This is the honor of the Tuscarora hero. How many among those of the white people who receive a pension would have done likewise, for conscience sake. Cusick could speak the English language very wel , but when he made an audible prayer, or said grace at the table, he used his native Tuscarora language, "because," said he, "when I speak in English, I am often at a loss for a word; when, therefore, I speak to the Great Spirit, I do not like to be perplexed, or have my mind distracted to look after a word, when I use my own language, it is like my breath, I am composed." In this is exemplified that he ful y understood the reverence which was due to the great Architect of the universe.
Solomon Longboard, also a Tuscarora Sachem, took an active part in the Revolutionary war, with many others of his nation. In one of their scouting parties, he, with others, was taken captive by the British Indians and brought to fort Niagara, where they were kept for some time, and urged to take up arms and fight against the revolutionists. Final y, this celebrated sachem, Longboard, held a secret council among the captives, and instructed them al to take arms and advance with the British Indians, and use their influence to lead them to a place where they might be captured, and they with the rest, which they successful y effected, and were re-captured by the Americans. Instead of gaining honor and laurels to his crown, he was to be sentenced to be shot as a traitor, but through the entreaties of the Tuscarora chiefs, and the influence of the feasibility of their story that was made on the executives, he was released, but never drew pension as did Mr. Cusick.
The Tuscaroras again evinced their friendship for the United States in the war of 1812, when they were asked to guard the Niagara river at Lewiston and down the river, against the British crossing it.
Here again we hear of the Tuscarora sachem, Solomon Longboard, with about thirty-five Tuscarora volunteers, stationed at Lewiston on guard. I have recorded some of the names of these volunteers, which I was able to obtain from some of the old people that were yet living in the year 1878, which are as fol ows, to-wit: The two sons of Solomon Longboard, Jacob Taylor, Joseph Cusick, John Cusick, David Cusick, John Black Nose and his brother, Samuel Thompson, John Obediah, Aaron Pempleton, James Pempleton, John Mt. Pleasant, Harry Patterson, John Green, Isaac Allen, Capt.
Williams, Gau-ya-re-na-twa, Wm. Printup, better known as little Billy, Black Chief, John Printup, Isaac Green, Surgin Green, George Printup.
There were but few of these that drew pension, as it was alleged that they were not enrolled upon the army rol .
On the night of December 19th, 1813, the British army and British Indians crossed the Niagara River near Calvin Hotchkis' place, about two miles below Lewiston. They noticed at first there were lights going across the river during the night, and at the dawn of day were despatched, Jacob Taylor (better known as Colonel Jacobs), and another Indian to accompany him--both being Tuscaroras. On their return they reported that the British Indians had crossed the river in great numbers. The news was circulated in the vil age of Lewiston and the neighboring country, that they might evacuate their places and go east, which they did, taking the Ridge road. The Tuscarora volunteers took the rear of the train as they moved eastward, commanded by their Sachem, Solomon Longboard.
The British Indians went on the pursuit. After they had gone about two miles from the village of Lewiston, where the Tuscarora Indians branched off on a road leading to their reservation, known as the Indian hil , or Mountain road. As they had advanced part way up the mountain they observed a Canada Indian on horseback, who headed off some of the train, and among the rest was also Bates Cooke, of Lewiston. One of his legs had, a little previous to that time, been amputated, and the main Canada force were about half a mile in the rear on pursuit. The commander of the Tuscarora force ordered that the Indian heading off the train be shot, which was done by John Obediah. The Indian tumbled off the horse and fel to the ground, and then got up and ran down the little hill into the wood, where it is said he died from the wound he received.
When the report of the gun was heard by the Canadian force and they saw the effect it had on their comrade, they halted. Their commander, Mr.
