USA > Massachusetts > Our western border : its life, combats, adventures, forays, massacres, captivities, scouts, red chiefs, pioneer women, one hundred years ago, containing the cream of all the rare old border chronicles > Part 62
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80
Resolute in their purpose, on no account to leave the middle of the stream, and strongly suspecting the suppliants of treachery, the party paid no attention to their entreaties, but steadily pursued their course down the river, and were soon considerably ahead of them. The two white men now ran down the bank, in a line parallel with the course of the boat, and their entreaties were changed into the most piercing cries and lamentations upon perceiving the obstinacy with which their request was disregarded. The obduracy of the crew soon began to relax. Flinn and the two females, accustomed from their youth to undervalue danger from the Indians, earnestly insisted upon going ashore and relieving the white men, and even the incredulity of May began to yield. May called to them from the deck of the boat, where he stood, and demanded the cause of the large fire, the smoke of which had caused so much alarm. The white men positively denied that there was any fire near them.
573
ADVENTURES OF MAY, JOHNSTON, FLINN AND SKYLES.
This falsehood was so palpable, that May's former suspicion returned with additional force, and he positively insisted upon continuing their course without paying the slightest attention to the request of the men.
This resolution was firmly seconded by Johnston and Skyles, and as vehemently opposed by Flinn and the Misses Fleming. Flinn urged that the men gave every evidence of real distress which could be required, and recounted, too, many particular circumstances attending their capture and escape, to give color to the suspicion that their story was invented for the occasion, and added that it would be a burning shame to them and theirs forever, if they should permit two country- men to fall a sacrifice to the savages when so slight a risk on their part would suffice to relieve them. He acknowledged that they had lied in relation to the fire, but declared himself satisfied that it was only be- cause they were fearful of acknowledging the truth, lest the crew should suspect that Indians were concealed in the vicinity. The controversy became warm, and during its progress the boat drifted so far below the men, that they appeared to relinquish their pursuit in despair.
At this time Flinn made a second proposal, which, according to his method of reasoning, could be carried into effect without the slightest risk to any one but himself. They were now more than a mile below the pursuers. He proposed that May should only touch the hostile shore long enough to permit him to jump out. That it was impossible for Indians (even admitting that they were at hand) to arrive in time to arrest the boat, and even should any appear, they could immediately put off from shore and abandon him to his fate. That he was confident of being able to outrun the red devils, if they saw him first, and was equally confident of being able to see them as soon as they could see him. May remonstrated against so unnecessary an exposure-but Flinn was inflexible, and, in an evil hour, the boat was directed to the shore. They quickly discovered, what ought to have been known before, that they could not float as swiftly after leaving the current as while borne along by it, and they were nearly double the time in making the shore that they had calculated upon. When within reach Flinn leaped fear- lessly upon the hostile bank, and the boat grated upon the sand. At that moment five or six savages ran up out of breath, from the adjoin- ing woods, and seizing Flinn, began to fire upon the boat's crew. John- ston and Skyles sprung to their arms, in order to return the fire, while May, seizing an oar, attempted to regain the current. Fresh Indians arrived, however, in such rapid succession, that the beach was quickly crowded by them, and May called out to his companions to cease firing and come to the oars. This was done, but it was too late.
574
OUR WESTERN BORDER.
DECOY SUCCESSFUL AND THE BOAT CAPTURED BY SAVAGES.
The river was very high, and their clumsy and unwieldy boat had be- come entangled in the boughs of the trees which hung over the water, so that after the most desperate efforts to get her off, they were com- pelled to relinquish the attempt in despair. During the whole of this time the Indians were pouring a heavy fire into the boat, at a distance not exceeding ten paces. Their horses, of which they had a great number on board, had broken their halters, and, mad with terror, were plunging so furiously as to expose them to a danger scarcely less dreadful than that which menaced them from shore. In addition to this, none of them had ever beheld a hostile Indian before, (with the exception of May,) and the furious gestures and appalling yells of the enemy struck a terror to their hearts which almost deprived them of their faculties. Seeing it impossible to extricate themselves, they all lay down upon their faces, in such parts of the boat as would best pro- tect them from the horses, and awaited in passive helplessness the ap- proach of the conquerors. The enemy, however, still declined board- ing, and contented themselves with pouring in an incessant fire, by which all the horses were killed, and which at length began to grow fatal to the crew. One of the females received a ball in her mouth, which had passed immediately over Johnston's head, and almost instantly expired. Skyles, immediately afterwards, was severely wounded in both shoulders, the ball striking the right shoulder blade and ranging transversely along his back. The fire seemed to grow hotter every moment, when, at length, May arose and waved his night cap above his head as a signal of surrender. He instantly received a ball in the mid- dle of the forehead and fell perfectly dead by the side of Johnston, covering him with his blood.
