In May 1750, 62 settlers living illegally on the Aughwick, Licking Creek and at Great Cove were convicted of trespassing and forcibly expelled by Provincial government authorities.

The commission overseeing the expulsion included Conrad Weiser, Richard Peters, George Croghan and Sheriff John Potter of Cumberland County.

Within a few months of burning the cabins, Richard Peters wrote to Conrad Weiser that "The People over the Hills are combin'd against the Government, [and] are putting in new Cropps and bid us Defiance.

[5]: 5 Following General Edward Braddock's defeat on 9 July 1755 at the Battle of the Monongahela, at the beginning of the French and Indian War, Pennsylvania was left without a professional military force.

[1]: 597–98  Pennsylvania militia searched the area but lost the trail in the newly-fallen snow, although they found the body of a child, probably killed because he or she was unable to keep pace with the fleeing warriors.

[13]: 167 No definitive account of the number of casualties exists, although a Pennsylvania Gazette article published on 13 November names seven of those killed and eighteen taken captive, 11 of whom were children.

Sheriff Potter testified on 14 November to provincial authorities that "of ninety-three families which were settled in the two coves and the Conolloways, forty-seven [persons] were either killed or taken [prisoner]."

[13]: 238  Three captives were released by the Lenape chief Tamaqua at the Lancaster Council of August 1762, and several others were handed over to Colonel Henry Bouquet at his camp on the Muskingum River in November 1764.

[15]: 7 [14][16] In this account, the Flemings state that William heard the warning issued by Patrick Burns, and immediately rode off to collect his pregnant wife and flee.

One warrior identified himself as Captain Jacobs, the leader of the assault, and he told Fleming to lead him to "those Houses that were Most defenceless; and added...that he would Spare my Life on Condition I would help."

William eventually reached the burning houses of Great Cove, then went on to Conococheague settlement, where he found 300 Pennsylvania militia, under the command of Hance Hamilton, preparing to pursue the Indians.

After three days wandering through the devastated community, she was found by a group of settlers and taken to one of their homes at Conococheague settlement, where she was reunited with William.

The destruction of Kittanning in September, 1756 demonstrated that the colonists were capable of retaliation, and the Native American raids became much less frequent after the Treaty of Easton in 1758.

[4] Many victims of the massacre were buried at the Big Spring Graveyard in Ayr Township near McConnellsburg in Fulton County, Pennsylvania.