CONOCOCHEAGUE, Nov. 3d, 1755.

To the Hon. R. H. Morris, Esq., Gov. of Province of Pennsylvania.

Sir:-I am sorry I have to trouble you with this melancholy and disagreeable news; for on Saturday an express came from Peters' township that the inhabitants of the Great Cove were all murdered or taken captive, and their houses and barns all in flames- some few fled, upon notice brought them by a certain Patrick Burns, a captive, who had made his escape that very morning before this sad tragedy was done. Upon information, as aforesaid, John Potter and myself sent expresses through our neighborhood, which induced many of them to meet with us, at John McDowell's mill, where I, with many others, had the unhappy prospect to see the smoke of two houses which had been set on fire by the Indians; viz: Mathew Patton's and Mesech James' houses, where their cattle were shot down, and horses standing bleeding, with Indian arrows in them; but the Indians had fled.

The Revd. Mr. Steel, Esq., and several others with us, to the number of about one hundred, went in quest of the Indians, with all the expedition imaginable, but without success. These Indians have likewise taken two women captives, belonging to said township. I very much fear Path Valley has undergone the same fate.

George Croghan was at Aughwick, where he had a small fort and about thirty-five men; but whether he has been molested or not, we cannot, as yet say. We, to be sure, are in as bad circumstances as ever any poor christians were ever in. For the cries of widowers, widows, fatherless and motherless children, with many others for their relations, are enough to pierce the hardest of hearts. It is likewise a very sorrowful spectacle to see those that escaped with their lives, have not a mouthful to eat or bed to lie on, or clothes to cover their nakedness, or keep them warm; but all they had, consumed into ashes.These deplorable circumstances cry aloud for your Honor's most wise consideration; and that your Honor would take cognizance of, and grant what shall seem most meet. How shocking it is for the husband to see the wife of his bosom, have her head cut off, and the childrens' blood drunk like water by these bloody and cruel savages; as we are informed it has been the fate of many.

While writing, I have received intelligence by some that fled from the Cove, that chiefly those in the upper part of it were killed, and taken. One Galloway's son escaped after he saw his grand-mother shot down, and other relations taken prisoners.

From some news I have had, I am apprehensive that George Croghan is in distress; thongh just now Mr. Burd, with about forty men, left my house, and we intend to join him to-morrow at Mr. McDowell's mill, with all the force we can raise, in order to see what damages have been done, and for his relief.

As we have no magazines at present to supply the guards, or scouts, the whole weight of their maintenance lies chiefly upon a few persons. I pray your Honor to excuse what blunders there are by reason of haste. I am with due regard, your Honor's

Most obedient and humble servant,

ADAM HOOPS.

May it please your Honor:

CONOCOCHEAGUE, Nov. 6, 1755.

I have sent enclosed two qualifications, one of which is Patrick Burns', the bearer, and a tomahawk which was found sticking in the breast of one David McClellan.

The people of Path Valley are all gathered in a small fort, and according to the last account, were safe. The Great Cove and Canalloways are all buried to ashes, and about fifty persons killed or taken.Numbers of the inhabitants of this county have moved their families, some to York county, some to Maryland.

Hance Hamilton, Esq. is now at John McDowell's mill, with upwards of two hundred men (from York county) and two hundred from this county; in all about four hundred. To-morrow we intend to go to the Cove and Path Vailey, in order to bring what cattle and horses the Indians let live. We are informed by a Delaware Indian who lives amongst us, that on the same day the murder was committed, he saw four hundred Indians in the Cove; and we have some reason to believe they are about there yet.

The people of Shearman's creek and Juniata have all come away, and left their horses; and there are now about thirty miles of this county laid waste. I am afraid there will soon be more.

I am your Honor's most

Humble servant,

ADAM HOOrs.

P. S. I have just received the account of one George McSwane, who was taken captive about 14 days ago, and has made his escape, and brought two scalps and a tomahawk with him.

Shortly after the Indians had made hostile incursions into the Great Cove and commenced their devastation, Sheriff Potter was in Philadelphia, as appears from the following extract, under date of Nov. 14, 1755.-Prov. Rec. N. 289.

Mr. Potter, the sheriff of Cumberland being in town was sent for, and desired to give an account of the upper part of that county in which the Indians had committed their late ravages; and he said that twenty-seven plantations were burnt and a great quantity of cattle killed; that a woman 93 years of age was found lying killed with her breast torn off and a stake run through her body. That of 93 families which were settled in the two Coves and the Conolloways, 47 were either killed or taken, and the rest deserted.