Now, at last, the enemy ventured to board. Throwing themselves into the water, with their tomahawks in their hands, a dozen or twenty swam to the boat and began to climb the sides. Johnston stood ready to do the honors of the boat, and, presenting his hand to each Indian in succession, he helped them over the side to the number of twenty. Nothing could appear more cordial than the meeting. Each Indian shook him by the hand, with the usual salutation of " How de do," in passable English, while Johnston encountered every visitor with an af- fectionate squeeze and a forced smile in which terror struggled with civility. The Indians then passed on to Skyles and the surviving Miss Fleming, where the demonstrations of mutual joy were not quite so lively. Skyles was writhing under a painful wound, and the girl was
575
DECOY SUCCESSFUL AND THE BOAT CAPTURED.
sitting by the dead body of her sister. Having shaken hands with all their captives the Indians proceeded to scalp the dead, which was done with great coolness, and the reeking scalps were stretched and prepared upon hoops for the usual process of drying, immediately before the eyes of the survivors.
The boat was then drawn ashore, and its contents examined with great greediness. Poor Skyles, in addition to the pain of his wounds, was compelled to witness the total destruction of his property by the hand of these greedy spoilers, who tossed his silks, cambric and broad- cloth into the dirt with the most reckless indifference. At length they stumbled upon a keg of whiskey. The prize was eagerly seized and everything else abandoned. The Indian who had found it carried it ashore, and was followed by the rest with tumultuous delight. A large fire nearly fifty feet long was kindled, and victors and vanquished in- discriminately huddled around it. As yet no attempt had been made to strip the prisoners, but, unfortunately, Johnston was handsomely dressed in a broadcloth surtout, red vest, fine ruffled shirt and a new pair of boots. The Indians began to eye him attentively, and at length one of them, whose name he afterwards learned was Chick-a- tommo, a Shawnee chief, came up to him, and gave the skirt of his coat two or three hard pulls, accompanied by several gestures which were not to be mistaken. Johnston stripped off his coat, and very politely handed it to him. His red waistcoat was now exposed to full view and attracted great attention. Chick-a-tommo said, "Ugh! you big Cappa- tain !" Johnston hastily assured him that he was mistaken, that he was no officer, nor had any connection with military affairs whatever.
The Indian then drew himself up, pointed with his finger to his own breast, and exclaimed, " Me Cappatain ! all dese," pointing to his men, "my sogers !" The red waistcoat accompanied the surtout, and Johnston quickly stood shivering in his shirt and pantaloons. An old Indian then came up to him, and placing one hand upon his own shirt (a greasy, filthy garment, which had not, probably, been washed for six months) and the other upon Johnston's ruffles, cried out, in English, "Swap! Swap!" at the same time giving the ruffles a gentle pull with his dirty fingers. Johnston, conquering his disgust at the proposal, was about to comply, and had drawn his shirt over his head, when it was violently pulled back by another Indian, whose name, he afterwards learned, was Tom Lewis. His new ally then reproached the other In- dian severely for wishing to take the shirt from a prisoner's back in such cold weather, and directly afterwards threw his own blanket over Johnston's shoulders. The action was accompanied by a look so full of compassion and kindness, that Johnston, who had expected far dif-
576
OUR WESTERN BORDER.
ferent treatment, was perfectly astonished. He now saw that native kindness of heart and generosity of feeling were by no means rare even among savages.