Longboard, of the Tuscaroras which numbered at that time twenty-six, from them selected three men and instructed them to get upon and to go along the top of the mountain and to blow a horn occasionally, which they had in their possession, and to keep nearly opposite the Canada Indians. The object was to serve as a scare-crow, to make them believe that there was a force also on the mountain in the act of flanking them. But the remaining force of Mr. Longboard rushed down the mountain with their war whoops as if legion were coming down, and pursued the Canada Indians, while the train of white people had gone on in their flight. The Canada Indians retreated about one mile and a half, near to where the main force were. Then one of their men halted and aimed his gun at one of our men, John Obediah, and the latter also aimed to his opponent, while Samuel Thompson got behind a large elm tree. In the meantime, John Obediah spoke to the stranger in al the different six languages of the Iroquois, but did not get an answer. These were the only two men in pursuit at this time, as the rest of them had halted some ways back. Final y the British Indian retreated backwards, keeping aim as he went, and all at once gave a spring and ran off. The three men that were on the mountain kept occasional y blowing the horn as they went, as the road is parallel with the mountain.
By this time the train of white people had gone quite a good ways in their flight: it is evident that the timely intervention of the Tuscarora Indians, saved great slaughter of men, women and children among the white people.
The Tuscaroras then went back and kept in the rear of the white people in their flight. The British Indians perceiving that it was the Tuscarora Indians that kil ed one of their number and repulsed them, made their way to their reservation, (the nation had already deserted their homes), and began to burn their houses indiscriminately, and also a meeting-house which was built by them, except eight dol ars, a convenient chapel where the early christian Tuscaroras such as Sacaresa and Solomon Longboard, both sachems, with many others, delighted to worship the Almighty in the simplicity of their faith. And after they had finished their destruction they went down in pursuit of the fleeing train of white people on the ridge road: by this time the Tuscaroras had stationed themselves at a log house, eight or ten miles from Lewiston, near Nathan Peterson's, which was used as an armory; when the Tuscaroras first came, there were a few white men there breaking open the powder kegs in this log house, making it ready to set on fire but the chief, Mr. Longboard, remonstrated in having it burned, and was interpreted to them by Colonel Jacobs, so they consented not to destroy the powder.
When the British Indians came in sight, Mr. Longboard instructed his men to keep moving back and forth from the log house or armory, to a thicket in the rear of the house, for the purpose of making the enemy believe that there was a large force stationed there; the enemy halted and final y went back, and thus the armory was saved. The manouvre of the Tuscarora Indians in these two cases above, was done with but very little sacrifice on their part, but the beneficence was great; but then, who cares anything about that, it was nothing but an Indian affair anyhow; this wil probably be the thought of those who peruse my little pages.
When the Tuscaroras evacuated their reservation they went to Oneida Castle and remained there during the war. In about the last part of June, 1814, there was a company of volunteers composed of about thirty Tuscaroras and a number of Oneida Indians, that started from Oneida Castle to Sackett's Harbor, to join themselves to an army that was commanded by General Brown; on their way there, when they arrived at Tonawanda. an officer came to them and asked where they were going; they answered, "to Sackett's Harbor, to join General Brown's army." The officer said, "that is right;" he then asked them if they lacked anything, and they said, "nothing more than being short of victuals, but we can get along with what game we can procure on the way." The officer then gave them one dol ar each and told them to go and buy some bread.
They then went on, and on the 3rd or 4th of July they crossed the river from Sackett's Harbor, and on the 4th, they, with General Brown and his army approached an intrenchment of General Rial 's, which was in a strong position. Brown told the Tuscaroras that he with his army would attack the enemy direct, "but," said he, "you must go around and attack the enemy on their flank."
It is acceded by all American nations, that the characteristic of the Indians in their war battles, is to fight in scouting and to attack by surprise: consequently, it seems that General Riall instructed the British Indians, which numbered several hundred, that when he was attacked, they the Indians, should move and attack their enemy also on the flank; it seems that they moved in the shape of a V with the two points foremost. On the 5th occurred the battle of Chippewa; the contest was obstinate and bloody; the Tuscarora Indians in moving on the flank of Brown's army, they entered in the enemy's moving V of British Indians, and when they arrived at the fork, and not until then, did the Tuscaroras know where they were; but, nevertheless, they all made the war-whoop, fired and made a desperate charge at one point and broke through the ranks of the enemy. Strange as it may seem, there was but one wounded and that slightly on the cheek, and not one killed; it was a very close contest, we getting away with the loss of but a few guns and coats, for when the enemy took hold of their coats they would only pul off and run.
