(11.) And of course, 1763.
Collection: The Pennsylvania Gazette
Publication: The Pennsylvania Gazette
Date: October 13, 1763
Title: PHILADELPHIA, October 13.
PHILADELPHIA, October 13.
Wetterholt's militia party (number not mentioned) out of Fort Allen is attacked while unprepared at a private residence:
On Sunday Night last an Express arrived from Northampton County , with the following melancholy Account, viz. "That on the Morning before the House of John Stinton, about eight Miles from Bethlehem, was attacked by the Indians as follows. Captain Wetherholt, with a Party, belonging to Fort Allen, being at that House, and intending early for the Fort, ordered a Servant out to get his Horse ready, who was immediately shot down by the Enemy; upon which the Captain going to the Door, was also fired at, and mortally wounded: That then a Serjeant attempted to pull in the Captain; and to shut the Door, but he was likewise dangerously wounded: That the Lieutenant next advanced, when an Indian jumped upon the Bodies of the two others, and presented a Pistol to his Breast, which he put a little aside, and it went off over his Shoulder, whereby he got the Indian out of the House, and shut the Door: That the Indians after this went round to a Window, and as Stinton was getting out of Bed, shot him, but not dead, and he breaking out of the House, ran about a MIle, where he dropt and died: That his Wife, and 2 Children, ran down into the Cellar, where they were shot at three Times, but escaped: That Captain Wetherholt, finding himself growing very weak, crawled to a Window, and shot an Indian dead, it was thought, as he was setting Fire to the House with a Match: And that upon this the other Indians carried him away with them, and went off. Captain Wetherholt died soon after."
Here at Adam Tashler's were "...about 20 men in arms..."
Extract of a Letter from Bethlehem, October 9.
"Early this Morning came Nicholas Marks, of Whitehall Township, and brought the following Account, viz. That Yesterday, just after Dinner, as he opened his Door, he saw an Indian standing about two Poles from the House, who endeavoured to shoot at him; but Marks shutting the Door immediately, the Fellow slipt into a Cellar, close by the House. After this said Marks went out of the House, with his Wife, and an Apprentice Boy, in order to make their Escape, and saw another Indian standing behind a Tree, who also tried to shoot at them, but his Gun missed Fire. They then saw a third Indian running through the Orchard; upon which they made the best of their Way, about two Miles off, to one Adam Tashler, where about 20 Men in Arms were assembled, who went first to the House of Jacob Mekly, where they found a Boy and Girl lying dead, and the Girl scalped. From thence they went to Hance Sneider, and said MarkPlantations, and found both the Houses on Fire, and a Horse tied to the Bushes. They also found said Sneider, his Wife and three Children, dead in the Field, the Man and Woman scalped, but not the Children. On going further, they found three Girls, one dead, the other two wounded, one of which scalped. After this they returned, with the two wounded Girls, to Adam Tashlerand saw a Woman, Jacob AllmongWife, with a Child, lying dead in the Road, and scalped. The Number of the Indians, they think, was between Fifteen and Twenty.
"I cannot describe the deplorable Condition this poor Country is in; most of the Inhabitants of AllenTown, and other Places, are fled from their Habitations. Many are in Bethlehem, and other Places of the Brethren, and others farther down the Country. I cannot ascertain the Number killed, but think it exceeds Twenty. The People at Nazareth, and other Places belonging to the Brethren, have put themselves in the best Posture of Defence they can; they keep a strong Watch every Night, and hope, by the Blessing of God, if they are attacked, to make a good Stand."
