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 77
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For over a year his wife awaited his return, hopeful against all argu- ments to the contrary. She almost gave up at last, but, wooed by another, she postponed the day from time to time, declaring she could not shake off the belief that her husband would yet come back. Her friends reasoned on her folly ; she reluctantly yielded, and the nuptial day was fixed. But, just before it dawned, the crack of a familiar rifle was heard near her lonely cabin. At the welcome sound she leaped out like a liberated fawn, ejaculating as she sprang, " That's John's gun !
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RUTH SEVIER MARRIES A SHAWNEE CHIEF.
That's John's gun !" It was John's gun, sure enough, and in an in- stant she was again in her beloved husband's arms. Nine years later, however, that same husband did really fall at St. Clair's defeat, and the same persevering lover renewed his suit and at last won the widow.
RUTH SEVIER MARRIES A SHAWNEE CHIEF.
Ruth Sparks was a famous character on the Tennessee border. She was the second daughter of General Sevier and the famous Catharine Sherrill. She was a girl of uncommon nerve and spirit. Without any regular schooling, she made rapid progress, having been gifted by na- ture with an active mind, a ready apprehension and great strength of purpose.
She was a great friend to the Indians, and learned not only the names of the chiefs but many of the warriors. She learned all she could from them of manners of living and domestic customs. Her father had been very kind to thirty of their race who had been taken and kept liberally by him. Ten of these had remained for three years at Sevier's resi- dence. Ruth was greatly beloved by all of them. They taught her their language, and when they went back to their tribe were never tired of sounding her praises, predicting that " Chuckas Ruth make chief's wife some day," a prediction that was soon after amply verified.
Many instances are given of Ruth's spirit and courage. Once she gave notice of the approach of tories in time enough for her mother to have the most valuable of her effects removed to an old lime kiln. On another occasion, while bathing in the stream with some Indian girls, she saw enemies lurking near the banks and gave timely warning. Once, when crossing the same stream with an Indian girl, she was nearly drowned, and was rescued by two of the Cherokee captives above allu- ded to. She had learned in childhood to shoot well with a rifle, and was a far better shot than many of the hunters.
Among some children that were captured in Kentucky and carried to the Indian towns on the Scioto was a boy of about four. He was adopted by a head chief of the Shawnees, who had two sons of about the same age-the famous Tecumseh and his brother, the Prophet. The boy was called in adoption Shawtunte-a name changed after re- lease to Richard Sparks. Shawtunte remained with the Indians until he was sixteen, becoming a thorough Indian. Some time before Wayne's victories he was exchanged and proceeded to Kentucky, and thence to
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OUR WESTERN BORDER.
the settlements on the Holston and Nolachucka. He soon managed to make the acquaintance of General Sevier, who was deeply interested in his history, and learned all he could about the northern Indians and his various adventures. His "moving accidents by flood and field." "These things to hear would Ruth seriously incline," and conceived quite an interest for the young chief.
General Sevier exerted his influence to procure an appointment for Shawtunte, and he soon obtained a Captain's commission and did ser- vice as a scout. He stood high as an officer and a gentleman. All this ended by his becoming deeply enamored of Ruth; and it is no wonder, for in symmetry of form and grace of attitude she was un- rivaled. It was said of her, that "she never was the least awkward. She never sat, stood or walked but with a native ease and grace that was perfect, and she was always a figure for a painter." She had regu- lar features, fair complexion, laughing blue eyes and an expressive mouth. She was, besides, frank, cheerful, sociable and a good talker.
Ruth returned the attachment, and the marriage came off, Richard not then knowing how to read or write. His charming bride became his teacher, and he soon made rapid progress. He was soon promoted to a Colonelcy in the United States Army, and, in 1801-2, was stationed at Fort Pickering, now Memphis. When Louisiana was purchased, Colonel Sparks took his regiment to New Orleans, his wife acting as his secretary, keeping his accounts, writing his reports, &c. During her residence there, some of the Choctaws-who knew her and had heard of Shawtunte's history-called almost daily at her house, bringing ven- ison, ducks and turkeys. After residing South ten years Colonel Sparks resigned on account of ill health, and returned to Tennessee and thence to Staunton, where he died in 1815. His widow afterwards contracted a second marriage with a wealthy Mississippi planter, having a beautiful plantation near Port Gibson. She died in 1824, while on a visit to Kentucky. She never had any children, although extremely fond of them, and was an exemplary Christian.