The two white men who had decoyed them ashore, and whose names where Devine and Thomas, now appeared, and took their seats by the side of the captives. Sensible of the reproach to which they had ex- posed themselves, they hastened to offer an excuse for their conduct. They declared that they really had been taken in Kennedy's Bottom a few days before, and that the Indians had compelled them, by threats of instant death in case of refusal, to act as they had done. They con- cluded by some common-place expressions of regret for the calamity which they had occasioned, and declared that their own misery was ag- gravated at beholding that of their countrymen ! In short, words were cheap with them, and they showered them out in profusion. But John- ston and Skyles' sufferings had been and still were too severe to per- mit their resentment to be appeased by such light atonement. Their suspicions of the existence of willful and malignant treachery on the part of the white men, (at least one of them,) were confirmed by the report of a negro, who quickly made his appearance, and, as it ap- peared, had been taken in Kentucky a few days before. He declared that Thomas had been extremely averse to having any share in the treachery, but had been overruled by Devine, who alone had planned, and was most active in the execution of the project, having received a promise from the Indians that, in case of success, his' own liberty should be restored to him. This report has been amply confirmed by subsequent testimony.
In a few minutes, six squaws, most of them very old, together with two white children, a girl and a boy, came down to the fire, and seated themselves. The children had lately been taken from Kentucky. Skyles' wound now became excessively painful, and Flinn, who, in the course of his adventurous life, had picked up some knowledge of sur- gery, was permitted to examine it. He soon found it necessary to make an incision, which was done very neatly with a razor. An old squaw then washed the wound, and having caught the bloody water in a tin cup, presented it to Skyles, and requested him to drink it, assur- ing him that it would greatly accelerate the cure. He thought it most prudent to comply.
During the whole of this time, the Indians remained silently smoking or lounging around the fire. No sentinels were posted in order to pre- vent a surprise, but each man's gun stood immediately behind him, with the breech resting upon the ground, and the barrel supported against a small pole, placed horizontally upon two forks. Upon the slightest
577
CANOE CAPTURED AND SIX KILLED.
alarm, every man could have laid his hand upon his own gun. Their captors were composed of small detachments from several tribes. Much the greater portion belonged to the Shawnees, but there were several Delawares, Wyandots and a few wandering Cherokees. After smoking, they proceeded to the division of their prisoners. Flinn was given to a Shawnee warrior ; Skyles to an old, crabbed, ferocious Indian of the same tribe, whose temper was sufficiently expressed in his countenance, while Johnston was assigned to a young Shawnee chief, whom he repre- sented as possessed of a disposition which would have done him honor in any age or in any nation.
His name was Messhawa, and he had just reached the age of man- hood. His person was tall, and expressive rather of action than strength ; his air was noble, and his countenance mild, open and pecu- liarly prepossessing. He evidently possessed great influence among those of his own tribe, which, as the sequel will show, he exerted with great activity on the side of humanity. The surviving Miss Fleming was given to the Cherokees, while the Wyandots and the Delawares were not allowed to share in the distribution. No dissatisfaction, however, was expressed. The division had been proclaimed by an old chief in a loud voice, and a brief guttural monosyllable announced their concur- rence. After the distribution of their captives, Flinn, Devine and Thomas were ordered to prepare four additional oars for the boat which they had taken, as they had determined to man it, and assail such other boats as should be encountered during their stay on the Ohio. These and several other preparations occupied the rest of the day.
CANOE CAPTURED AND SIX KILLED-EXCITING CHASE AND REPULSE.
On the next morning the Indians arose 'early, and prepared for an encounter, expecting, as usual, that boats would be passing. They dressed their scalp tufts and painted their faces in the most ap- proved manner before a pocket glass which each carried with him, grimacing and frowning in order to drill their features to the ex- pression of the most terrific passions. About ten o'clock a canoe con- taining six men was seen, slowly and laboriously ascending the river upon the Kentucky shore. All the prisoners were immediately ordered to descend the bank to the water's edge and decoy the canoe within reach of the Indian guns. Johnston, with whatever reluctance, was compelled to accompany the rest. Devine on this, as on the former oc- casion, was peculiarly active and ingenious in stratagems. He invented a lamentable story of their canoe having been overset and of their stary- 37
578
OUR WESTERN BORDER.
ing condition, destitute as they were of either guns or axes. It was with agony that Johnston beheld the canoe put off from the Kentucky shore, and move rapidly towards them, struggling with the powerful current, which bore them so far below them that they could not distinguish the repeated signs which Johnston made, warning them to keep off. The Indians perceiving how far the canoe was driven below them, ran rap- idly down the river, under cover of the woods, and concealed them selves among the willows, which grew in thick clusters upon the bank. The unsuspecting canoemen soon drew near, and when within sixty yards, received a heavy fire which killed every man on board. Some fell into the river, and overset the canoe, which drifted rapidly down the current, as did the bodies of the stain. The Indians sprang into the water, and dragging them ashore, tomahawked two of them who gave some signs of life, and scalped the whole.
