ere to become a stumbling-block to any
attempt at treating with Canada or maintaining what is called
civilized warfare (can any warfare be civilized?). Schuyler, Hawley,
Oliver Wolcott, and other distinguished men of high character
attempted in vain to hold the Indians to neutrality. Congress at one
time voted that Indians should not be employed in the service
excepting where a whole nation, after full consideration, decided to
act together. At another time Congress asked Schuyler to employ two
thousand Indians for military service. Sir John Johnson's career, his
apparent acquiescence in Schuyler's demands, his conduct when taking
and when breaking his parole, his apology being that the Patriots had
no established authority, and his repeated invasions of this country
showed him to be the growth of the treachery which is bred among men
who use the sordid and brutal nature of savages for evil purposes.

It is interesting to me that Lieutenant-colonel Mellen led
Massachusetts militia to Fort Schuyler to aid Gansevoort, and that,
when in August, 1777, Arnold set out to the relief of Gansevoort he
led Massachusetts volunteers from Colonel Learned's battalion, and
that again in the summer and fall of 1780 Brown led Massachusetts men
to defend this neighborhood from the murderous invasion of Sir John
Johnson. At Oriskany, Herkimer was hurried into action by his inferior
officers in the manner characteristic of the independent and valorous
spirit of his time, and Oriskany in 1777 was one of the most brutal
conflicts between Tories and Patriots. Sullivan's retaliating
expedition of July, 1778, was as bad in its character and effects as
anything ever done on behalf of any cause, good or bad. The
destruction of many Indian villages by Sullivan and General James
Clinton was no doubt thorough, but of little avail, although it was
thought wise to retaliate for the horrors of Wyoming.

Early in May, 1780, the information came to this neighborhood that Sir
John Johnson was moving from Lake Champlain towards Johnstown with a
considerable force, that Brant was marching against the Canajoharie
settlements with a body of savages and that the Tories would join
them. Johnson landed at Bulwagga Bay, near Crown Point, and, pushing
through the forest and down the valley of the Sacandoga, he appeared
near Johnstown. On the 21st of May, 1780, his forces divided, and
poured into the lower valley of the Mohawk along a line of ten miles.
From Trib