THE "ISAAC AND REBECCA " OF WEST VIRGINIA.
Rebecca, the Jewess, was not, in her time, more celebrated for her skill and success in treating wounds than was Rebecca Williams all along the Ohio border. She very early in life became a widow, her husband having been killed, together with one of her ancles, by savages, in 1770. Her father was the first settler west of Fort Pitt, having located on Grave Creek, below Wheeling, even before the Zanes settled
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THE " ISAAC AND REBECCA" OF WEST VIRGINIA.
the latter place. Here she kept house for her two brothers, and would remain entirely alone for whole weeks in her cabin, while they were ab- sent on hunting excursions. She never knew what fear was.
In 1774, immediately after the massacre of Logan's relatives at Baker's Station, she paid a visit to her sister, who had married Mr. Baker, and returned as she came, all alone, in a canoe, a distance of fifty miles. She " paddled her own canoe " till dark; made for the wilderness shore to wait for the moon to rise, and fastened it in a clump of willows, where she landed and waited. On stepping again into her canoe she happened to tread on something cold and soft, and, stooping down, discovered, to her horror, that it was a human body. The pale moonlight streamed upon the ghastly face of a dead savage, evidently not long killed. Rebecca recoiled at first, but uttered no scream, for in that was peril. She stepped over the corpse, entered her canoe and reached Grave Creek before morning.
The next Summer, while alone and kindling her fire in her cabin, she heard steps, and on turning about saw a gigantic savage standing close by. He shook his tomahawk threateningly, and motioned her to silence. He then looked around the cabin for plunder. Seeing her brother's rifle hanging over the fireplace, he seized it and went out. Rebecca showed no fear, but when he left hid in the corn till her brother's return.
The next year the youthful widow married Isaac Williams, a man after her own heart-a hunter and scout as absolutely devoid of fear as she was herself. On account of constant Indian marauds, they moved to near Redstone Fort, on the Monongahela, and after to Fort Henry. While there she and Mrs. Colonel Zane nursed Mills (whose case is mentioned elsewhere) back to perfect health. While spearing fish by moonlight, he received no less than fourteen bullet wounds. With warm fomentations and Indian herb applications, they not only cured every wound, but saved an arm and leg that were broken, and which all said must come off.
In consideration of her faithful services to them, her two brothers had given her four hundred acres of land just opposite the mouth of the Muskingum, where Marietta, the oldest settlement in Ohio, was located. To this point. Isaac and Rebecca Williams removed and ever after lived, and, like Isaac and Rebecca of old, were given to hospitality and good deeds. In 1790 there happened a dreadful famine. Many of the new settlers were completely destitute. Old, mouldy corn went up to a fabulous price. Williams, however, had a large stock of good corn, with which he refused to speculate, but distributed to all who needed.
CHAPTER XII.
PLUCK AND SPIRIT OF THE BORDER BOYS.
I ween you would have seen with joy
The bearing of the gallant boy, When worthy of his noble siret His wet cheek glowed 'twixt fear and ire: He faced the bloodhound manfully, And held his little bat on high ; So fierce he struck, the dog, afraid,
At cautious distance hoarsely bayed, But still in act to spring.
The above lines, by Walter Scott, fittingly portray the heir of Brank. some-the gallant son of a bold border chief. Like father, like son, and the boys of the American border, having sires of extraordinary courage, and being environed from their very infancy with perils of uncommon character, were cool, bold, intrepid and fearless, frequently loving danger for the danger's sake.
If a path were dangerous known, The danger's self was lure alone.
Wary asloons, and wild and hardy as young partridges, every sense was on the alert. Accustomed from the cradle to the most appalling perils, and to take amazing hazards ; liable to run athwart of lurking savages every day and in every woodland walk, familiarity bred con- tempt. Judge Hall mentions the characteristic incident of a pioneer woman who, on witnessing the quiet and peaceful death of a young man in his bed, declared it to be a " most beautiful sight." Appro- priate enough for those who lived amid scenes of storm, violence and bloodshed, and who rarely witnessed a natural death. Border chroni- cles are full of incidents of youthful heroism, and subjoined are a few selections. They speak for themselves, and need no further comment from us.
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REMARKABLE EXPLOIT OF THE JOHNSON BOYS.
