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Battle of Wyoming

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The Battle of Wyoming , also known as the Wyoming Massacre , was a military engagement during the American Revolutionary War between Patriot militia and a force of Loyalist soldiers and Iroquois warriors. The battle took place in the Wyoming Valley of Pennsylvania on July 3, 1778 in what is now Luzerne County . The result was an overwhelming defeat for the Americans. The battle is often referred to as the "Wyoming Massacre" because of the roughly 300 Patriot casualties, many of whom were killed by the Iroquois as they fled the battlefield or after they had been taken prisoner.

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98-645: Widespread looting and burning of buildings occurred throughout the Wyoming Valley subsequent to the battle, but non-combatants were not harmed. Most of the inhabitants fled across the Pocono Mountains to Stroudsburg and Easton or down the Susquehanna River to Sunbury . Within weeks, a widely distributed but highly inaccurate newspaper report claimed that hundreds of women and children had been massacred. This false version of events

196-448: A rainforest . Alaback also adds some additional criteria to the definition of a temperate rainforest as having at least 10% of its average annual precipitation during the summer months, cool and frequently overcast summers with average July temperature less than 16 degrees Celsius (60.8 degrees Fahrenheit), and forest fires or wildifres rare and do not play an important role in the forest ecosystem. And it must also be dense and lush with

294-566: A "monster" in the poem, even though Brant was at Onaquaga on the day of the attack. The western state of Wyoming is named after the Wyoming Valley. The state received its name from the United States Congress when the Wyoming Territory was created in 1868. Construction of a monument to commemorate the battle began in 1833 but took a decade to complete due to a lack of funds. The 19 meter (63 ft) tall obelisk

392-460: A ), cold winters ( o ) and year-around precipitation ( Dcao ). Dcao climates are characterized by at least one month having an average mean temperature ≤ 32.0 °F (0.0 °C), four to seven months with an average mean temperature ≥ 50.0 °F (10.0 °C), at least one month with an average mean temperature ≥ 72.0 °F (22.2 °C) and no significant precipitation difference between seasons. Although most summer days are slightly humid in

490-419: A basement bar. Skytop offers 30 miles (48 km) of hiking trails, and the main building "is surrounded by 5,000 acres (20 km ) of wood, glacial bogs, hemlock gorges, beaver marshes, and cascading waterfalls." Novelist Faith Baldwin wrote about her 1932 visit to Skytop, "Here are friendly mountains, round-breasted, smiling in the clear, rosy light of dawn." The Buckwood Inn opened in 1911 and included

588-473: A company of Hartley's Regiment garrisoned the rebuilt Fort Wyoming (Wilkes-Barre). In October 1778, a burial party recovered the scattered remains of the fallen. According to one source, 60 Patriot bodies were found on the battlefield and another 36 along the line of retreat. Years later they were exhumed and reburied in a common grave when the Wyoming Monument was built. The Seneca were angered by

686-584: A detachment from Hartley's Additional Continental Regiment . Some of the settlers who had fled in early July also began to return. In September the Westmoreland Independent Company and Hartley's Additional Continental Regiment participated in a counter-raid commanded by Colonel Thomas Hartley that destroyed a number of abandoned Delaware villages in the vicinity of Tioga Point. Afterwards the Independent Company and

784-402: A dominant vegetation form of Eastern Hardwood Forest ( 25 ) south and east of Wallenpaupack. The peak spring bloom typically occurs in early-May and peak fall color usually occurs in early-October. The plant hardiness zone is 5b with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of −13.1 °F (−25.1 °C). According to the A. W. Kuchler U.S. potential natural vegetation types,

882-529: A force of roughly 375 men, organized into five companies of militia and one company of Continentals, sallied from the fort. Every movement by the Americans was observed by Indigenous scouts. Major Butler ordered Fort Wintermoot burned in order to trick the Americans into thinking that he was withdrawing. Butler positioned his forces in a "fine open wood" with the Rangers on the left and his Indigenous allies on

980-472: A machine "resembling a lawn sprinkler atop a sled" to generate artificial snow. Joyce Gemperlein of The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote, "Until Guresh perfected snowmaking at Big Boulder, skiing in the Poconos was a relatively minor sport." Ski resorts in the region could not rely on natural snow and, according to Big Boulder manager Ken Knize, there were times when conditions were right for skiing only two weeks

1078-520: A major automobile race track, is home to a NASCAR Cup Series race, the Pocono 400 , in July. The track formerly hosted a second NASCAR Cup Series race, the Pocono 325 , and an IndyCar race, the Pocono 500 . It also serves as a racing school, motorcycle track, and hosts club events. The two NASCAR weekends at Pocono are vital to the region for the tourism money it brings to the local economy. Pocono Raceway

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1176-598: A party of volunteers for the Braddock Expedition . His company was later assigned to guard settlements on the Juniata River . In the summer of 1763, during Pontiac's War , frontier settlements of Pennsylvania were frequently attacked by the Lenape and Shawnee . The Pennsylvania Gazette claimed, "Carlisle was become the barrier not a single individual beyond it." In the crisis, the response of

