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The Sugarloaf Massacre was a skirmish that occurred on September 11, 1780 in Pennsylvania. In the event, a number of Native Americans and loyalists attacked militia based in Northumberland County and Northampton County. The militia were led by a Captain Klader. The Sugarloaf Massacre was the first major historical event in Luzerne County. The Indians and Loyalists were led by the Seneca chief Roland Montour. The bodies of the dead Revolutionary War soldiers were collected on September 20, 1780. Despite the fact that it is commonly believed that the Sugarloaf Massacre occurred on Sugarloaf Mountain, it actually occurred not far from Little Nescopeck Creek between Buck and Nescopeck Mountains.〔 == Background == Previous violence between the Iroquois people and white settlers was one of the contributing factors to the events of the Sugarloaf Massacre. Such violence dated back as far as the 17th century. In the year 1780, there were a large number of attacks by Indians in the vicinity of the area where the massacre took place, including an attempted attack on Moses Van Campen.〔Moore, p. 19〕 On June 15, 1780, a group of American militia in Northampton were commissioned to serve for seven months. These soldiers were led by Captain Johannes Van Etten.〔Moore, p. 26〕 The area in the vicinity of the Sugarloaf Massacre, especially the communities of Bloomsburg and Catawissa was home to large numbers of loyalists, who aided the British army during the Revolutionary War.〔 Near the end of the summer of 1780, however, several local people decided to do something about the loyalists in the area. Thus, after receiving orders from the Columbia County council of safety and President Reed in Philadelphia, Colonel Hunter, who was based in Fort Augusta; and Captain Klader, who was based in Northumberland County, made plans to take action against the loyalists.〔 These plans also involved the formation of a detachment of 41 of Van Etten's men. This detachment was placed under the command of Captain Klader. Klader was commanded to head with his group of soldiers from Fort Penn in Northampton County into Sugarloaf Valley〔Referred to as Scotch Valley in the 1700s〕 to search for Loyalist sympathizers and spies. Klader's men left Fort Penn in the beginning of September 1780. On the way, the men stopped at Fort Allen for a short time. On September 8, the men left Fort Allen. Upon leaving the fort, Klader's men crossed the Lehigh River and traveled to the community of Jim Thorpe and then to Nesquehoning Creek, where they camped. The next day, Klader's men traveled over Broad Mountain and through a stretch of wilderness known as the ''Haselschwamp," which is now Hazleton.〔Untiled article by Richard Funk, Hazleton Standard-Speaker, April 28, 2001〕 The men passed through the swamp on September 10.〔Moore, p. 34〕 On September 6, 1780, a group of approximately 250 to 300 Native Americans and British soldiers arrived at Fort Rice, near Chillisquaque Creek in Lewis Township, Northumberland County. The group of British soldiers and Native Americans proceeded to attack the fort and the surrounding residences, but Colonel Hunter sent some troops from Fort Jenkins to their aid. Approximately 200 men arrived at Fort Rice, and the British soldiers and Native Americans dispersed. Upon retreating, these people went over Knob Mountain and a group of 30 to 40 of them went down the stream known as Cabin Run to Fort Jenkins, which they burned down, along with numerous buildings in the fort's vicinity. After burning down Fort Jenkins, the British soldiers and Native Americans crossed the Susquehanna River and went to Sugarloaf Valley in southwestern Luzerne County.〔〔Moore, p. 33〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Sugarloaf Massacre」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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