REMARKABLE EXPLOIT OF THE JOHNSON BOYS.
No event of border history can exceed, for coolness and daring, the exploit of two little brothers, John and Henry Johnson-the former thirteen and the latter only eleven years of age. Their parents lived near the mouth of Short Creek, West Virginia. The facts of the case have been very much mixed up by local chroniclers, but we condense the veracious narrative of the tragedy, written for De Hass by Henry him- self, who, in 1851, lived at Antioch, Ohio.
One day, in October, 1788, they went about a mile from the house to look for a hat which one of them had lost, and were sitting on a log by the roadside cracking nuts. They soon saw two men approaching, whom they took for two neighbors, but when the two came up they found "they were black." They sat still, and one said, "How do, brodder." John, the thirteen-year old, asked if they were Indians, and they said yes, and that the boys must go with them.
They took up their march, one of the savages in advance the other in the rear, and after traveling some distance, halted in a deep hollow. The two boys saw them whet their knives and heard them talk in their strange tongue, and thought they were about to be killed ; but Henry states he felt no alarm, as he thought he would rather die than go with them, but was troubled that his parents would be fretting after them. John went up to the Indians, and, with great art, said his father was cross and made him work hard, and that he would rather be a hunter and live in the woods, all which seemed to please them, and they talked quite pleasantly. The two were Delawares-one a prominent chief-and they asked John many questions, and seemed well informed about the name and force of every border fort and station. They concluded by asking him if he knew the way home, and John, though knowing well,, pointed the wrong way every time, which made them -laugh.
They halted for the night about four miles from where they were- first taken, and, as evening closed in, Henry became fretful, when John! encouraged him by whispering that they must kill their captors that. night. After they had selected a sleeping place and struck a fire, one of them reprimed his gun and went to an old stump to get some tinder wood. John then seized the gun and would have fired had not his brother taken hold of it and prevented, as the other might be close by, and told him if he would wait for night he would help. After supper they all sat down and talked for some time, the savages asking many, 46
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OUR WESTERN BORDER.
questions, and stating that they never could catch his father's black horse that wore the bell. From this point we will quote from Henry's own narrative:
"We then went to bed on the naked ground, to rest and study out the best mode of attack. They put us between them, that they might be the better able to guard us. After a while one of the Indians, sup- posing we were asleep, got up and stretched himself on the other side of the fire, and soon began to snore. John, who had been watching every motion, found they were sound asleep. He whispered to me to get up, which we did as carefully as possible. John took the gun with which the Indian had struck fire, cocked it, and fixed it on a log in the di- rection of the head of one of the Indians. He then took a tomahawk and drew it over the head of the other Indian. At the word, I pulled the trigger and he struck at the same instant : the blow, falling too far back on the neck, only stunned the Indian. He attempted to spring to his feet, uttering most hideous yells, but my brother repeated the blows with such effect that the conflict became terrible, and somewhat doubtful.
"The Indian, however, was forced to yield to the blows he received on his head, and, in a short time, he lay quiet at our feet. The one that was shot never moved; and, fearing there were others close by, we hurried off, and took nothing with us but the gun I shot with. They had told us we would see Indians about to-morrow, so we thought that there was a camp of Indians close by ; and fearing the report of the gun, the Indian hallooing, and I calling to John, might bring them upon us, we took our course towards the river, and, on going about three- fourths of a mile, came to a path which led to Carpenter's Fort. My brother here hung up his hat, that he might know where to take off to find the camp. We got to the fort a little before daybreak. We re- lated our adventure and, the next day, a small party went out with my brother, and found the Indian that was tomahawked on the ground ; the other had crawled off, and was not found till some time after. He was shot through, close by the ear."
A LAD KILLS A RED-CRESTED GOBBLER.
In Wood county, W. V., a man had a son, twelve years of age, who had been used to firing his father's gun, as most boys did in those days. He heard, he supposed, turkeys on or near the bank of the Ohio, and asked his father to let him take the gun and kill one. His father, know- ing that the Indians frequently decoyed people by such noises, refused,
THE LITTLE JOHNSON LADS KILL THEIR CAPTORS.
-See page 728.