The names of those murdered and abducted, besides those already mentioned, are given in the Pennsylvania Gazette of Nov. 13, 1755, and are as follows:

Elizabeth Gallway, Henry Gilson, Robert Peer, William Berryhill, and David McClelland were murdered. The missing are John Martin's wife and five children; William Gallway's wife and two children, and a young woman; Charles

Stewart's wife and two children; David McClelland's wife and two children. William Fleming and wife were taken prisoners. Fleming's son, and one Hicks, were killed and scalped.

Mr. Peters, Esq.

PAXTON, 9th November, 1755.

I have just now received an express, informing me that out of a small party on guard last night in Tullyhoe's gap of the mountain, five were killed and two wounded. Such shockings accounts we frequently receive, and though we are careful to transmit them to Philadelphia, and remonstrate and petition from time to time, yet to no purpose, so that we seem to be given up into the hands of a merciless enemy.

There are within these few weeks upwards of forty of his majesty's subjects massacred on the frontiers of this and Cumberland counties, besides a great many carried into captivity, and yet nothing but unseasonable debates between the two parties of our legislature, instead of uniting on some probable scheme for the protection of the province. What may be the end of these things, God only knows; but I really fear that unless vigorous methods are speedily used, we in these back settlements will unavoidably fall a sacrifice, and this part of the province be lost.

If I have expressed my sentiments with too much warmth, you will be kind enough to pardon me, as it proceeds from a hearty regard to the public good.

Towards the close of December 1755, the Indians committed some murders in Shearman's valley. The following is an extract from the narrative of Robert Robison, as contained in Loudon's Narratives, pages 171–72.

"The next I remember of was in 1755, the Woolcomber's family on Shearman's creek; the whole of the inhabitants of the valley was gathered at Robison's, but the Woolcomber would not leave home, he said it was the Irish who were killing one another, these peaceable people, the Indians, would not hurt any person. Being at home and at dinner, the Indians came in, and the Quaker asked them to come and eat dinner; an Indian announced that he did not come to eat, but for scalps; the son, a boy of fourteen or fifteen years of age, when he heard the Indian say so, repaired to a back door, and as he went out he looked back, and saw the Indian strike the tomahawk into his father's head. The boy then ran over the creek, which was near to the house, and

heard the screams of his mother, sisters and brother. The boy came to our fort and gave us the alarm; about forty went to where the murder was done and buried the dead."

In the year 1755, says Loudon, Peter Shaver, John Savage and two other men were killed at the mouth of Shaver's creek, or Juniata, by the Indians.

CHAPTER VII.

INDIAN MASSACRES—(1756).

Murderers committed in Tuscarora valley---At the Canalaways, mur. ders committed and dwellings burnt--Widow Coxe's house burnt near McDowell's mill; John and Richard Coxe, and John Craig ab. ducted--Several persons killed in Cumberland (Perry) county---Sheridan and family killed---Indians appear in Little Cove-Indians pursued in Peters' township; skirmage, several persons killed---Indians appear at Lycan's--Bell's adventures---McCord's forts in Conococheague burnt---Engagement with the Indians at Sidling Hill (Bedford county ;) a number of persons killed; names of killed and wounded---Hance Hamilton's letter, &c.---Captain Steel's letter, touching the same; Shippen's letter, &c.---Coves attacked, &c.---Indians surprise settlers in Conococheague--Indians murder in Peters' township---Indians appear again in Shearman's valley, and commit murders-Fort Granville taken, and several persons killed---Copy of the original of a paper put up at Fort Granville--Translation of---Hamilton's letter, &c.-Armstrong's letter, &c.---A family of seven persons murdered in Shearman's valley---Remaining inhabitants of Cumberland petition government---Inhabitants of East Pennsborough, petition-Farmers abandon their improvements---Murders committed by the savages on the west and east side of the Susquehanna---Galbreath's letter--Reed's letters, &c.

Regardless of the inclemencies of the winter, the Indians still continued committing the most shocking murders imaginable, all along an unprotected frontier from the Delaware river to the Potomac. Towards the close of January 1756, they perpetrated murders on the Juniata river, within a few miles of Fort Patterson, at the mouth of Tuscarora valley, opposite Mexico.

On the 28th of January the Indians murdered a number of persons at the Canallaways, in Cumberland county (now Bedford). According to the Pennsylvania Gazette, of February 12, 1756, "they killed and scalped James Leaton,