| Citation |
BG.756.048
4 Oct 1756:12,13 (79)
Philadelphia, Sept. 23. Saturday last arrived an express
from Col. Armstrong, of Cumberland County, with advice, that
he marched from Fort-Shirley on the 30th past, wtih about
300 of our provincial forces, on an expedition against
Kittanning, a town of our Indian enemies, on the Ohio, about
25 miles above Fort Duquesne. ON the 3d instant he joined
the advanced party at the beaver dams, near Franks-Town; and
on the 7th in the evening, being within 6 miles of
Kittanning, the scouts discovered a fire in the road, and
reported that there were but 3, or at most 4 Indians at it.
It was not tho't proper to attempt surprising those Indians
at that time, lest if one should escape the town might be
alarmed; so Lieutenant Hogg, with 12 men were left to watch
them, with orders not to fall upon them till day-break; and
our forces turned out of the path to pass by their fire
without disturbing them. About 3 in the morning, having
been guided by the whooping of the Indian warriors at a
dance in the town, they reached the river, 100 perches below
the body of the town, hear a corn field, in which a number
of the enemy lodged out of their cabbins, as it was a warm
night. As soon as day appeared, and the town could be seen,
the attack began in the cornfield, through which our people
charged, killing several of the enemy, and entered the
town. Capt. Jacobs, Chief of the Indians, gave the war
whoop, and defended his house bravely thro' loopholes in the
logs. And the Indians generally refusing quarters, which
were offered them, declaring they were men, and would not be
prisoners. Col. Armstrong (who now received a wound in his
shoulder by a musket ball) ordered their houses to be set on
fire over their heads, which was immediately done by the
officers and soldiers with great activity. When the Indians
were told they would be burnt if they did not surrender, one
of them reply'd, he did not care, as he could kill 4 or 5
before he died, and as the heat approached, some began to
sing.--Some however burst out of the houses and attempted to
reach the river, but were instantly shot down.--Captain
Jacobs, in getting out of a window, was shot and scalped, as
also his squaw, and a lad, called the King's son. The
Indians had a number of spare arms in their houses loaded,
which went off in quick succession, as the fire came to
them; and quantities of gunpowder which had been stored in
every house blew up from time to time, throwing some of
their bodies a great height into the air.--
. . . [38 lines + 1 para. more]
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