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CAPTURE OF TWO BOYS AND THE PRICE PAID.
saying it was probably an Indian. When he had gone to work, the boy took the gun and paddled his canoe over the river, but had the precau- tion to land some distance from where he had heard the turkey all the morning, probably for fear of scaring the game, and perhaps a little afraid of Indians. The banks were steep, and the boy cautiously advanced to where he could see without being seen.
Watching a while for his game, he happened to see an Indian cautious- ly looking over a log, to notice where the boy had landed. The lad fixed his gun at a rest, watching the place where he had seen the In- dian's head, and when it appeared again, fired and the Indian disap- peared. The boy dropped the gun and ran for his canoe, which he paddled over the river as soon as possible. When he reached home, he said, " Mother, I have killed an Indian !" and the mother replied, " No, you have not." " Yes, I have," said the boy. The father coming in, he made the same report to him, and received the same reply ; but he constantly affirmed it was even so; and, as the gun was left, a party took the boy over the river to find it and show the place where he shot the Indian, and, behold, his words were found verified. The ball had entered the head, where the boy affirmed he shot, between the eye and ear.
CAPTURE OF TWO BOYS AND THE PRICE PAID.
In the Spring of 1785 the Indians early reappeared in the neighbor- hood of Wheeling. One of their first acts, on Wheeling Creek, was the captivity of two boys, John Wetzel, Jr., and Frederick Erlewyne, the former about sixteen years of age and the latter a year or two younger. The boys had gone from the fort at Shepherd's for the pur- pose of catching horses. One of the stray animals was a mare with a young colt, belonging to Wetzel's sister, and she had offered the foal to John as a reward for finding the mare. While on this service they were captured by a party of four Indians, who, having come across the horses, had seized and secured them in a thicket, expecting the bells would at- tract the notice of their owners, so they could kill them.
The horse was ever a favorite object of plunder with the savages ; as not only facilitating his own escape from pursuit, but also assisting him in carrying off the spoil. The boys, hearing the well-known tinkle of the bells, approached the spot where the Indians lay concealed, congrat- ulating themselves on their good luck in so readily finding the strays, when they were immediately seized by the savages. John, in attempt- ing to escape, was shot through the wrist. His companion hesitating to "
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OUR WESTERN BORDER.
go with the Indians, and beginning to cry, they dispatched him with the tomahawk. John, who had once before been taken prisoner and escaped, made light of it, and went along cheerfully with his wounded arm.
The party struck the Ohio river early the following morning at a point near the mouth of Grave Creek, and just below the clearing of Mr. Tomlinson, who, with his family, was at that time in the fort at Wheeling. Here they found some hogs, and killing one of them, put it into a canoe they had stolen. Three of the Indians took possession of the canoe with their prisoner, while the other was busied in swim- ming the horses across the river. It so happened that Isaac Williams, Hambleton Kerr and Jacob, a Dutchman, had come down that morn- ing from Wheeling to look after the cattle, &c., left at the deserted set- tlement. When near the mouth of Little Grave Creek, a mile above, they heard the report of a rifle. "Dod rot 'em," exclaimed Mr. Wil- liams, " a Kantuck boat has landed at the creek, and they are shooting my hogs."
Quickening their pace, in a few minutes they were within a short dis- tance of the creek, when they heard the loud snort of a horse. Kerr, being in the prime of life and younger than Mr. Williams, was several rods ahead and reached the bank first. As he looked into the creek, he saw three Indians standing in a canoe ; one was in the stern, one in the bow and the other in the middle. At the feet of the latter lay four rifles and a dead hog ; while a fourth Indian was swimming a horse, a few rods from shore. The one in the stern had his paddle in the edge of the water, in the act of turning and shoving the canoe from the mouth of the creek into the river. Before they were aware of his pres- ence, Kerr drew up and shot the Indian in the stern, who instantly fell into the water. The crack of his rifle had scarcely ceased, when Mr. Williams came up and shot the one in the bow, who also fell overboard. Kerr dropped his rifle, and seizing that of the Dutchman, shot the re- maining Indian. He fell over into the water, but still held on to the side of the canoe with one hand. So amazed was the last Indian at the fall of his companions, that he never offered to lift one of the rifles, which lay at his feet, in self-defence, but acted like one bereft of his senses.
