In late July 1777, Jane McCrea found herself caught between two worlds. Her brother, John McCrea, was a colonel in the colonial militia. Her fiancé, David Jones, had joined the British army under General Burgoyne. The British and their Indian allies were pushing into New York from Canada, and the countryside was gripped by fear.
John McCrea urged his sister to flee south to Albany with other American families. David Jones, however, sent letters begging her to come to him instead. He proposed a plan: they would marry at the British camp. Jane hesitated, torn between loyalty to her brother and love for her fiancé.
On July 24, Jane traveled to Fort Edward with a friend, Miss Thompson. She said she was visiting Mrs. McNeil, a loyalist who lived near the fort. In truth, she was preparing to meet David Jones. Her brother grew anxious when she did not return. He sent messengers, but Jane delayed, saying she would come home soon.
The plan was for a small group of Indians, led by a man named Doth, to escort Jane to the British lines. David Jones trusted Doth completely. The group was to move secretly through the woods, avoiding American patrols. Jane would walk alone on the road toward the home of William Griffin, a loyalist under British protection. From there, she would be taken to camp, where a chaplain waited to perform the wedding.
On the morning of July 27, Jane dressed carefully. Her hair was famously long, said to reach the ground when loose. She watched for the signal from Doth and his men. When it came, she left Mrs. McNeil’s house quietly and walked toward the road.
At that same moment, a party of American soldiers under Lieutenant Van Vechten was stationed on a hill near the fort. They were watching for the British advance. Suddenly, gunfire rang out. A band of Wyandot Indians, led by a chief named Le Loup, attacked the Americans. Several were killed, including Lieutenant Van Vechten. The survivors fled toward the fort.
Jane was caught in the chaos. She ran back toward Mrs. McNeil’s house, but the Indians saw her. Six or eight of them chased her and caught her at the door. Mrs. McNeil, a heavy woman, was slow to escape to the cellar. Both women were captured. The Indians took them and hurried away from the fort, carrying whatever plunder they could grab.
At a fork in the road near a large pine tree, the Indians stopped. They tried to put their prisoners on stolen horses. Mrs. McNeil was too heavy to ride, so two Indians took her by the arms and hurried her along the right path. They stripped off her outer clothing and brought her into camp nearly naked. She met General Fraser, a relative, who was shocked and angry. He had not sent the Indians and had believed she was still in New York.
Meanwhile, Doth and his men appeared. They had been watching from the woods, waiting for Jane. Doth demanded custody of the girl, explaining that he was under orders from David Jones to bring her safely to camp. The captors refused. They had taken her themselves and would not give her up.
As the argument grew heated, word came that a detachment from the fort was approaching. Shots were heard. There was no time for further debate. Jane’s horse was urged forward. Doth grabbed the reins, determined to keep her. Angry words were exchanged, and the Indians began to turn on each other.
Le Loup, furious at Doth’s persistence, swung his tomahawk. The blade struck Jane in the side. She fell to the ground. In an instant, Le Loup seized her long hair, wrapped it around his hand, and scalped her. Her companions tore the dress from her lifeless body and covered her with branches. Then the whole party hurried forward.
Doth reported the horror to the stunned lieutenants. Le Loup displayed his trophy in camp and later boasted of it in war dances. Jane McCrea, who had laughed at the idea of danger, was dead at the hands of the very men sent to protect her.
The murder became a rallying cry for the American cause. The phrase “Remember Jane McCrea” spread across the colonies. Her death, and the brutality of the Indian allies Britain had unleashed, pushed many to join the fight for independence.