It was then that the enemy's V closed in on the rear of the Tuscaroras and the bloody scene began; the enemy fired against themselves, and not until they had completely destroyed themselves did they discover in what frenzy they were; but at length the Americans were victorious. These same Tuscaroras were present at the memorable battle at Bridgewater near Niagara Falls, where a desperate engagement, it is said, ensued, commencing about sunset and lasting until midnight, where Generals Brown and Scott were wounded.
In every instance when the United States were in trouble, the Tuscaroras were ever ready to sacrifice their blood upon the American altar, which they again fully evinced in the war of the rebel ion, when twenty-three of the Tuscarora Indian warriors enlisted as volunteers in the United States army, some of whom died in the service of the country; but some were spared by the good Providence, and were permitted yet to share the sweets of home; some inherited diseases which they wil probably carry down to their graves.
In the year 1862 Cornelius C. Cusick, a grandson of Nicholas Cusick, the revolutionist, was commissioned to the office of Second Lieutenant.
There were four other Tuscaroras mustered in with him in the 3d N. Y.
Volunteers, 132d Reg't, Co. D, to-wit: Jeremiah Peters, John Peters, Hulett Jacobs, George Garlow, and there are others who enlisted afterwards at different times during the war, to wit: Twelfth N. Y. Vol's, Cav., Co. M.--Ozias Chew, John Pempleton, Charles Pempleton, Nichodemus Thompssn.
Bat. K, 1st N. Y. Light Art.--Samuel Bearfoot (Ely Patterson), Wm. Joseph (Lewis Patterson), Alexander John (Davis Mil er), Zhacariah Johnson (Elijah Johnson), Wm. Anderson (Samuel Jack).
Clinton Mt. Pleasant, 3Oth, transferred to 31st N. J. Vol's. Inv. colored brigade.
Wilson Jacobs, 1st N. Y., Vet. Cav., Co. M.
Edward Spencer (Edward Anderson), Inv. sway. Co. A. 17th Corps.
Alvis D. Hewett, 151st N. Y. Vol's.
Thomas Cornelius, Co. K, 2d N. Y. Mounted Rifles.
Charles Green, 120th N. Y. Vol's, Co. K.
John Longboard, Samuel Mt. Pleasant.
During the war, Cornelius C. Cusick was promoted to First Lieutenant, and at the close of the war he was promoted to Captain. He was some time afterwards commissioned into the regular army of the United States as First Lieutenant.
Antique Rock Citadel of Kienuka;
OR, GAU-STRAU-YEA.
There has been much said by different writers of aboriginal forts, and fort builders of western New York, in availing themselves of steeps, gulfs, defiles, and other marked localities, in establishing works for security or defense. This trait is, however, in no case more strikingly exemplified than in the curious antique work of Kienuka. The term
"Kienuka," means the stronghold or fort; but the original name of this fort is Gau-strau-yea, which means bark laid down; this has a metaphorical meaning, in the similitude of a freshly peeled slippery elm bark, the size of the fort and laid at the bottom as a flooring, so that if any person or persons go in they must be circumspect, and act according to the laws of the fort, or else they will slip and fal down to their own destruction.
The citadel of Kienuka is situated about four miles eastward of the inlet of Niagara gorge at Lewiston, on a natural escarpment of the ridge on the Tuscarora reservation, known at present by the name of the Old Saw Mil .
There is quite an interesting tradition connected with the antique fort Gau-strau-yea. At the formation of the confederacy of the Iroquois, there was a virgin selected from a nation which was called Squawkihaws (a remote branch of the Seneca nation), and was ordained a Queen or Peacemaker, who was stationed at this fort to execute her office of peace, her official name was Ge-keah-saw-sa.
The fort was built by the Senecas aided by the Squawkihaws, on an eminence on the north side of a steep of perpendicular rocks, which was about eight or ten feet down; and on the east, south and west sides they dug a trench four or five feet deep, and in this trench were placed timbers which were put up perpendicularly and jointed as close as possible, they projected above the ground ten or twelve feet, inclosing a place of about twenty by fifty rods. The house for the Queen was in the center of this inclosure or fort, and adjacent houses were built in two rows, with a trail or path between them directing towards the Queen's house; on each end and inside of the fort, which ran lengthwise east and west, was an entrance corresponding with the trail prepared leading to the house of the Queen.