By this time the canoe, impelled by the impetus given to it by the first Indian, had reached the current of the river, and was some rods below the mouth of the creek. Kerr instantly reloaded his gun, and seeing John Wetzel lying in the bottom of the canoe, raised it to his face as in the act of firing, when he cried out, " Don't shoot, I am a white man !" Kerr told him to knock loose the Indian's hand from
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ADVENTURES OF FIVE KENTUCKY BOYS.
the side of the canoe, and paddle to the shore. In reply he said his arm was broken, and he could not. The current, however, set it near some rocks not far from land, on which he jumped and waded out. Kerr now aimed his rifle at the Indian on horseback, who, by this time, had reached the middle of the river. The shot struck near him, splash- ing the water on his naked skin.
The Indian, seeing the fate of his companions, with the utmost bravery, slipped from the horse and swam for the canoe in which were the rifles of the four warriors. This was an act of necessity as well as of daring, for he well knew that he could not reach home without the means of killing game. He soon gained possession of the canoe un- molested, crossed with the arms to his own side of the Ohio, mounted the captive horse, which had swam to the Indian shore, and, with a yell of defiance, escaped into the woods. The canoe was turned adrift to spite his enemies, and was taken up near Maysville, Ky., with the dead hog still in it-the cause of all their misfortunes.
ADVENTURES OF FIVE KENTUCKY BOYS.
About four years after the untimely murder by Indians of the famous hunter and pioneer, Colonel William Linn, Colonel Pope, who lived near Louisville, had a tutor employed for his own sons, and was in- duced to receive also the sons of his neighbors. Among these were Colonel Linn's two boys, to whom Colonel Pope acted as guardian.
In February, 1785, five of these boys, the two Linns, Brashear, Wells and another, whose name is not recollected, went out one Satur- day to hunt. The ages of these boys are not now known; they were tittle fellows, however, probably between the ages of nine and thirteen. They encamped for the night near the bank of the Ohio, at a place where a wide scope of bottom land was covered with heavy forest trees, and with ponds which were frequented by great numbers of swans, geese and ducks. A snow fell during the night, and in the morning they found themselves surrounded by a party of Indians, who had laid near them in ambush, and who captured them. Brashear, being a very fleet runner, attempted to escape, but was overtaken and secured with the rest. The elder Linn also attempted to run, but being stout and clumsy, and encumbered with some game which he had thrown over his shoulder, stumbled and fell, and was seized by a tawny warrior, who . patted him on the back and called him, in the Indian tongue, " the
.
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OUR WESTERN BORDER.
little fat bear;" while Brashear, on account of his agility, received the name of the "buck elk."
The Indians, desiring to ascertain whether there was any unprotected house or settlement near that might be pillaged, asked the boys where they came from? The guarded reply was, "from Louisville." " You lie !". responded the savage ; but the boys, mindful of their friends, even at a moment so distressing to themselves, kept their own counsel, and neither by word nor sign gave any indication that their assertion was not true. Their sagacity and firmness saved the family of Colonel Pope from destruction. The Indians retired with their young captives, who marched off with apparent indifference. Crossing the Ohio, they were taken to an Indian town in Northern Indiana, distant many days' jour- ney; and on the way won the favor of their new masters by the patience with which they suffered captivity and fatigue, and the cheerful interest they appeared to take in the occurrences of the march.
At the Indian village the reception usually extended to prisoners awaited them. The women and children crowded around them with shouts of exultation, loaded them with reproaches, pelted them with dirt and stones, struck, pinched and heaped indignities upon them. But the gallant . little fellows were probably prepared for these and greater cruelties, and found them no worse than they expected. For . a while they submitted bravely; but at length the Linn blood became heated and the younger of the brothers, whose temper was quick, and who had frequently been cautioned by his companions to restrain his passions, losing all patience, singled out a tawny boy bigger than him- self, who had struck him, and being left-handed, returned the blow in a way so unexpected that his foe, unable to parry it, was knocked down
The warriors were delighted with an exploit so much to their taste, and applauded it with loud shouts and laughter. Another champion assailed the little hero, who, springing upon the juvenile savage with the ferocity of the panther, dealt him blows, kicks and scratches, with a vigor which surprised and delighted the spectators. The whole mass of boyhood became pugnacious ; his companions joined with alacrity in the fight-Kentucky against the field. The heroic lads fought against odds, but displayed such prowess that they soon cleared the ring, and were rescued from further annoyance by their captors, who were par- ticularly amused by the efficiency and odd effect of the left-handed blows of the younger Linn.
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