SAMUEL DUPUI --
ON THE HORROR OF WAR
January 22, 1756
Sir,
— I am left in a
deplorable Condition, by the Province I
belong to, and for what Reason I know not,
and what to do I know not. To leave all to
Savage Enemies is very hard, to be left by
my own Country, and to be forced to fall
their Prey, is still harder. Therefore I am
now come to this Resolution, that if your
Province will send me a Number of Men, with
sufficient Officers to Guard me, I will give
them the Use of my Plantation, or otherwise,
allow them Fifty Pounds a Year during the
War, towards bearing the Expences, or if
they shall seem meet, let them build a Fort,
provided I have the Crop now in the Ground.
Sir, the Greatness of my Confusion at the
Present unfits me to write; therefore hope
my distressed Condition, will be a
sufficient Apology for this indirect
Letter. The two Capts. Trump and Astin, of
this Province, with fifty Men each, had I am
informed, strict Orders not to come a-near
me, or lend me any Assistance; still at the
same Time applied to me for Provisions,
Teams, &c. Upon which I told them they
should have no Help from me, as I was
obliged to the Jerseys for what Help I had,
and therefore thought it my Duty to Help
those from whom I receive Help.
On that they broke through Orders, and let
me have Twenty Men, which I Hourly expect to
be taken from me. They are now building a
Fort One Mile West of Broadhead’s, from my
House, and Four from the Water Gap, and from
whence all the Inhabitants are fled.
I went with Mr. Scot, and others that were
with him, last Monday to the Camp, where we
heard the melancholy News of Mr. Bemper, and
his Company of Sixteen Men, and a Girl, who
were going to drive down his Cattle to the
Jerseys, being attacked by a Party of
Indians, who killed them all, except two of
Trump’s Men, and a Boy, who made their
Escape, one of whom came to the Camp. The
next Day Trump, Broadhead, and others, to
the Number of Forty, went to bury the Dead,
found only Eight of them, of whom Bemper was
one; there was Five of them scalp’d, all
stript naked and laid a-cross the Road, in
three different Places.
The same Day my Brother Daniel’s House was
beset by a Party of Indians, to the Number
of Sixty, who burnt the Barn, killed Two
Men, and wounded three more, and had it not
been for Doct. Kennedy, who by Chance called
in just before the Attack was made, the
whole, with a Number of Women and Children,
would have been destroyed. I sent a
Dispatch to the Camp, but without Success. I
then sent Eleven of my Men along the Hill
Side, who fell on their Rear; we found it
all bloody, by which we have Reason to
believe we ballanced their Accounts, only
they carried off the Doctor’s Horse, with
all his Drugs, Instruments, &c.
They had fir’d the House in three Places,
which was put out by the Doctor; But had not
the good Capt. Salnave of New Jersey, came
to their Assistance, who had one of his Men
likewise wounded, they must [have] entirely
perished in the Flame; they burnt the House
the next Day, I fear it will be the Fate of
us all.
I this Day remov’d my Sister, Mrs. Dowl, to
my House, who lived 9 Miles Distance. The
Gap is why-laid, so that No-body can Pass,
but what are shot at; This Evening we espied
two Indians within Fifty Rods of my House.
I received the several Sums of Money, sent
me by Mr. Scott, from the good People of
your Province, towards the Relief of the
Distress’d, and gratefully return Thanks in
their Behalf for the same.
For further Particulars of my unhappy
Situation. Mr. Scott and Doct. Kennedy can
give you Information, they both being
Present, and well acquainted with the aboe
Relations. I am, Sir, still relying on your
Friendship, and assure yourself that your
good Services in this, shall be allways
esteem’d as a great Obligation, to
Samuel Dupui.
— The Pennsylvania Journal, Feb. 5,
1756. No.687.
The Dupui General Store Ledger: 1743-1793