Then a suitable number of warriors were selected from the Squawkihaws'
nation, the ablest bodied, the swiftest runners and the most expert in the arts of war, which were stationed at this fort (and made their dwel ing in the adjacent houses), to keep it in order and execute its regulations and laws; they were to be supported with subsistance and all other necessaries of life, and furnished with suitable implements of war by the Iroquois.
In order more fully to understand the laws and regulations of the fort or place of peace, it must be observed that at this period there were contentions, strife and wars between all the different known nations of the continent; nation against nation, like fishes of the waters, the larger ones eating the smal er. The warrior who can report in his rehearsal in the war-dance of having obtained the greatest number of scalps from the enemy, was the most honored and had the most laurels in his crown; consequently, they were constantly forming companies for an expedition to some nation in quest of honor and the applause of their nation. At this time the confederacy of the Iroquois was formed, and this place of peace was ordained for the purpose, it may be, to alleviate the distress and commotion of the nations of the forest.
The laws were that there shal be no nation or nations of the Iroquois make war against any nation or nations of the same league, under any circumstances; and the Iroquois must not make war with any alien nation without the consent of the Queen. This fort must ever be held sacred, as it is a place of peace, by never al owing the shedding of blood within the inclosure. All executions decreed by the Queen should be made outside of the fort. And any person or persons, aside from the keepers of the fort, should, on entering, never go any faster than a walk. And the Queen must always have meals ready at every hour of the day and night--
allegorical y speaking, it is cal ed a kettle of hominy hanging, for al fugitives and pursuers from any nation on the continent to partake. Al fugitives, irrespective of their nationalities, fleeing for life, from their enemy, when once their feet touch the threshold of the fort, their life is safe; then the Queen conducts him or them into one end of her house, which is lengthwise east and west, with a door at each end and a partition in the center of the room by a curtain made of deer skin, and when the pursuer comes, she also conducts him or them to the other end of the room. She then gives to each of these parties, which are enemies to each other, sustenance to eat; when, this being done, she rol s away the curtain, so that each party can see the other; when they have done eating they pass out and go home to their respective nations in peace. It is contrary to law after a fugitive arrives at this fort and has gone out, for the enemy to execute their death scheme without the consent of the Queen; and if this be violated, then the Iroquois demand the trespasser from the nation to which he or they belong. If this is acceded to, 'tis wel ; then the trespassers are executed, of which the penalty is death.
But should the nation harbor the trespasser, then the nation must suffer the devastations of war at the hands of the Iroquois.
I would here say a few words in relation to the question often asked,
"Who were the Squawkihows, Kah-Kwahs, and the Eries?" There has been much controversy on the question. These three named tribes were of one language and of one nation--a remote branch of the Seneca nation--and spoke the same language as the Senecas, varying but very little in a few words. These three tribes originally were cal ed Squawkihows. In time they became very numerous and powerful. They had their settlement from the chores of Lake Ontario and along the Niagara River, and up Lake Erie as far as a place now called Erie, and as far east as to the Genesee river. This was their domain, within these limits.
A settlement of this nation in the neighborhood of, now, North Evans, south of Buffalo, a place called by them Kah-kwah-ka, and the Squawkihows living in this vicinity were cal ed Kah-kwahs; and the Squawkihows living further on along the shores of Lake Erie were called cats or Eries, a name that originated from the name of the lake. By this explanation you wil better understand my story.
There was a time when the Kah-kwahs' branch of that nation made a chal enge to the Seneca nation, another very powerful nation having their settlement on the east side of the Genesee river, to play a game of bal , which the Senecas readily accepted and a day was appointed; accordingly, the combat ensued, and was a hotly contested game; but the Senecas final y came out victorious. The Kah-kwahs immediately made another chal enge, that of having a foot race, which the Senecas also accepted.
Each nation chose their swiftest runners, then the flyers went which and tucker for a ways, but the Senecas final y came out glorious. The Kah-kwahs being mortified by the defeat of the two contests made the third chal enge, that of wrestling, with the understanding that an umpire must be chosen from each nation and both to have a war club in hand, and the one that is defeated should suffer death by having his head struck with the war club while down, by the umpire opponent to the one defeated and should be best two in three.
Even in this the Senecas accepted the challenge, and in this remarkable contest they were also victorious. With this the assemblage dispersed.
