offence, they waited impatiently to commence their labor, till sometime in
the spring of 1776, when a convenient opportunity offered for them to make
an attack. At that time, a party of our Indians were at Cau-te-ga, who
shot a man that was looking after his horse, for the sole purpose, as I
was informed by my Indian brother, who was present, of commencing
hostilities.

In May following, our Indians were in their first battle with the
Americans; but at what place I am unable to determine. While they were
absent at that time, my daughter Nancy was born.

The same year, at Cherry Valley, our Indians took a woman and her three
daughters prisoners, and brought them on, leaving one at Canandaigua, one
at Honeoy, one at Cattaraugus, and one (the woman) at Little Beard's Town,
where I resided. The woman told me that she and her daughters might have
escaped, but that they expected the British army only, and therefore made
no effort. Her husband and sons got away. Sometime having elapsed, they
were redeemed at Fort Niagara by Col. Butler, who clothed them well, and
sent them home.

In the same expedition, Joseph Smith was taken prisoner at or near Cherry
Valley, brought to Genesee, and detained till after the revolutionary war.
He was then liberated, and the Indians made him a present, in company with
Horatio Jones, of 6000 acres of land lying in the present town of
Leicester, in the county of Livingston.

One of the girls just mentioned, was married to a British officer at Fort
Niagara, by the name of Johnson, who at the time she was taken, took a
gold ring from her finger, without any compliments or ceremonies. When he
saw her at Niagara he recognized her features, restored the ring that he