Lot 4092
New York - Cherry Valley Massacre. A rare first-hand acccount of the Cherry Valley Massacre, an attack by British and Iroquois Indian forces on a fort and village in eastern New York on November 11, 1778. Captain Walter Butler led two companies of Butler's Rangers and Mohawk chief Joseph Brant led some 500 Indians. The resulting massacre, in which women and children were scalped, outraged American colonists and brought about Sullivan's Expedition: George Washington sent Major John Sullivan to engage the Tories and Iroquois at Newtown, decisively defeating and neutralizing them. In this 3-page document: "City of Albany…Adam Brown Junr., late of Schohary…being examined….," Nov. 25, 1778. Brown names his stepfather, Adam Criseler, and many others who took part in the massacre, as well as numbers of those who destroyed German Flats in Sept. 1778. In part: "…he met young [Walter] Butler with a Party…returning from the German Flatts - That there at Chamunk they held a Council whether they should proceed to Schohary or to Cherry Valley and it was determined to go to Cherry Valley. That they then proceeded…to above Unadella and there held another Council and again determined to go to Cherry Valley and from thence to proceed down the Mohawk River and then return to Niagara. That he proceeded with them from about a Days March and after the last mentioned Council and then deserted them & come to Schohary….while he was at Niagara four Hundred Men arrived from Montreal under the Command of Colonel Carlton - they were regulars….they intended to March with heavy Cannon against Fort Schuyler early next Spring at the same time to send parties of Indians on the Frontiers…." He also adds a bit about the escape of Walter Butler from an Albany prison by drugging the sentry. Ichabod Alden, Colonel of the 7th Mass. Regiment, was quartered in Cherry Valley for its protection, but, being an inept commander, he ignored much of the advance intelligence provided to him on November 6 detailing the proceedings of the second council at Chemung, which Brown specifically mentions above!
Brown makes another important remark in his statement: "…That he saw John McGinnes and his Father The Old McGinnes making Hatches for the Indians--that another person was there at work on guns…." Brown is referring to "hatchets" i.e., tomahawks. This documents the McGinnes as makers of these weapons. Rarely does this occur!!
Estimated Value $1,500 - 2,000.
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| Realized $863 |