The defeats of the Kah-kwahs considerably alieniated the Squawkihows from the Senecas; the report, of course, reached the ears of the Queen, which also alienated her feelings from the Senecas, she being by birth a Squawkihow, but the office to which she was ordained was by the Iroquois.
After this in one of the scouting tours of the Senecas across the Niagara river, among the Masassauka Indians, on their return at night to the
"place of peace" or Gau-strau-yea, they were pursued by a number of the Masassaukas; when both parties had arrived and had their repast, they al lodged there to rest in peace for the night, as they were wont to do. But in the slumber and stil ness of the midnight hour, was tested the treachery of the Queen, by the Masassaukas, in asking her consent to massacre the Senecas in their unsuspecting slumber; her feelings having been previously somewhat alienated from the Senecas, she was induced to give her consent, whereupon they were massacred; their number I have not been able to obtain. They were buried southwest from the Queen's house, the mound of which was perceptible until a few years ago, when it was cultivated.
This breach of the law of that fort by the Queen giving consent in the shedding of blood in that sacred place, grated the conscience of the Squawkikows, and being alienated by the defeat they experienced a short time previous by the matches they had with the Senecas.
This affair was kept secret for a while. At the same time the Squawkihows urged the consent of the Queen for them to exterminate the Seneca nation and to take them on surprise, for, they said when they hear of the massacre, they wil at once wage war against us. They final y prevailed on her, so she condemned the Seneca nation to be exterminated.
At this time there was one warrior of the Senecas who had married into the Squawkihows' nation and lived among them. When he heard that the Queen had given up the Seneca nation into the hands of the Squawkihows, to be exterminated, he resolved to go to a place cal ed Tah-nyh-yea, among the Senecas--east side of Genesee river, on the Seneca river--where dwel ed the head Sachem of the Seneca nation, by the name of Onea-gah-retah-wa, and make his report to that venerable Sachem, the decision of the Queen, which was final. To accomplish this, without exciting the suspicion of his family and neighbors, he went under the pretense of going away to hunt on the lake shore of Ontario, and would not be expected home in two or three days. Early one fine morning this warrior started on his high mission from his house, which was located near the fort (Gau-strau-yea). He went northerly and touched Lake Ontario, where he had a canoe for the purpose of hunting and fishing, in which he embarked and rowed eastward to the mouth of the Oswego river, and up the river as far as the Seneca river: then up that river to the settlement of the Senecas. He there left his canoe and made for Tah-nyh-yea, and went directly to the Sachem, (Onea-gah-re-tah-wa's) wigwam in the dead of night, and called him out doors. He there related to the Sachem the decree of the Queen, concerning the Seneca nation and the massacre, and requested him to keep secret the way he had received the message. The warrior immediately returned home in the same way that he came.
In the morning the venerable Sachem went out early and gave the war cry, which denoted that they were massacred, that war was inevitable, and for the warriors to ral y and prepare for war. The nation soon gathered. He then related the message he had received during the night, and said he had heard that some of their warriors were massacred at the fort (Gau-strau-yea), and that the Queen had decreed their extermination at the hand of the Squawkihows. He then appointed four warriors of the best runners to go and spy the fort and the settlement if there was any indication of preparation for war, with instructions that with the very first indication of a preparation for war that they should at once dispatch one of their number home to make his report, and the others to go on and to observe the progress of the preparation and make their reports accordingly.
The four gal ant warriors now made their way to the settlement at Gau-strau-yea. When they arrived, they saw only the eldest people, from about upwards of sixty-five years of age, and the younger children, from about fourteen years of age and under. While they were traveling they saw two boys picking up sticks for firewood. One of them asked the smaller boy where his father was. The bright little fel ow spoke promptly and said,
"Gone to war." Before the older boy could divert his attention by touching him, the little fel ow finished his answer. This they took to be news, and immediately dispatched one of their number home to make the report. When this one made his report to Onea-gah-re-tah-wa, he at once dispatched runners to the other nations of the league to inform them of what had happened to their father, the Seneca nation, and the desecration of their fort. The three that were left after the one was dispatched home, went onto a settlement of the same nation at Gill Creek, above Niagara Falls, where they found the people the same as at Gau-straw-yea.
