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finished this work and were preparing to return to us, when
they were attacked by a party of American militia, taken
prisoners, and butchered in cold blood. These dear
martyrs, ninety-six in number, resigned themselves cheerfully
to God's will. They united together in prayer to the
Savior, begged each other's forgiveness for past offenses,
sang hymns of faith and trust, and testified that they died as
Christians. The many little children in this company
shared the same fate as their parents. Thus a whole
Indian congregation was in one night 7th - 8th of March, 1782,
translated from earth to heaven.
"In the meanwhile, we who remained at
Upper Sandusky, were suddenly summoned to appear at Detroit,
whilst our Christian Indians were to unite themselves to some
of the wild tribes in the vicinity. Our poor Indian
brethren could not understand nor reconcile themselves to
these orders. Many of them accompanied us as far as our
first camping place, weeping as they walked beside us.
Some went with is the whole way to Lower Sandusky, a five
days' journey, amongst whom were two Indian sisters, one of
whom carried you in a blanket the whole way, and the other
sister Senseman's child. Here we waited three weeks for
further orders, receiving during our stay the certain
intelligence of the murder of our beloved Indians at
Gnadenhutten.
Those were days of bitter suffering and most
distressing doubts, but the Savior comforted and strengthened
us. As we were sitting in a friendly trader's house, a
wicked man, an English officer, made his appearance and
threatened to kill us on the spot. We knew that he could
readily summon confederates to carry out his purpose, and
commended ourselves to the protection of Him whose own we
were. And wonderfully did He interpose in our behalf,
for just then two boats arrived to fetch us away, and brought
besides an order from Major Arent De Peyster at Detroit, in
which he threatened to punish severely any persons who should,
in any way, molest us. April 14th, 1782, we set out in
the boats, descending Sandusky river for thirty miles and then
crossing Lake Erie to Detroit. On the 16th, your first
birthday anniversary, we were compelled at four different
times to draw our boat to the shore during a storm, once at
great risk to us all. As I was afflicted with rheumatism
and could not help myself, brother Edwards built a shelter
against the wind for your mother and you out of cedar boughs.
April 29th, we crossed Miami Bay, not without considerable
danger, and next day we arrived at Detroit.
"Here our whole company remained
until August. Our Indians, who had been scattered in
many different places, received permission to assemble here,
and after several families had come, we commenced a settlement
on the Huron river, which empties, into Lake St. Clair.
Many of our Indians joined us here, and the Commandant, now
Colonel De Peyster, provided us with provisions. As the
Brethren Jungmann and Senseman were in the year 1785 to return
to Bethlehem your parents concluded to send you with them to
the school at Bethlehem. After a farewell love-feast,
these Brethren set out, May 16th, your father accompanying you
as far as Detroit. The journey was made by boat across
Lake Erie, and after being detained at Niagara for two weeks,
in the same way across Lake Ontario to Wood's Creek, and
thence by way of Schenectady and Albany to Bethlehem, at which
place you arrived July 8th."
To the above account, Miss
Heckewelder a number of years before her death added the
following:
"On this journey we were often compelled to spend the
night in the woods in tents. We heard the wolves howling
about our camp, and built large fires to keep them away.
As we were often compelled to go on foot, I became very tired,
and old Father Jungmann used to carry me for miles on his
back. Arrived at Bethlehem, I was placed in the
Children's Institute, being then only five years old.
There was at that time no boarding school. This was only
instituted the following year. I look back upon the
years spent at this institution with the greatest pleasure.
We received the most affectionate and tender treatment, and
the exemplary Christian demeanor of our teachers has made an
abiding impression upon my heart. My school days being
ended, I entered the Sisters' House. Having been
received into the Church a short time before, I partook of my
first communion on August 13th, 1795.
"In my twentieth year I received a call as teacher in
the recently established boarding school at Latiz. Here
I remained for five years, until the impaired state of my
hearing compelled me to resign, and I returned to Bethlehem.
At Latiz I had many severe experiences; many, too, which were
very beneficial to me. The Holy Spirit wrought
powerfully upon my heart, and the sinful state of my heart was
revealed to me. I spent many sad and troubled hours,
trying to build up a righteousness of my own, and vet never
discerning what a Redeemer I had. On the occasion of a
choir communion, September 10th, 1803, I had a peculiarly deep
feeling
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