Simon Girty essays

Simon Girty essays Simon Girty was born in 1741, the second of four boys in the region surrounding Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. His father's alcoholism and inability to keep steady employment forced the family to move around a lot during his youth. By the time Girty was 15, his family was living in western Pennsylvania. During an Indian raid, he and his brothers were captured by Indians. He spent the next four years living with the Senecas in northwest Pennsylvania and western New York. During this time, he learned many languages and dialects of Indians and his skills as an outdoorsman were honed. He was hired by the American army to serve as an interpreter at Fort Pitt in Pittsburgh. He left his post briefly to fight with Lord Dunmore in Lord Dunmore's War as a scout and interpreter. He returned to Fort Pitt to resume his duties. Girty was unpopular with his superiors because of his belligerence. He left the army because he felt he was unappreciated. Girty decided to go to Detroit where he began working for the British government. The British quickly placed Girty in charge of activities against the American government on the frontier. He was able to easily interact with the Indians and earned respect from both the British and the Indians. To the American frontiersman, he was hated. Girty encouraged the Indians to not accept peace from the American government and in his role as a British agent, told the Indians that the British would continue their support of the Indian insurrection. Because of his success as a British agent and provocateur of the Indians, Girty was wanted for treason against the American government. By 1783, Girty had retired from the British employ. However, he continued to encourage the Indians to not accept peace from the Americans and worked to keep the Indians fired up against the Americans. It is rumored the Girty fought with the Wyandots against St. Clair at St. Clair's Defeat. ...