Simon Girty, White Renegade - Part 2

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: Simon Girty - pt. 2

: They represented that the white people were embodying themselves for the purpose of killing every Indian they should meet, be he friend or foe; that the American armies were all cut to pieces by the British; that General WASHINGTON was killed; that there was no more Congress; that the English had hung some of the members, and taken the rest to England; that the whole country beyond the mountains was in possession of their armies; and that a few thousand Americans on this side were all that were left in arms; and that these, as just stated were determined to kill all the Indians in the western country-men, women and children. Thus did Simon GIRTY signalize his return to the savages; but the Delawares still remained firm; and he and his two noted associates moved on to the westward, among the Shawanese upon the Scioto. However, the principal chief of the Delawares sent word to that tribe not to put confidence in their representations: "Grandchildren! (for so ran the message), "ye Shawanese! Some days ago, a flock of birds, that had come on from the east, lit at our village, imposing a song had come on from the east, lit at our village, imposing a song of theirs upon us, which song had nigh, proved our ruin! If these birds, which, on leaving us took their flight toward Scioto, endeavor to impose a song on you likewise do not listen to them, for they lie!"

: GIRTY now started for Detroit. On his way thither he was captured by the Wyandots. Recognized, however, by some Senecas, the latter demanded him as their prisoner, stating at the same time the nature of their claim; that he had been adopted by them, and had afterwards joined their white enemies and taken up arms against them. But Leatherlips, a distinguished Wyandot chief, ignored their claim to the prisoner. "By your own showing," said,he, "he only returned to his own country and people. Ever after then you can have no claim upon him as one of your own. He is now found in our country bearing arms. He was captured by our warriors. He is our prisoner." This argument was unanswerable, and the Senecas yielded the point. But GIRTY stated to his captors, in the Seneca language, that he had been badly treated at Fort Pitt, by his own people, on account of being true to the king and his cause, and was therefore forced to leave the country; and that he was on his way now to Detroit to take up arms against the Americans. He was thereupon set at liberty.

: Arriving at Detroit, GIRTY was welcomed by HAMILTON, the commandant of the post, very cordially, and immediately employed in the Indian department, at sixteen York shillings a day, and sent back to the Sandusky, to assist the savages in their warfare upon the border. He took up his residence with the Wyandots. His influence soon began to be felt in the Indian Confederacy-sometimes with the Shawanese and again with the Wyandots on their murderous forays into the border settlements; he was always a leader with them. His name became a household word of terror all along the border from Pittsburgh to the falls of the Ohio. With it was associated everything cruel and fiendlike. To the women and children in particular; nothing was more terrifying than the name of Simon GIRTY. Although he called himself "Captain GIRTY," yet whether he ever received a commission from the British government, as did his associate, ELLIOTT, is a mooted question. His lack of education was probably the cause, if he was not commissioned; he could not write his name. I is certain, however, that he was in the regular pay of Great Britain.


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