P H I L A D E L P H I A<\/p>\n
Extract of a letter from Carlifle, dated March 14.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cAn affair has lately happened in the upper end of Source:\u00a0 microfilm edition of Bradford’s Pennsylvania Journal, transcribed by Karen Ramsburg.<\/p>\n P H I L A D E L P H I A.<\/p>\n Extract of a letter from Carlifle, March 19, 1765.<\/em> Source:\u00a0 microfilm edition of Bradford’s Pennsylvania Journal, transcribed by Karen Ramsburg.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" 3\/14\/1765 Bradford Journal P H I L A D E L P H I A Extract of a letter from Carlifle, dated March 14. \u201cAn affair has lately happened in the upper end of Cumberland, which has given us, and … Continue reading
\nCumberland, which has given us, and the beft thinking
\npeople of the county, much uneafinefs. Sometime ago
\nCapt. Calender demployed several waggons to carry Indian
\ngoods to Mr. Pollan\u2019s in Conogochieg, to be carried
\nthence by pack horfes to Fort Pitt. Unhappily the head
\ncame out of one of the barrels which was full of fcalping
\nknives (fay the people) pruning knives fay others, the news
\nof this alarmed the upper end of the county, and the
\nneighbouring parts of Maryland and Virginia, upon
\nwhich advertifements were pofted up, inviting all to join
\nand prevent the carrying ammunition and fuch like
\nthings to the Indians, by which the frontiers had fuffer-
\ned fo much before. (This we in Carlifle heard by the
\npack horfe mafters who came down to the fettlements).
\nOur next news was, that a number from Maryland, Vir-
\nginia, and Conogochieg, had followed and overtaken
\neighty-one horfes laden with goods, killed the horfes,
\nfired at the drivers, and burned the goods, which alarm-
\ned us very much. Hereupon Mr. Calender rode thither,
\nby whom on his return we learned, that 4 or 5 horfes
\nwere fhot, and fixty-one horfe load of goods were burned;
\neighteen loads of rum, and two of match coating were
\nsaved; we underftood likewife that Robert Alifon, who
\nhad undertaken to carry out part of faid goods, was dif-
\npatched from Loudon, with a number of Higlanders
\nto the place where this happened, ivz. near Sidling-Hill,
\nand upon their return Loudon, took up two or three
\npeople whom they fufpected, and brought to Loudon,
\nupon which we are informed, feveral parties appeared
\nin arms about Loudon, and demanded the men to be
\nenlarged upon bail which was accordingly done, and
\nthen Mr. Calender returned to Carlifle.
\nWe are further informed that another party, fuppofed
\nto be moftly from the borders of Maryland, met at Pol-
\nlan\u2019s, alias Howe\u2019s, and examined the remainder of the
\ngoods, and fearched for ammuntion, but finding none
\nwent to Mr. Maxwel\u2019s, where they found and
\nburned fome cafks of powder. \u2013This, Sir, is the trueft account
\nwe could learn.\u2014It gives us much concern that an af-
\nfair of this nature fhould have at all happened, and the
\nrather as the innocents will fhare in the reproach but
\nthis is not to be omitted, which gives us a good deal of
\nfatisfaction, that few, if any of the principal inhabitants
\nof Conogochieg were concerned, and that upon under-
\nftanding that there was a defign of this nature carried on
\nby fome hot-headed, ftiff people, they ufed their utmoft
\nendeavours to difcourage and diffuade them from fuch an
\nundertaking, and that particularly William Smith, Efq;
\nand John Mc. Dowel, ftrove with all their might to
\ncrufh it.
\nWe make no doubt, Sir, from the temper that feems
\nto prevail with fome, but that the body of Conogochicg
\nfettlement, will be reprefented as concerned, and from
\nthe difpofition which fome are already difcovering, we
\nare ready to apprehend, that endeavours will be ufed,
\nand innuendo\u2019s given that the whole county will be tra-
\nduced as privy, or acceffaries to a fact which we heartily
\ncondemn; we therefore moft humbly requeft, Sir, that
\nyou will inform our friends of the true ftate of the affair,
\nand we hope that the moft thinking and virtous of
\nevery focity, will not eafily admit innuendoes and in-
\ndifcriminate reflections, which men may to liberally
\npour out on the county in general.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n3\/19\/1765 Bradford Journal<\/h1>\n
\n“Some few days ago, we tranfmitted you an account
\nof the Connogochig affair, according to the beft infor-
\nmation we could obtain, and tho we have had later
\naccounts, yet nothing contrary to what we gave you.
