t the patriot cause.
Sir John was at first furious because such a demand had been made; but,
badly frightened by General Schuyler's display of force, he finally
consented, since he could do nothing better, and the colonists marched to
Johnson Hall, where the surrender was made.
Then it was that General Herkimer was detailed to disarm the Tories in the
valley, and while carrying out such orders quite naturally made enemies of
the majority of them.
Therefore it was, according to the belief of the soldier, that General
Herkimer would have little or no weight with Brant so far as rescuing
Peter Sitz was concerned, if there chanced at the moment to be Tories near
at hand to whisper in his ear.
Just now it seems necessary for me to set down that which happened after
Sir John Johnson's surrender, if so it could be called, to General
Schuyler, and I can best do it by copying that which I have seen in a
printed sheet concerning our troubles in the Mohawk Valley:
"It soon afterward became evident that what Sir John had promised, when
constrained by fear, would not be performed when the cause of that fear
was removed. He violated his parole of honor, and the Highlanders began
to be as bold as ever in their oppressions of the Whigs. Congress thought
it dangerous to allow Johnson his liberty, and directed Schuyler to seize
his person, and to proceed vigorously against the Highlanders in his
vicinity. Colonel Dayton was entrusted with the command of the expedition
for the purpose, and in May (1776) he proceeded to Johnstown. The baronet
had friends among the Loyalists in Albany, by whom he was timely informed
of the intentions of Congress. Hastily collecting a large number of
Scotchmen and other Tories, he fled to the woods by the way of the
Sacandaga, where it is supposed they were met by Indians sent from Canada
to escort them thither, for a certain time afterward, in one of his
speeches, Thayendanega said: 'We went in a body to the town then in
possession of the enemy, and rescued Sir John Johnson, bringing him
fearlessly through the streets.'
"Amid perils and hardships of every kind the baronet and his companions
traversed the wilderness between the headwaters of the Hudson and the St.
Lawrence, and after nineteen days' wanderings arrived at Montreal. Sir
John was immediately commissioned a colonel in the British service; he
raised two battalions of Loyalists called the Johnson Greens, and declared
himself the bittere
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