1274-535: A population of about 340,300, which is growing at a rapid pace. The Poconos now serve as a commuter community for New York City and North Jersey . The commute to workplaces often takes as much as two hours each way due to traffic. The region includes three major municipalities: Stroudsburg , East Stroudsburg , and Mount Pocono , all located in Monroe County, Pennsylvania . The Pocono Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania are divided into six regions:

1372-849: A property of 1,200 acres (490 ha) in Pocono Summit . Camp Mosey Wood , owned by the Girl Scouts' Eastern Pennsylvania council, is located on a property of 425 acres (170 ha) in White Haven, Pennsylvania . Other Scout camps located in the Poconos include Goose Pond Scout Reservation ( Lake Ariel ), Resica Falls Scout Reservation ( Marshalls Creek ), and Trexler Scout Reservation ( Jonas ). The Poconos are also home to several Jewish summer camps, including Camp Massad , Camp Ramah , and Pinemere Camp . Other non-denominational season summer camps include Camp Lohikan , Camp Watonka , and Pocono Springs Camp. Pocono Raceway ,

1470-533: A regiment that came be to known as Butler's Rangers . Seneca chiefs Sayenqueraghta and Cornplanter encouraged Seneca and Cayuga warriors to participate in a raids against frontier settlements. Similarly, Mohawk war leader Joseph Brant encouraged Mohawk participation and recruited Loyalist volunteers to fight with him. By April 1778, the Seneca were raiding settlements along the Allegheny River and

1568-494: A rich understory and epiphytes. According to the A. W. Kuchler U.S. potential natural vegetation types, the Glaciated Low Plateau region of the northern and eastern Poconos would have a dominant vegetation type of Northern Hardwood ( 106 ) with a dominant vegetation form of Northern hardwood forest ( 26 ) north and west of Lake Wallenpaupack, and a dominant vegetation type of Appalachian Oak ( 104 ) with

1666-469: A surprise assault captured Fort Durkee from the Yankees. Stewart returned to the Wyoming Valley and retook the fort on December 18, 1770. On January 21, 1771, a Pennamite force led by Ogden reentered the valley, besieged Fort Durkee, and began construction of Fort Wyoming. Their demand for the Yankees to surrender was rebuked. After Stewart ambushed and killed Amos Ogden's brother Nathan, Governor Penn offered

1764-546: A year. Morris Wilkins , co-owner of Cove Haven, invented the heart-shaped bathtub in 1963 as a way to lure honeymoon customers. The tub would appear in other couples resorts and became a symbol of the Pocono resort business. Author Lawrence Squeri wrote in 2002, "If Americans today are asked to name the image that best represents the Poconos, chances are that many will cite couples resorts and heart-shaped bathtubs..." Mount Airy Lodge expanded from an eight-room inn into

1862-655: A year. Cal Conniff, president of the National Ski Areas Association, regarded Guresh as "one of the pioneers" of the U.S. ski industry. The Pocono Record is the newspaper for the Poconos. Its coverage area centers on Stroudsburg and East Stroudsburg and covers parts of Monroe, Pike, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wayne and Carbon counties as well as areas of western New Jersey . The Times News , of Lehighton , covers Carbon, Schuylkill, and Monroe counties, and also portions of northern Lehigh and Northampton counties. West End Happenings covers events in

1960-483: A £300 reward, however, Stewart managed to escaped to Connecticut. The victorious Pennamites destroyed Fort Durkee and took possession of the Wyoming Valley. In early July 1771, however, one hundred men under Butler and Stewart returned and laid siege to Fort Wyoming. Ogden slipped through the lines at night and raised a relief column in Philadelphia. The relief force was ambushed by the Yankees but managed to reach

2058-525: Is January which correlates with the average coldest month of the year. Ice storms and large snowstorms depositing ≥ 12 inches (30 cm) of snow occur nearly every year, particularly during nor’easters from December through March. According to the Trewartha climate classification system, the Ridge and Valley section of the southern Poconos has a Temperate Continental climate ( Dc ) with hot summers (

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2156-971: Is January which correlates with the average coldest month of the year. Ice storms and large snowstorms depositing ≥ 12 inches (30 cm) of snow occur nearly every year, particularly during nor’easters from December through March. According to the Trewartha climate classification system, the Glaciated Pocono Plateau region of the central and western Poconos has a Temperate Continental climate ( Dc ) with warm summers ( b ), cold winters ( o ) and year-around precipitation ( Dcbo ). Dcbo climates are characterized by at least one month having an average mean temperature ≤ 32.0 °F (0.0 °C), four to seven months with an average mean temperature ≥ 50.0 °F (10.0 °C), all months with an average mean temperature < 72.0 °F (22.2 °C) and no significant precipitation difference between seasons. Although most summer days are comfortably humid on

2254-630: Is a monthly publication covering the Route 903 corridor from Blakeslee to Jim Thorpe. Lazarus Stewart Captain Lazarus Stewart (July 4, 1734 – July 3, 1778) was an 18th-century Pennsylvanian frontiersman, a leader of the Paxton Boys (a group of Scots-Irish militants who massacred a number of Susquehannock in 1763), and a prominent commander on the Yankee (i.e., Connecticut) side in

