The First Esopus War
page 8

     The bottle was passed twice, and the savage said again, "Come, let us go; my heart is full of fears."  He went off and hid his goods in the bushes at a little distance.  Coming back once more they heard the bushes crackle as the Dutch came there, without knowing who it was.  Then this savage went away, saying "Come, let us go, for we all shall be killed;" and the rest laid down together, whereupon the Dutch came and all of them fired into the Indians, shooting one in the head and capturing another.  One drunken savage was continually moving about, whereupon the Dutch fired upon him repeatedly, nearly taking his dress from his body.
     Ensign Smith knew what the consequences of this outbreak would be, and he sought to ascertain who ordered the firing contrary to his express instructions.  The Dutch cast all the blame on the Indians, saying that the latter fired first.  The affairs of the colony being in such an unsatisfactory state, and finding the people would not respect his authority, Smith announced his intention of leaving for New Amsterdam next day.  Great excitement was manifested when this became known.  The people tried to dissuade him from his purpose by representing their exposed condition, and making assurances of future obedience on their part.  Smith was intractable, and continued making preparations for his departure; but by an adroit measure of Stohl and Chambers, who hired all the boats in the neighborhood, he found himself unable to carry out his resolution.  It was deemed expedient, however, to acquaint the Governor of the state of affairs, and accordingly  Christopher Davis was dispatched down the river in a canoe for that purpose.
     Davis was escorted to the river by a company of eight soldiers and ten citizens, under Sergeant Lawrentsen, Sept. 21st, 1659.  On the return of the escort to the village they fell into an ambuscade near where now stands the City Hall; the Sergeant and thirteen men surrendered without firing a shot, the rest making their escape.  War now began in earnest.  More than five hundred savages were in the vicinity of the fort, who kept up a constant skirmish with settlers.  By means of firebrands they set fire to the House of  Jacob Gebers; numbers of barracks, stacks and barns were in like manner destroyed.  One day they made a desperate assault on the palisades which came near being successful.  Failing in this, the savages slaughtered all the horses, cattle and hogs they could find outside the defenses.  Three weeks was a constant siege kept up so that "none dare go abroad."  Unable to take the town they vented their fury on the unfortunate prisoners.
      Jacob Jansen Van Stoutenburgh, Abram Vosburg, a son of Cornelius B. Sleight, and five or six other were compelled to run the gauntlet; they were next tied to stakes, and, after being beaten and cut in the most cruel manner, were burned alive.  Thomas Clapboard [Chambers], William the carpenter,  Peter Hillebrants and Evert Pel's son were among the captives.



                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
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