vicinity. Colonel Dayton was entrusted with the command of the expedition
for the purpose, and in May (1776) he proceeded to Johnstown. The baronet
had friends among the Loyalists in Albany, by whom he was timely informed
of the intentions of Congress. Hastily collecting a large number of
Scotchmen and other Tories, he fled to the woods by the way of the
Sacandaga, where it is supposed they were met by Indians sent from Canada
to escort them thither, for a certain time afterward, in one of his
speeches, Thayendanega said: 'We went in a body to the town then in
possession of the enemy, and rescued Sir John Johnson, bringing him
fearlessly through the streets.'

"Amid perils and hardships of every kind the baronet and his companions
traversed the wilderness between the headwaters of the Hudson and the St.
Lawrence, and after nineteen days' wanderings arrived at Montreal. Sir
John was immediately commissioned a colonel in the British service; he
raised two battalions of Loyalists called the Johnson Greens, and declared
himself the bitterest and most implacable enemy of the Americans."

Now it must be borne in mind that from information which we had received,
there was every reason to believe Brant had come to place himself and his
following under Sir John's command, and that before many days were passed
we might expect the Mohawk Valley would be overflowed by all the Tories
who had previously fled to Canada. Thus it can be understood that there
would be such bloodshed and deeds of violence as had never before been
known in the Province of New York.

With this in mind, one can better understand why Sergeant Corney made the
reservation which he did when promising Jacob he would do all within his
power, up to a certain point, to aid in the rescue of his father.