2352-524: Is in the region north of Stroudsburg. The other main U.S. Highway in the region is U.S. Route 6 , which is a transcontinental highway that starts near Bishop, California , and runs for over 3,000 miles (4,800 km) to its eastern terminus in Provincetown, Massachusetts . It is designated a scenic route in Pennsylvania. U.S. Route 11 , U.S. Route 22 , and U.S. Route 46 are also not far from

2450-424: Is the closest major professional race track to Philadelphia and the major metropolitan areas of New York and New Jersey. Skiing was a $ 230 million per year industry in the Poconos and in 1987 accounted for one-quarter of the region's tourist business. Pennsylvania native John Guresh, an employee at Big Boulder Ski Resort, is credited for bringing the ski industry to the Poconos. In the winter of 1956–57 he invented

2548-488: Is the site of a common grave containing the remains of many of the victims of the battle. The names of 176 of the slain are inscribed on the monument. The Battle of Wyoming is commemorated each year by the Wyoming Commemorative Association , a local non-profit organization, which holds an annual ceremony on the grounds of the Wyoming Monument. The commemorative ceremonies began in 1878 to mark

2646-488: The A. W. Kuchler U.S. potential natural vegetation types, the Ridge and Valley region of the southern Poconos would have a dominant vegetation type of Appalachian Oak ( 104 ) with a dominant vegetation form of Eastern Hardwood Forest ( 25 ). The peak spring bloom typically occurs in late-April and peak fall color usually occurs in mid-October. The plant hardiness zone is 6a with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of −5.4 °F (−20.8 °C). During

2744-619: The Allegheny Mountains in Pennsylvania also is an island of temperate rainforest with many areas averaging just over 55 inches of precipitation annually. A temperate rainforest is defined as a forest that has an average of at least 55 inches of precipitation annually and an average annual temperature between 4 and 12 degrees Celsius (39 and 54 degrees Fahrenheit). Some sources however claim even at least 50 inches of average annual precipitation qualifies an area to be

2842-622: The Allegheny Plateau , like the nearby Catskills . The Poconos' highest summit, Big Pine Hill, reaches 2,280 feet (690 m), while its lowest elevation is 350 feet (110 m) in Pike County. The Delaware River flows through the Pocono Mountains and gives the region its name, from a Native American term roughly translating to "stream between two mountains". The Lehigh and Lackawaxen Rivers also flow through

2940-608: The Conestoga Massacre . The shocked government ordered the arrest of those who took part in the massacre, but to no avail. Even those who had opposed the massacres, such as Elder, refused to volunteer the names of the ringleaders to the government. In February 1764, the Paxton Boys marched on Philadelphia but were met at Germantown by a delegation led by Benjamin Franklin who agreed to submit their grievances to

3038-478: The Finger Lakes region. The Iroquois struggled to recover from the damage inflicted by Sullivan's soldiers, and many died of starvation that winter, however, they continued to raid frontier settlements until the end of the war. The Battle of Wyoming remained well-known to most Americans for the rest of the eighteenth century and for most of the nineteenth. It particularly reemerged in national discourse during

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3136-567: The International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union , and it served as a staging ground for union activities. Ron Devlin of The Morning Call referred to Unity House as a "blue-collar 'Hilton.'" Eleanor Roosevelt visited Unity House many times and wrote, "...you could not put children in a more favorable environment..." The resort closed down in 1990, falling victim to changing times and declining union membership. In 1945 retired New York executive Rudolf Van Hoevenberg established

3234-626: The Lackawanna Cut-Off route from Scranton through the Poconos to Hoboken, New Jersey . There is no estimated target year when the Lackawanna Cut-Off Restoration Project will be completed to the Poconos. The service would consist of nine trains per day in each direction. In April 2022, the NJ Transit board approved a $ 32.5 million contract for improving a tunnel and restoring track to part of

3332-747: The Pennamite–Yankee War . He met his death during the Revolutionary War in battle with Loyalists and Haudenosaunee at the Battle of Wyoming . Stewart was born on July 4, 1734, in Hanover Township , Lancaster (now Dauphin ) County, Pennsylvania , and was of Irish descent. His parents, James Stewart and Martha Stewart, were cousins who married around 1731. In 1755, during the French and Indian War , Stewart raised and commanded

3430-501: The Philadelphia Quaker community, Inn at Buck Hill Falls (1901) and Pocono Manor (1902). These resorts did not allow liquor or dancing, and evening dress was discouraged. The Quakers "brought a quiet, unostentatious style to the region," but their hotels later developed from religious retreats into "luxurious mountain resorts." Buck Hill's stone facade became a model for close to 300 stately stone-and-shingle homes in

3528-642: The Revolutionary War in 1779, General John Sullivan marched his troops through the Pocono Mountains (Monroe and Luzerne counties) on their expedition to fight the Iroquois tribe in New York State . Sergeant Moses Fellows of the Third New Hampshire Regiment described the area as "...very poor & Barren and I think as never will Be Settled." The Poconos are a well-known outdoor recreation destination for residents around

