Apology of the Paxton Volunteers - 1
As our late Conduct at the Conestogo Mannor & Lancaster has occasioned much Speculation, & a great Diversity of Sentiments in this & the neighbouring Governments; some vindicating & others condemning it; some charitably alleviating the Crime, & others maliciously painting it, in the most odious & detestable Colours; we think it our Duty to lay before the Public the whole matter as it appeared, & still appears, to us.
But in order to have a just Idea of our Conduct; it is necessary to recollect a few things, which are recent in the memories of thousands in this Province, & which they will ever have reason to remember. When the Province of Pinsylvania [sic] was flourishing in Prosperity & Plenty, & the peaceful Inhabitants suspected no Danger from the Incursions of their savage Neighbours; all their fair Prospects were suddenly exchanged for Scenes of the most melancholly Distress & Horror. By the breaking out of an Indian War, the state of four Frontier Counties in this Province became wretched & deplorable beyond Description. The Indians set Fire to Houses, Barns, Corn, Hay, in short to every thing that was combustible; so that the whole Country seemed to be in one general Blaze and involved in one common Ruin. Great Numbers of the back Setlers were murdered, scalped & butchered in the most schocking manner, & their dead Bodies inhumanly mangled; some having their Ribs divided from the Chine with the Tomahawk, others left expiring in the most eguisite [sic] Tortures, with Legs & Arms broken, their Skulls fractured, & the Brains scattered on the Ground. Many Children were either spitted alive and roasted or covered
