the Paxton Boys' Rebellion
1763
In the wake of the Pontiac's war between the Ottawa tribe and the colonial settlers, a vigilante group known as the Paxton Boys arose in the western Pennsylvania frontier to settle the score with the Native American tribes.  On December 14, 1763, the Paxton Boys set upon a Conestoga village, a group of Christian Indians who were friendly to the settlers,  murdering six of the Indian villagers.  The colonial government tried to take steps to protect the Conestoga, but the Paxton group attacked the jail in Lancaster, PA, where the remaining Conestoga had been taken into protective custody, killing all 14.

The bloody raids soon led to a nascent political movement on the Pennsylvania frontier.  Emboldened by their "victories", the Paxton Boys marched on Phildelphia to demand more funding and other aid in their campaign against the Native American tribes.  They were met by an armed militia and the The Paxton Boys turned tail for west Pennsylvania, content to have lodged a formal petiton with the legislature.  Little of lasting consequence came of the Paxton Boys violent uprising, except for the festering resentment between the settlers and their Indian neighbors.

Sources:  Broken Claw.com
              The Legacy Of The Paxton Boys - Patrick Spero (Univeristy of Pennsylvania)
back to Rebellions In American History
Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

1