The elders and the youngers only were at home. They also asked a boy there where his father was. He aswered: "At Kah-kwah-ka," which is south of Buffalo. These three spies took pains to get at Kah-kwah-ka in the night. When they got there they fouud a great multitude gathered, and engaged in the war dance. The spies went right among the multitude without being suspected, because their language was the same as the Squawkihows, and took part in the dances. They saw the warriors in their dance have a head of a bear, tossing it about and striking it with the war club, and at the same time exclaiming: "We will have the head of Onea-gah-re-tah-wa, (the Seneca Sachem) and strike it thus" at the same time hitting it with their club. And the war chief said that they would start in the morning and on the third day they would have the head of Onea-gah-re-tah-wa strung up on a pole. With that the spies dispatched home the second one to make his report of what they saw and heard, and this one retired from the crowd privately some little time before daybreak. The two stil remained with the crowd, talking and chatting with them as if they were one of their nation.
In the morning the grand march took their place in the war path towards their intended destruction. The ablest warriors took the front rank; then came the older ones; after them the boys upwards of fourteen years of of age; lastly came the able bodied females. Thus they marched until the next night, when they prepared ground for a dance, and went through the same performance as the night before. Now the third spy withdrew from the crowd just before daybreak to make his report and keep the Senecas posted in the advance of the enemy. On the second day the march was renewed, and proceeded in the same order as on the first day. The next night was also spent as that of the last in flattering themselves of the wonderful things that they were to accomplish. About two hours before daybreak the last spy also withdrew from the crowd and made for home, to inform them how far off they were from the Seneca settlement. After the last one had made his report, Onea-gah-re-tah-wa arose from his seat, with that majestic movement which only would become him as the head Sachem of the Seneca nation, and said: "To you, first, my most beloved comrades, the Chiefs and Sachems of our noble nation, I would bring to your minds the past in a few words, and it may be for the last time. How often have we sat together around the council fire of our nation. I congratulate you all in the good feeling that has always prevailed in our deliberations of various subjects in relation to the welfare and happiness of our nation, and more particularly our sisters and their offspring, and we have not been unmindful even of those that are not yet born, for in them have we hoped of the existence of our nation. Have not the nations of the Iroquois respected and even honored your counsels around the great council fire of the league, and now is destruction awaiting your dawn?
But if that is the wil of the Great Spirit, by running we cannot flee from it. And to you, our sisters, have we not ever been mindful of you in our deliberations and ever wished you success: and have we not, as it were, embraced you and your children in our arms to protect you? We now commend you to the Great Spirit, who is our helper. And now to you, most noble warriors, in whom the council looks for the enforcement of their decrees. In bringing difficulties and contentions among yourselves, have we not brought back to you peace, by meting out to you justice; and in your troubles have we not whispered in your ears words of consolation?
And we have ever placed you close to our hearts. In you is the power of the nation, and in you we look for safety. You have understood it that our nation has been given into the hands of our enemy by the Queen and we are now in jeopardy. As I have said, we cannot, by running, flee from the decree of the Great Spirit, but if He is for us we shall prevail. He will give strength to our bow, direct our arrows, give might to our arms and direct our blows, and put to flight our enemy, and we shal conquer. He is able to give us peace in this our time of trouble, if we all but trust in Him. It is he that made us and He is able to preserve us from our enemies. Now my dear relatives in the different ties of blood, it is not meet that we should have our blood spilt within our domain, nor to have the dead bodies of our enemies strewed within our settlement. We must now march and meet our foe. We must not turn our heel to them; but if we are to be exterminated, let the last drop of Seneca blood be spilt upon the bosom of our mother earth, and let the sun in the heavens be the witness that we die in the defence of our wives, children and homes, which is pleasing in the sight of the Great Spirit."
They now made their march, and after they had advanced a number of miles they met the enemy. It was now sometime in the afternoon. A desperate battle ensued. The storm of the arrows headed with flint, and also the creased poisoned arrows was kept up until evening, when a peculiar war cry was given, which indicated rest, at which in an instant the storm of arrows ceased, when the Sachems of the two parties came near together and deliberated on the conditions of rest during the night, that each party should retreat a ways and rest without either molesting the other during the night, but in the morning they should come together and resume the battle.