Scarcely had this been done when a more splendid booty appeared in view. It happened that Captain Thomas Marshall, of the Virginia artillery, with several other gentlemen, were descending the Ohio, hav- ing embarked only one day later than May. They had three boats, weakly manned- but heavily ladened with horses and dry goods, in- tended for Lexington. About twelve o'clock, on the second day of Johnston's captivity, the little flotilla appeared about a mile above the point where the Indians stood. Instantly all was bustle and activity. The additional oars were fixed to the boat, the savages sprang on board, and the prisoners were compelled to station themselves at the oars, and were threatened with death unless they used their utmost exertions to bring them alongside of the enemy. The three boats came down very rapidly, and were soon immediately opposite their enemy. The Indians opened a heavy fire upon them, and stimulated their rowers to their ut- most efforts. The boats. became quickly aware of their danger, and a warm contest of skill and strength took place. There was an interval of one hundred yards between each of the three boats in view. The hindmost was for a time in great danger. Having but one pair of oars, and being weakly manned, she was unable to compete with the Indian boat, which greatly outnumbered her both in oars and men.
The Indians quickly came within rifle shot, and swept the deck with an incessant fire, which rendered it extremely dangerous for any of the crew to show themselves. Captain Marshall was on board the hind- most boat, and maintained his position at the steering oar in defiance of the shower of balls which flew around him. He stood in his shirt sleeves, with a red silk handkerchief bound around his head, which afforded a fair mark to the enemy, and steered the boat with equal steadiness and skill, while the crew below relieved each other at the oars. The enemy
579
EXCITING CHASE AND REPULSE.
lost ground from two circumstances. In their eagerness to overtake the whites they had left the current, and attempted to cut across the river from point to point, in order to shorten the distance. In doing so, however, they lost the force of the current, and quickly found themselves dropping astern.
In addition to this, the whites conducted themselves with great cool- ness and dexterity. The second boat waited for the hindmost, and re- ceived her crew on board, abandoning the goods and horses, without scruple, to the enemy. Being now more strongly manned, she shot rapidly ahead, and quickly overtook the foremost boat, which, in like manner, received her crew on board, abandoning the cargo as before, and, having six pair of oars and being powerfully manned, she was soon beyond the reach of the enemy's shot. The chase lasted more than an hour. For the first half hour the fate of the hindmost boat hung in mournful suspense, and Johnston, with agony, looked forward to the probability of its capture. The prisoners were compelled to labor hard at the oars, but they took care never to pull together, and by every means in their power endeavored to favor the escape of their friends.
At length the Indians abandoned the pursuit and turned their whole attention to the boats which had been deserted. The booty surpassed their most sanguine expectations. Several fine horses were on board, and flour and chocolate in profusion. Another keg of whiskey was found and excited the same immoderate joy as at first. It was unani- mously determined to regale themselves in a regular feast, and prepara- tions were made to carry their resolution into effect. A large kettle of chocolate and sugar, of which the sugar formed the greater part, was set upon the fire, which an old squaw stirred with a dirty stick. John- ston was promoted on the spot to the rank of cook, and received orders to bake a number of flour cakes in the fire. A deer skin, which had served for a saddle blanket, and was most disgustingly stained by having been applied to a horse's sore back, was given him as a tray, and being repeatedly ordered to "make haste," he entered upon his new office with great zeal.
By mixing a large portion of sugar with some dumplings, which he boiled in chocolate, he so delighted the palates of the Indians, that they were enthusiastic in their praises, and announced their intention of keep- ing him in his present capacity as long as he remained with them. The two kegs, which had been carefully guarded, were now produced, and the mirth began to border on the "fast and furious." A select band, as usual, remained sober, in order to maintain order and guard against surprise, but the prisoners were invited to get drunk with their red brothers. Johnston and Skyles declined the invitation, but Flinn, with-
580
OUR WESTERN BORDER.
out waiting to be asked twice, joined the revelers, and soon became as drunk as any of them. In this situation he entered into a hot dispute with an Indian, which, after much abuse on both sides, terminated in blows, and his antagonist received a sad battering. Several of his tribe drew their knives and rushed upon Flinn with fury, but were restrained amid peals of laughter by the others, who declared that Flinn had proved himself a man, and should have fair play.