3626-413: The 10-week summer season, and many prominent Broadway and TV figures gained experience there. The playhouse was referred to as the "Poconos boot camp for Broadway writers and performers." The revues were discontinued in 1960 and the resort closed down in 2005. Unity House, a 655-acre (265 ha) Pocono retreat, offered affordable vacations for factory workers. The resort was owned for seventy years by

3724-796: The 100th anniversary of the battle and massacre. The principal speaker at the event was President Rutherford B. Hayes . During the 100th anniversary commemoration, the people of Wyoming Valley used the motto "An honest tale speeds best when plainly told" in an effort to promote the historical account of the battle. The annual program has continued each year since then. Officer Commanding (Lieutenant Colonel Zebulon Butler) Continental Army 24th Regiment of Connecticut Militia (Colonel Nathan Denison, Lieutenant Colonel George Dorrance  † ) Supernumeraries Notes 41°19′14″N 75°49′08″W  /  41.32056°N 75.81889°W  / 41.32056; -75.81889 Pocono Mountains The Pocono Mountains , commonly referred to as

3822-901: The 1960s and 1970s before closing in 2001. In the 1950s, the Kiesendahl family purchased a 12-bedroom boarding house along Lake Teedyuskung . It became the Woodloch Resort and, as of 2014, it encompassed 1,000 acres (400 ha) and accommodated 900 guests in a variety of lodgings. Travel + Leisure identified the Lodge at Woodloch (founded 2006) as the number 3 destination spa in the world. As of July 2015, there were four Pocono resorts with indoor water parks: Great Wolf Lodge , H20ooohh! at Split Rock Resort , Aquatopia at Camelback Mountain Resort , and Kalahari Resort . In 2014 Jayne Clark of USA Today wrote, "The former Honeymoon Capital of

3920-663: The Commonwealth government was sluggish. There had long been friction between the Presbyterian settlers of the frontier and the Quaker dominated government, and the damage done by the raids caused further resentment. In Lancaster County, John Elder , a Presbyterian minister, raised two companies of associators , known as the Paxton Boys , mainly from Hanover and neighboring Paxton Township , captained by Stewart and Asher Clayton. Several indigenous enclaves existed east of

4018-674: The Delaware River. Tamiment was a popular resort among Jewish singles from the working and emerging middle class and has been described as "a progressive version of the Catskills ..." The 2,200 acres (8.9 km ) facility opened in 1921 to generate income for the Rand School of Social Science , a Socialist school in New York. Tamiment Playhouse entertained resort guests with an original revue every Saturday night during

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4116-579: The French might attempt to retake parts of Canada which they had lost in the French and Indian War , so they adopted a more defensive strategy in Quebec . The British recruited Loyalists and Indigenous allies to conduct a frontier war along the northern and western borders of the Thirteen Colonies . British Indian Department officer John Butler was granted permission to enlist Loyalists in

4214-453: The Glaciated Pocono Plateau region of the central and western Poconos would have a dominant vegetation type of Northern Hardwood ( 106 ) with a dominant vegetation form of Northern hardwood forest ( 26 ). The peak spring bloom typically occurs in early-May and peak fall color usually occurs in early-October. The plant hardiness zone is 5b with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of −10.1 °F (−23.4 °C). According to

4312-609: The Governor and Assembly. While the Paxton Boys obtained few concrete concessions, neither Stewart nor any of the other participants in the massacre were ever prosecuted for their deeds. Stewart felt a great deal of animosity towards the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and in January 1770, he led 40 of the Paxton Boys from Lancaster County to the Wyoming Valley . At the time, settlers from Connecticut (Yankees) were contesting

4410-459: The Low Plateau, episodes of heat and high humidity can occur with heat index values > 93 °F (34 °C). Since 1981, the highest air temperature was 94.1 °F (34.5 °C) on 08/06/2001, and the highest daily average mean dew point was 70.8 °F (21.6 °C) on 08/01/2006. July is the peak month for thunderstorm activity which correlates with the average warmest month of

4508-779: The Mountain Region, the Lake Region, the Delaware River Region, the Upper Delaware River Region, Wyoming Valley, and the Lehigh River Gorge Region. The Poconos are served by many state highways. The most used of these highways include Pennsylvania Route 115 , Pennsylvania Route 715 , Pennsylvania Route 903 (designated in some areas as the "Highway to Adventure" because of the numerous venues and resorts along

4606-553: The Paxton Boys, took a small scouting party to Conestoga Town to investigate the report of a "hostile Indian" being sheltered by the Susquehannock. Smith alleged that he saw "dozens of strange, armed Indians" and with Stewart began to assemble a more substantial force. Elder heard of the expedition, and sent a written message dissuading it, to no effect. On the morning of December 14, 1763, just before dawn, fifty armed and mounted men descended upon Conestoga Town, killed and scalped

4704-466: The Pocono Plateau, episodes of heat and high humidity can occur with heat index values > 93 °F (34 °C). Since 1981, the highest air temperature was 94.0 °F (34.4 °C) on 07/22/2011, and the highest daily average mean dew point was 70.7 °F (21.5 °C) on 08/01/2006. July is the peak month for thunderstorm activity which correlates with the average warmest month of

