Page:History of Delaware County (1856).djvu/123

DELAWARE COUNTY. 99 dressing the wounded, when the retreat commenced. There were seventeen disabled men under his care at the moment, whose cries for protection and mercy were of the most moving description. The Indians fell upon them, however, and they all, together with the doctor, perished under the tomahawk. Among the slain were many of the first citizens of Groshen ; and of the whole number that went forth only thirty returned to tell the melancholy story. Several of the fugitives were . shot, while attempting to escape by swimming across the Delaware.'^ One of the militia who escaped, v/as so exhausted he could not run far; he followed in the direction his friends had gone, till he could go no farther; he then got out of the path, near which he remained some time. In a little while he saw the Indians, one after another, running in the direction the whites had taken ; none of them looked towards the place where he was, until a very powerful Indian discovered him. The In- dian's eye no sooner rested upon him, than the white man fired his last shot and fled; the Indian did not follow, and it was supposed he was killed or badly wounded. The name of the white man, we believe, was Cuddeback. " There was one (Major Wood,) who, during the battle, saved himself by means which Brant said were dishonorable. By some process or other, though not a Freemason, he had acquired a knowledge of the master mason's grand hailing sig- nal of distress ; and having been informed that Brant was a member of the brotherhood, he gave the mystic sign. Faith- ful to his pledge, the chieftain interposed and saved his life. Discovering the imposture afterward, he was very indignant. Still he spared his life, and the prisoner ultimately returned to his friends after a long captivity.'^ There is another reason given why Wood's life was spared by Brant. Eager says, that the sign" was accidentally made by him, and that further, " on the evening after the battle,