\nA few days ago William Smith, Efq; came to Carlifle,
\nfrom whom we have had a very circumftantial narrative,
\nvis. That upon the firft report of goods being upon
\nthe road, the country were alarmed, hearing that a
\nvaft quantity of ammunition and fcalping knives were
\ncarrying out; that many of the people had applied to
\nhim, complaining that before there was any confirmed
\naccount of a peace being eftablifhed with the Indians,
\nammunition fhould be fent to them; alledging that if it
\nhad been by authority, either fome of the King\u2019s troops
\nwould have efcorted the ammnioion, or the General\u2019s or-
\nders been made known, and hence concluded that it muft
\nbe the mere motion of fome merchants who wanted to
\ncatch the benefit of an early commerce with the Savages.
\nSo reafoned the people. Mr. Smith advifed them, not
\nto raife any difturbance, and to fatisfy themfelves by
\nenquiring of one Winfton who accompanied faid goods;
\nthe young man was not condefcending enough to hum-
\nour the people, which increafed their fufpicion and
\nraifed their indignation. A part of the goods at
\nlength fet off, and as the carriers were paffing into the
\nGreat Cove by the houfe of faid William Smith, then
\nwere overtaken by a confiderable body of men armed,
\nwho feemed much enraged; but by the endeavours of
\nMr. Smith and the fair words of Elias Davies and Ro-
\nbert Alifon who were employed to carry out faid goods,
\nwere perfuaded not to ftop the horfes, and a good many
\nwent home, but ftill a great number, fufpecting that
\nthere was no ammunition; this the people feened
\nfatisfied, and next morning as Ellas Davies who was to
\ngo no further than the Cove, returned, the greateft part
\nof the people returned with him, he thought they had
\nall come back and as they paffed Mr. Smith\u2019s houfe,
\nMr. Smith believed this to be the cafe and all danger
\nwas over. But Mr. Smith thinks a few, not above 15
\nor 16 * according to the beft accounts he could get,
\nhad parted that morning from the reft and privately
\nfollowed the carriers, and near Sidling Hill did the mif-
\nchief, viz. fhot fix horfes and burnt about fixty loads of
\nthe goods. Mr. Smith was for fome time of the opinion
\nthat it was done by a company from Virginia, as a
\nreport prevailed among them, that the Virginians on
\nthe frontier had fo threatened.
\n\u201cAs to the confequent burning of feven or eight cafks
\nof poder at Mr. Maxwells, our opinion that it was by
\na company from Maryland is more confirmed by a depo-
\nfition made this day before John Holmes, Efq; by one
\nMr. Volgomot in Maryland, near Potomack, who being
\noccafionally here, was taken up on fufpicion by Capt.
\nCallender, who was threatned to be put into goal unlefs
\nhe would give bail for his appearance; he dipofed that
\non the 10th inftant, a number of armed men rode by his
\nhoufe towards Pennfylvania, he enquired whither they
\nwere going, but gave him no other anfwer, \u201cBut up
\nthe road.\u201d\u2014That faid company returned next day, and
\nhe again afked where they had been, they anfwered
\n\u201cUp the road,\u2014and further faid, that on that or
\nnet day on Pretor told him that faid company had de-
\nftroyed the powder at Maxwell\u2019s\u2014And we are of the 0-
\npinion, that the greateft part of the people who firft fol-
\nlowed the carriers, were moftly about the Line.\u2014I would
\nonly add, that however unreafonable the carrying out of
\ngoods, efpecially ammunition to the Indians (before
\nthere is the certainty of a peace) appears to many, yet
\nall the fenfible thinking people I have converfed with,
\ncondemn the conduct of thofe who feized and deftroyed
\nthem.\u201d
\n* The carriers in their affidavits, fay about twenty.<\/p>\n