4802-759: The Poconos ( / ˈ p oʊ k ə n oʊ z / ), are a geographical, geological, and cultural region in Northeastern Pennsylvania . They overlook the Delaware River and Delaware Water Gap to the east, Lake Wallenpaupack to the north, Wyoming Valley and the Coal Region to the west, and the Lehigh Valley to the south. The name Pocono is derived from the Munsee word Pokawachne, which means "Creek Between Two Hills". Much of

4900-477: The Poconos region lies within the Greater New York–Newark, NY–NJ–CT–PA Combined Statistical Area . The wooded hills and valleys have long been a popular recreation area, accessible within a two-hour drive to millions of metropolitan area residents, with many Pocono communities having resort hotels with fishing, hunting, skiing, and other sports facilities. Although referred to usually as a mountain range,

4998-458: The Ridge and Valley, episodes of heat and high humidity can occur with heat index values > 102 °F (39 °C). Since 1981, the highest air temperature was 100.3 °F (37.9 °C) on 07/22/2011, and the highest daily average mean dew point was 72.7 °F (22.6 °C) on 08/01/2006. July is the peak month for thunderstorm activity which correlates with the average warmest month of

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5096-600: The Seneca and Cayuga broke cover and attacked the Americans with maul, tomahawk and spear. The battle lasted about 30 minutes. An attempt to reform the American line quickly turned into a frantic rout, as the inexperienced militiamen panicked and ran. It became a deadly race from which only about 60 escaped including Lieutenant Colonel Butler and Colonel Denison. Many of those overtaken by the Seneca and Cayuga were killed and scalped immediately, however, some were taken captive and were later tortured and executed. In his report to

5194-544: The Susquehannock, the more so after the Moravian Lenape and Mohican were protected by the Commonwealth — whose authority the frontiersmen doubtless felt should be exerted for their protection from "Indians" and not vice versa . Elder wrote to the government in September 1763, urging for the Susquehannock to be removed to Philadelphia as well, but the proposal was declined. In December 1763, Matthew Smith , one of

5292-738: The War of 1812 when Americans again found themselves fighting the British and their Indigenous allies on the frontier. Some newspaper accounts readily compared the Battle of Frenchtown (also known as the River Raisin Massacre) in 1813 to the Wyoming Massacre. The "Wyoming Massacre" was described by the Scottish poet Thomas Campbell in his 1809 poem " Gertrude of Wyoming ". Campbell depicted Mohawk war leader Joseph Brant as

5390-1001: The West Branch of the Susquehanna River . In late May, Joseph Brant raided Cobleskill in Tryon County , New York. In early June, Butler, Sayenqueraghta, and Brant met at Tioga Point at the confluence of the Chemung River and the North Branch of the Susquehanna River. Although Butler and the Iroquois were planning a major attack on the Wyoming Valley, it was agreed that Brant would return to Onaquaga and prepare to raid settlements in New York . Major Butler with 110 Butler's Rangers and 464 Indigenous warriors departed Tioga Point on June 27, and arrived at

5488-552: The West End of Monroe County. The Morning Call , of Allentown , is distributed to a sizeable portion of the region, especially southern Carbon, southern Monroe, and southeastern Schuylkill counties, though its coverage is mostly centered on the neighboring Lehigh Valley. A similar situation occurs with the Times-Tribune of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area and northern Monroe, northern Carbon, and Luzerne counties. The Standard-Speaker , of Hazleton, covers parts of Luzerne, Carbon, Monroe, and Schuylkill counties. Blue Mountain Moments

5586-533: The World, the Poconos – rebranded in 2007 as the Pocono Mountains – continues to fine-tune its image as a family-friendly outdoor adventureland, health spa getaway and emerging waterpark capital." In November 2006 the Pocono Downs (now Mohegan Pennsylvania ) harness-racing complex opened the first slot-machine parlor in the state of Pennsylvania. It was owned by the Mohegan Indian Tribe of Connecticut and included two gambling floors with nearly 1,100 machines. The Mount Airy Casino Resort opened in October 2007 (on

5684-409: The Wyoming Valley from the south. Connecticut raised four hundred men under Butler (now a colonel), and a confrontation took place over two days at Christmas. Stewart, with twenty men, ambushed the Pennamites on Christmas Eve as they attempted to cross to the east side of the Susquehanna River under cover of darkness. On Christmas Day, Plunket attacked Bulter's position on the west side of the river but

5782-424: The Wyoming Valley including Fort Wyoming ( Wilkes-Barre ) and Fort Pittston. Meanwhile, the Patriot militia assembled at Forty Fort under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Zebulon Butler , an officer of the Continental Army home on leave. On July 1, Fort Wintermoot at the north end of the valley surrendered without a shot being fired. That evening Fort Jenkins also surrendered after a brief skirmish. The terms of

5880-429: The Wyoming Valley were looted and burned. Mills were destroyed and livestock was driven off. The inhabitants of the valley fled, either east through the Great Swamp and the Pocono Mountains to Fort Penn (Stroudsburg) or Easton, or by rafting down the Susquehanna to Fort Augusta (Sunbury). In his report, Major Butler wrote: But what gives me the sincerest satisfaction is that I can, with great truth, assure you that in