In the meantime, Johnston and Skyles had been bound and removed to a convenient distance from the drinking party, with the double de- sign of saving their lives, and guarding escape. While lying in this manner, and totally unable to help themselves, they beheld, with terror, one of the revelers staggering towards them, with a drawn knife in his hand, and muttering a profusion of drunken curses. He stopped with- in a few paces of them, and harangued them with great vehemence for nearly a minute, until he had worked himself up into a state of insane fury, when suddenly uttering a startling yell, he sprang upon the pros- trate body of Skyles and seizing him by the hair endeavored to scalp him. Fortunately he was too much intoxicated to exert his usual dex- terity, and before he had succeeded in his design, the guard ran up at full speed and seizing him by the shoulders, hurled him violently back- wards to the distance of several yards. The drunken beast rolled upon the ground, and with difficulty recovering his feet, staggered off, mut- tering curses against the white man, the guard, himself, and the whole world. Skyles had only felt the point of the knife, but had given up his scalp for lost, and rubbed the crown of his head several times with feverish apprehension, before he could be satisfied that his scalp was still safe.
JOHNSTON BOTHERED BY A COW-THE GAME OF "NOSEY."
No other incident occurred during the night, and on the following morning the Indians separated. Those to whom Flinn belonged re- mained at the river, in expectation of intercepting other boats, while Johnston's party struck through the wilderness, in a steady direction, for their towns. During their first day's march he afforded much amusement to his captors. In the boat abandoned by Captain Mar- shall, they found a milch cow, haltered in the usual manner. Upon leaving the river, they committed her to the care of Johnston, requiring him to lead her by the halter. Being totally unaccustomed to this method of traveling, she proved very refractory and perplexed him ex- ceedingly. When he took one side of a tree, she regularly chose the other. Whenever he attempted to lead her, she planted her feet firmly
581
JOHNSTON BOTHERED BY A Cow.
before her, and refused to move a step. When he strove to drive her, she ran off into the bushes, dragging him after her, to the no small injury of his person and dress. The Indians were in a roar of laughter throughout the whole day, and appeared highly to enjoy his perplexity.
At night they arrived at a small encampment, where they had left their women and children. Here, to his great joy, Johnston was re- lieved of his charge, and saw her slaughtered with the utmost gratifica- tion. At night, he suffered severely by the absence of the benevolent Messhawa, to whose charge, as we have already stated, he had been com- mitted. The Indians were apprehensive of pursuit, and directed Mes- shawa, at the head of several warriors, up to the rear, to give them seasonable warning of any attempt on the part of the whites to regain their prisoners. In his absence, he had been committed to an Indian of very different character. While his new master was engaged in tying his hands, as usual, for the night, he ventured to complain that the cords were drawn too tight, and gave him unnecessary pain. The Indian flew into a passion, exclaiming, "D- your soul !" and drew the cord with all the violence of which he was capable, until it was completely buried in the flesh. Johnston, in consequence, did not sleep for a moment, but passed the whole night in exquisite torture. In the morning Messhawa came up, and finding his prisoner in a high fever, and his hands excessively swollen, cut the cords, and exchanged some high words with the other Indian upon the subject.
The march was quickly recommenced, and Johnston could not avoid congratulating himself every moment upon his good fortune in having Messhawa for his guide. Skyles' master seemed to take pleasure in tormenting him. In addition to an enormous quantity of baggage, he compelled him to carry his rifle, by which his raw wound was per- petually irritated and prevented from healing. Messhawa permitted Johnston to share his own mess on all occasions, while the savages to whom Skyles belonged would scarcely permit him to eat a dozen mouthfuls a day, and never without embittering his meat with curses and blows. In a few days they arrived at the Scioto river, which, from the recent rains, was too high to admit of being forded. The Indians were immediately employed in constructing a raft, and it was necessary to carry one very large log several hundred yards. Two Indians, with a handspike, supported the lighter end, while the butt was very chari- tably bestowed upon Johnston alone. Not daring to murmur, he exerted his utmost strength, and aided by several Indians, with some difficulty, succeeded in placing the enormous burden upon his shoulder. He quickly found, however, that the weight was beyond his strength, and wishing to give his two companions in front warning of his inability
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.