Papers of the Continental Congress
Moses Younglove Declaration (Copy)
National Archives & Records Administration
M247-70 I57 pg. 85-87
Transcribed by Billy Markland 1/28/2001
Moses Younglove Surgeon of General Herkimers Brigade of Militia deposeth and saith that being in the Battle of said Militia above Oriskie [sic] on the 6th of August last, towards the close of said Battle surrendered himself Prisoner to a Savage who immediately gave him up to a Serjeant [sic] of Sir John Johnson's Regt. soon after which a Lieutenant in the Indian Department came up in Company with several other Tories when said Lieutenant, McGinnis by Name, drew his Tomhawk [sic] at the Deponent and with a great deal of persuasion was hardly prevailed on to spare his Life, he then plundered him of his Watch, Buckles Spurs &c. and other Tories following the example stripped him almost naked with a great many Threats while they were stripping & Massacreeing [sic] Prisoners on every Side. That the Deponent on being brought before Mr. Butler Senior was asked what he was fighting for to which the Deponent answered for the Liberty that God and Nature gave him and to defend himself and dearest Connections from the Massacree of Savages to which Butler answered you are a Damnd Impudent Rebel and so saying immediately turned to the Savages encouraging them to kill him and if they would not do it The Deponent and the other Prisoners should be Hanged on the Gallows then erecting That several Prisoners were then taken forward, toward the Enemies Head Quarters with frequent scenes of Horror and Massacree in which Tories were Active as well as Savages and in particular one Davis formerly known on the Mohawk River. That Lieut Singleton of Sir John Johnson's Regt. being wounded entreated the Savages to kill the Prisoners which they did accordingly and as nigh as the Deponent can Judge about Six or Seven-
That Isaac Paris Esqr was also taken and led by the Savages the same Road, without receiving from them any remarkable Insult except stripping untill some Tories came up who kicked & abused him, after which the Savages thinking him a Notable Offender Murdered him Barbarously That those of the Prisoners who were delivered up to the Provost Guard were kept without Victuals for many Days and had neither Clothes Blankets Shelter or Fire while the Guards were ordered not to use any Violence in protecting the Prisoners from the Savages who came every Day in large Companies with Knives and feeling the Prisoners to know who was fattest That they Dragged one of the Prisoners out with the most Lamentable Cries, Tortured him for a long time and the Deponent was informed by both Tories and Indians, that they eat [sic] him as appeared they did another on an Island in Lake Ontario by Bones newly picked found there just after they crossed the Lake with Prisoners That the Prisoners who were not delivered up were Murdered in Considerable Numbers from Day to Day round the Camp some of them so nigh that their Shrieks were heard, That Capt. Martin of the Batteau Men was delivered to the Indians at Oswego on pretence of his having kept back some useful intelligence, That the Deponent during his Confinement as well as his fellow Prisoners were almost Starved for the want of Provisions, and what they drew was of the worst kind such as spoiled Flour, Biscuit full of Maggots and Mouldy, and were not allowed any Soap to Clean themselves, and the Deponent further says that they were insulted Struck and Harred [sic] without Mercy by the Guards, and no provocation given them by the Prisoners. That a Hessian Corporal in New York Harbour beat this Deponent and several other Prisoners with a large Club, and on being reproved for so doing by a Prisoner in the German Language, answered that it was nothing in Comparison of the Flogging the Prisoners were continually exposed to in the City, and this Deponent farther [sic] says that he was informed by several Serjts. Orderly on GenL. St. Ledger That Twenty Dollars were offered in GenL. orders for every Sculp [sic] of the Americans.
Moses Younglove
Sworn before me in Committee
Albany 29th Decembr 1777