5978-548: The accusations of atrocities following the Battle of Wyoming. Coupled with anger at militiamen who ignored their paroles, such accusations led the Seneca to attack civilians at Cherry Valley in November 1778. The Battle of Wyoming and the Cherry Valley Massacre encouraged American military leaders to strike back against the Iroquois. In the late summer of 1779, the Sullivan Expedition , commissioned by General George Washington , methodically destroyed 40 Iroquois villages and an enormous quantity of stored corn and vegetables throughout

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6076-479: The area is actually a dissected plateau , a sub-section of the larger Allegheny Plateau , forming a 2,400-square-mile (6,200 km ) escarpment . The topological mountains are also a subrange of the Appalachian Mountains . The Pocono Mountains are a popular recreational destination. While the area has long been a popular tourist destination, many communities have seen a rise in population, especially communities within Monroe County and Pike County. The region has

6174-438: The burning of women, children, and wounded soldiers inside Forty Fort on the day after the battle. The American public was outraged by such reports of a massacre and other atrocities. Many saw it as just one more reason to support American independence. In early August 1778, Lieutenant Colonel Butler returned to the Wyoming Valley with the Westmoreland Independent Company and a company of militia. In late August they were joined by

6272-434: The commanding officer of Fort Niagara , Major Butler stated that his Indigenous allies had taken 227 scalps and five prisoners, while Colonel Denison informed him that 302 had been killed. Lieutenant Colonel Butler and the surviving Continental soldiers left the Wyoming Valley on the morning of July 4 rather than being taken as prisoners of war. That afternoon, Colonel Denison surrendered Forty Fort along with what remained of

6370-491: The company from Hanover Township) and others argued that they should immediately attack and drive off the enemy before they could be besieged in Forty Fort. Their counsel carried the day, and the militia marched out on July 3, 1778. They encountered the Loyalist and Haudenosaunee forces a few miles away. During the Battle of Wyoming , a flanking maneuver by the Haudenosaunee panicked the militia and utterly routed them. Stewart and his cousin, Lazarus Stewart Jr. were both killed in

6468-453: The destruction of the settlement not a single person was hurt except such as were in arms, to these, in truth, the Indians gave no quarter. J. Hector St. John de Crèvecœur , who was in the Wyoming Valley a few weeks after the battle, wrote: "Happily these fierce people, satisfied with the death of those who had opposed them in arms, treated the defenceless ones, the woman and children, with a degree of humanity almost hitherto unparalleled". At

6566-435: The end of the war. According to one source, Lieutenant Colonel George Dorrance was captured in the battle. Since he was an officer of prominence, dressed in a new uniform, with new sword and equipment, he had been spared death under the belief that more could be obtained for his ransom than could be made from his slaughter. On the morning of the 4th, his captors were escorting Dorrance to Forty Fort when he became exhausted and

6664-399: The first golf course to be designed by renowned golf architect A. W. Tillinghast . Bandleader Fred Waring purchased the resort in 1943, renamed it the Shawnee Inn , and broadcast his radio shows from there. The Shawnee Inn is a Spanish colonial revival building with white-Moorish architecture and Spanish tiled roofs, and it was identified in the 1990s as the only resort on the banks of

6762-404: The first honeymoon resort in the Pocono Mountains, Farm on the Hill. Sally Moore of Snow Country wrote, "Far from today's sybaritic accommodations, back then the rustic cabins required new brides to make the beds and tidy up while grooms helped with the dishes and did the heavy work." By 1960, the Pocono Mountains rivaled Niagara Falls as a honeymoon destination, attracting 100,000 couples

6860-440: The fort. After a month-long siege, Fort Wyoming capitulated on August 15, 1771. For the next four years the Wyoming Valley enjoyed relative peace. Stewart, who had married Martha Espy in 1765 in Lancaster County, brought his wife and children to the valley and turned his attention to farming. The Yankee-Pennamite Wars resumed in August 1775, when a Pennsylvania force of several hundred men under Colonel William Plunket approached

6958-440: The frontier, including the Christian Lenape and Mohican settlements near the Moravian mission at Bethlehem , and the Susquehannock at Conestoga Town . Such anger was directed by the settlers against the Moravian Lenape and Mohican for their suspected part in abetting indigenous raids, that the Pennsylvanian government had them moved to Philadelphia in November 1763. In Lancaster County, feelings were very much aroused against

7056-482: The head of the Wyoming Valley three days later. Most of the Indigenous warriors were Seneca and Cayuga led by Sayenqueraghta, Cornplanter, and Fish Carrier , but contingents of Lenape (Delaware), Onondaga , and Tuscarora were also present. The Americans were alerted to their approach when 12 settlers working in a field and nearby tannery were attacked. The inhabitants fled to the forts scattered throughout

7154-534: The highway), Pennsylvania Route 33 , Pennsylvania Route 940 , and Pennsylvania Route 611 . Pennsylvania Route 309 , a major north–south route connecting Northeastern Pennsylvania with the Delaware Valley region, passes through the western end of the region. There are two U.S. highways in the Pocono Mountains region. The more used is U.S. Route 209 , which goes from Ulster, New York , to Millersburg, Pennsylvania near Harrisburg . The route's midpoint

