New York Mercury, November, 21, 1763

Philadelphia, November 15

The following account we have from Reading, in Berk’s County, viz: That on the 8th Init in the morning, the house of Frantz Baily, in Albany Township was attacked by a party of Indians, who fired several times through his windows upon which he got up and fired at the enemy, when he received a wound in his wrist and one of his children, a boy, was killed. That one Hagenbuch, and two of his sons, hearing the firing went to his assistance, which made the Indians go off, without destroying the house or barn. That they next went to the house of one Stapleton, but one of his sons seeing them, fired off a gun, which occasioned their passing by that house and going to George Schifler’s, where they tomahawked and scalped his wife, mangled her in a most cruel manner, and left her in a condition which a regard to decency forbids to mention; they likewise killed one of Schifler’s sons, whom they scalped, and half roasted; and burnt his dwelling house, barn, and all the other buildings; that from Schifler’s they went to Jacob Tree’s, killed one Shober, and destroyed the house and barn; that they then plundered Daniel Smith’s house and burnt it, with all his other buildings. And that after all this, they proceeded to Philip Enos’s, about 3 miles from Smith’s where they made prisoner a lad about 13 years of age who afterwards escaped from them. The number of Indians that did this mischief is said not to exceed 9, who spoke English and some Dutch. The quantity of grain destroyed is thought not less than 2000 bushels, and the condition of the inhabitants is most melancholy, there being in several houses not less than 30 or 40 children, besides men and women, and all obliged to fly for their lives without being able to bring off any thing for their support.

Submitted by: Vickie.


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