when one of them wheeled a large rocking chair into the road, took the hat from the old gentleman and putting it on his own head, sat down and rocked himself. Allowing him to take a pair of oxen, they gave Mr. Weeks 3 days to prepare for his departure when they set fire to the buildings and “destroyed all that was left.”
Sarah was at this time a girl of 16. She walked nearly all the way to Connecticut, a distance of at least 300 miles, carrying her 4-year old sister, Tirzah. It was a terrible journey wading deep streams, climbing mountains and continually fearful of the Indians. But at last they reached Connecticut safely. Two years later, she married John Taylor, and came back to Pennsylvania to live. They settled at Providence, Luzerne County. She made a number of visits back to Connecticut on horseback, carrying one or two of her children with her. She never ceased trying to impress on her children and grandchildren the importance of those strenuous days when they were pioneering, when Indians were friendly and otherwise.
* Map - A-Fort Durkee, B-Fort Wyoming or Wilkesbarre, C-Fort Ogden, D-Kingston Village, E-Forty Fort, G-battleground, H-Fort Jenkins, I-Monocasy Island, J-Pittstown stockades, G-Queen Esther's Rock.
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