7252-463: The largest Pocono resort. It heavily advertised in the New York media market with the catchy jingle, "Beautiful Mount Airy Lodge." Headliners, such as Bob Hope , Milton Berle , and Connie Francis , performed in the Crystal Room, Mount Airy's 2,000-seat theater. Comedian Mickey Freeman said, "The food was lousy, but it was a legalized orgy." The 1,200-acre (490 ha) resort's heyday was in

7350-538: The line between Blairstown, New Jersey and Port Morris Junction, New Jersey , a segment in which trackage had been removed in the 1980s. Until 1970, the Erie Lackawanna Railway operated long-distance trains through the Poconos to Buffalo and Chicago to the west, and Hoboken to the east; the last Erie Lackawanna train to run this routes was Lake Cities , which operated from 1939 to 1970. There are two airports that are located just outside

7448-404: The militia. Major Butler paroled them on their promise to take no part in further hostilities, and gave his assurance that "the lives of the inhabitants [would be] preserved entire and unharmed." None of the valley's inhabitants were killed after the capitulation, but many did have their personal effects plundered by Butler's Indigenous allies. In the days that followed, houses and barns throughout

7546-463: The much busier Interstate 87 and Interstate 95 , particularly for travelers from Toronto , Syracuse , Binghamton and Montreal to Philadelphia , Baltimore , and Washington, D.C. Other interstates that serve the region are Interstate 84 , which begins in Scranton and goes east to New England , and Interstate 78 , by way of Route 33 or Route 309 . NJ Transit is rebuilding trackage on

7644-498: The northeast, especially from New York City and Philadelphia . The region encompasses the Delaware State Forest , including six designated natural areas, seven state parks, and seventeen state game lands. The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is on the eastern edge of the Poconos and includes 70,000 acres (280 km ) of wilderness. Two of the earliest Pocono resorts were founded by rival factions of

7742-779: The possession of the area with the Pennsylvanians (Pennamites), in a struggle that became the first of the Yankee-Pennamite Wars. Captain Zebulon Butler , representing the Susquehanna Company, recruited Stewart and his men for the Yankee side, encouraging them with the promise of land in what became Hanover Township . Stewart's band captured Fort Ogden from the Pennamites on February 23, 1770. One of his men, either Jacob or Baltzer Stagard,

7840-604: The region and serve it indirectly. The main east–west interstate highway in the region is Interstate 80 , off which branches Interstate 380 , which connects the Poconos to Scranton . The other interstate highways in the region in Interstate 476 , the Pennsylvania Turnpike's Northeast Extension, which has interchanges near Lehighton (Mahoning Valley), Albrightsville (Route 903), and White Haven (Pocono), and Interstate 81 , which serves as an alternate route for

7938-720: The region, totaling about 170 miles (270 km) of waterways. According to the Trewartha climate classification system, the Glaciated Low Plateau region of the northern and eastern Poconos has a Temperate Continental climate ( Dc ) with warm summers ( b ), cold winters ( o ) and year-around precipitation ( Dcbo ). Dcbo climates are characterized by at least one month having an average mean temperature ≤ 32.0 °F (0.0 °C), four to seven months with an average mean temperature ≥ 50.0 °F (10.0 °C), all months with an average mean temperature < 72.0 °F (22.2 °C) and no significant precipitation difference between seasons. Although most summer days are comfortably humid on

8036-586: The region. Pocono Manor offered sweeping vistas of the eastern and western Pocono region and had been referred to as the "Grand Lady of the Mountains". Buck Hill closed in 1990 and the Inn at Pocono Manor was mostly destroyed by fire in 2019. Skytop Lodge, built in 1928, is described as a " Dutch Colonial –style manor house ". Designed in reaction to the Quaker resorts, it had a dance floor and served liquor in

8134-475: The region: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport and Lehigh Valley International Airport . The Pocono Mountains is a defined area encompassing portions of Carbon , Monroe , Pike , and southern Wayne Counties in Pennsylvania. In total, the Poconos encompasses over 2,500 square miles (6,500 km ). Some definitions also extend the Poconos to Lackawanna , Luzerne , eastern Schuylkill , and Susquehanna Counties. The Poconos are geologically part of

8232-411: The right. He ordered his men to lie on the ground and wait for the order to fire. The Americans deployed into a line of battle as they approached Fort Wintermoot. After firing three unanswered volleys they had advanced to within 100 yards of Major Butler's position, unaware that they were being flanked by the Seneca and Cayuga. Following a devastating volley from the Rangers and their Indigenous allies,

8330-464: The site of the former Mount Airy Lodge) with about 2,500 slot machines. The owner, Louis DeNaples , was later charged with perjury due to suspected ties with organized crime figures. He turned the resort over to his daughter and avoided prosecution. The Poconos are home to several Scout camps. Camp Minsi , owned by the Boy Scouts' Minsi Trails Council , is centrally located in the Poconos on

8428-599: The six Susquehannock they found there, and burned the settlement. While the Susquehannock were probably in communication with the Lenape and Shawnee on the frontier, the results of the Paxton Boys' attack were hardly inline with their supposed justification of harboring hostile warriors. Fourteen of the Susquehannock had been elsewhere when the massacre occurred, and were removed to the workhouse in Lancaster for protection. Stewart and Smith, asserting that one of those fourteen

8526-444: The surrender for both forts promised that the inhabitants would not be harmed. Demands for Forty Fort to surrender were rebuked. Lieutenant Colonel Butler and his senior officers, Colonel Nathan Denison and Lieutenant Colonel George Dorrance, advocated remaining in the fort, however, their subordinates, led by Lazarus Stewart , were overwhelmingly in favor of marching out to meet the enemy. Butler gave in and by mid-afternoon on July 3,

8624-486: The time of the battle a company of militia led by Captain Jeremiah Blanchard and Lieutenant Timothy Keyes held Pittston Fort, on the east side of the Susquehanna River several miles upstream from Forty Fort. The fort was surrendered on July 4, 1778, one day after the battle, and was partially burned a few days later. Pittston Fort was reoccupied, restored and strengthened in 1780. It remained in use until after

8722-599: The valley on July 8, and returned to Tioga Point. Later that month Butler returned to Fort Niagara while the Rangers, under the command of Captain William Caldwell proceeded to Onaquaga. In the aftermath of the battle, the settlers who had fled the Wyoming Valley spread harrowing stories and rumors about the American defeat that contributed to a general panic across the frontiers of New York and Pennsylvania. Some American newspapers picked up on these stories and went even further, producing unsubstantiated accounts about

8820-462: The year. Since 1981, the wettest calendar day was 5.83 inches (148 mm) on 09/17/2004. During the winter months, the plant hardiness zone is 5b with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of −13.1 °F (−25.1 °C). Since 1981, the coldest air temperature was −27.9 °F (−33.3 °C) on 01/21/1994. Episodes of extreme cold and wind can occur with wind chill values less than −26 °F (−32 °C). The average snowiest month

8918-457: The year. Since 1981, the wettest calendar day was 6.81 inches (173 mm) on 09/30/2010. During the winter months, the plant hardiness zone is 5b with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of −10.1 °F (−23.4 °C). Since 1981, the coldest air temperature was −21.6 °F (−29.8 °C) on 01/21/1994. Episodes of extreme cold and wind can occur with wind chill values < −22 °F (−30 °C). The average snowiest month

9016-471: The year. The average wettest month is September which correlates with tropical storm remnants during the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season . Since 1981, the wettest calendar day was 6.36 inches (162 mm) on 10/08/2005. During the winter months, the plant hardiness zone is 6a with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of −5.4 °F (−20.8 °C). Since 1981, the coldest air temperature

9114-414: Was a known murderer, assembled the Paxton Boys again. Ignoring Elder, who remonstrated with them in person, they descended upon Lancaster on December 27, 1763, and broke into the workhouse. Matthew Smith later claimed that the intent of the raid had been to carry off the murderer, but the Paxton Boys, butchered the fourteen unfortunate Susquehannock including women and children. These incidents became known as

9212-682: Was accepted as proven fact by many writers for decades afterwards but has been thoroughly discredited. In 1777, British general John Burgoyne tried to gain control of the Hudson River valley during the American Revolutionary War, but was forced to surrender after the Battles of Saratoga in October. News of the surrender prompted France to enter the war as an American ally . British military officials were concerned that

9310-499: Was forced to withdraw. In late June 1778, a strong force of Loyalist troops and Haudenosaunee under Major John Butler approached the Wyoming Valley from the north. Zebulon Butler, home on leave from the Continental Army at the time, was chosen to lead the militia which assembled at Forty Fort . Colonel Butler favored delay, as he anticipated the arrival of reinforcements, however, Stewart (who had taken over command of

9408-555: Was the first man to be killed in the conflict, when the Pennamites under Captain Amos Ogden unsuccessfully attempted to retake the fort a month later. Stewart was arrested in September 1770 in Lancaster County but quickly escaped custody. Governor John Penn offered a reward of £50, and Stewart was recaptured in October. Once again he was able to escape, still in handcuffs and without his shoes. On September 24, 1770,

9506-654: Was unable to proceed farther. His captors killed him, one taking his scalp and sword, the other his coat and tricorne . They later went through the fort showing off this clothing and took particular pains to exhibit themselves to Mrs. Dorrance, "who sat grieving over the fate of her husband." Major Butler reported "one Indian killed, two Rangers and eight Indians wounded." He claimed that his force had burned 1,000 houses, and drove off 1,000 cattle as well as many sheep and hogs. Richard Cartwright , Major Butler's civilian secretary, recorded in his journal: "seven wounded, two of who died of their wounds." Butler and his forces departed

9604-454: Was −18.0 °F (−27.8 °C) on 01/21/1994. Episodes of extreme cold and wind can occur with wind chill values < −17 °F (−27 °C). The average snowiest month is January which correlates with the average coldest month of the year. Ice storms and large snowstorms depositing ≥ 12 inches (30 cm) of snow occur once every couple of years, particularly during nor’easters from December through March. The Pocono Mountains and

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