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 79
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NARRATIVE OF JOHN BRICKELL'S CAPTIVITY.
We condense from the American Pioneer, long out of print, John Brickell's interesting narrative of his four and a half years' captivity among the Delawares. He was born in 1781, near Uniontown, Pa., and in 1791, when but ten years old, and while clearing out a fence row, was taken prisoner by an Indian, who took his axe. He had always been intimate with the Indians, who had constantly frequented the neighborhood, and did not feel afraid. So he was not alarmed, but went with the redman willingly. When he came, however, to a couple of logs, between which his companion had lain all night, he became suspicious and attempted to run, but was thrown down on his face and tied.
After going a little distance they fell in with a son of George Girty- a brother of the notorious Simon Girty-who told him that white peo- ple had killed Indians and now they were retaliating, and that if he would go peaceably, they would make an Indian of him ; but if not, they would kill and scalp him. They then went to the Big Beaver ; crossed on a raft, and Girty and he took a new direction. Young Brickell felt very bitter against Girty, and thought, if a good chance of- fered, he would kill him. They soon made a fire, Girty tying the lad to a sapling ; but Brickell untied himself and laid down by the fire, and Girty, coming back, asked him what he had untied himself for. He answered he was cold. "Then you no run away ?" "No," Brickell replied, upon which his companion said there were Indians close by, and he was afraid they would find the boy.
At the camp he saw many Indians who had been often at his father's, They treated him very kindly and gave him food. His captor now
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NARRATIVE OF JOHN BRICKELL'S CAPTIVITY.
took him towards Sandusky ; met two warriors on the way and got drunk with them, when one of the savages fell upon the boy and beat him so unmercifully that he ran into the woods and hid behind a log. They soon missed him and searched for him with torches, calling out, " White 'man ! white man !" but Brickell lay still, and when the warriors left he went into camp again. At the Seneca town he had to run the gauntlet, and was bruised from head to foot, but a chief came up, threw the rest off of him, and led him through the lines with such rapidity that his feet scarce touched ground. Those who were the worst at the beating were now the kindest, and did all they could to cure him up but he was over two months getting well. His impression was that the Indian who rescued him was Captain Pipe himself.
His owner took himself a wife at the Seneca towns, and all then traveled on to the Maumee towns and the Auglaize, where he was adopted into the family of Whingroy Pooshies, or Big Cat, one of the best of the Delaware chiefs. He was treated exactly as one of the family, his em- ployment being mostly hunting. They had a comfortable log cabin and seven acres of corn to cultivate. They slept on skins stretched on raised platforms, the men pulling off all but their breech-clouts and using the clothes for pillows. Brickell became a thorough Indian boy, adopting their clothes, customs, &c. He says the Delawares were ex- cellent at raising children, never whipping and scarcely ever scolding them, but exacting order and obedience. A dozen might be in one cabin, of all ages, and scarcely any noise at all. They spent much time training their children in their ideas of right and virtue. Honesty, bravery and hospitality were their cardinal virtues, and the young were taught to honor and revere the aged, especially their parents.
When St. Clair's army was reported to be advancing, all the squaws and children were moved down the Maumee to await the result of the battle. After the Indian victory, the Indians came home laden down with spoils ; Big Cat's share of the booty being two fine horses, four elegant tents, clothing in abundance, axes, guns, &c. There was much joy among them. Soon after he and another lad went hunting and. came across a skeleton stripped of flesh, which his companion said had been eaten by the Chippewa Indians who were at the battle, and he: called them brutes to so use their prisoners.
Two TOUCHING INCIDENTS OF INDIAN GENEROSITY.
Brickell soon came across some whites captured at St. Clair's defeat ;. when one of them, Isaac Patton, told him that as a certain Isaac Choat was sitting, after his capture, in a very melancholy mood, his owner 47
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asked him what made him look so sorry. Choat answered, because he could not help it, as he kept thinking of his wife and children and how they would get along without him. The Indian looked around and said, " I have a squaw and two children, and I would be sorry, too, if I were taken prisoner and carried away from them." He then arose, and, putting his hand on Choat's head, said, "Choat, you shall not stay away from them. I will let you go; but I will not turn you out alone for fear other Indians may catch you; I will go with you." This he actually did, accompanying him as far as the Muskingum, and there left him, telling him to go home to his family.
On one of Brickell's annual visits to the Rapids he saw Jane Dick, one of his own neighbors. She suddenly became missing, and great but unavailing search was made for her. He learned afterwards, that her husband had hired Alexander McKee's black cook to steal her away, which he did by taking her aboard a small vessel in a canoe and headed her up in an empty hogshead, where she remained until a day after the vessel sailed. The cook told Brickell it was part of the plan to steal him away also, but that he was watched so close they dare not venture it. At this time, indeed, the lad, who appears to have been a great favorite, was watched very closely. They would not let him sleep alone, or even , go to draw water.
In June, 1794, two Indians and a boy, besides himself, started out on a hunt. They had been out about two months, and, on returning, found all the towns evacuated. Next morning an Indian runner came down the river giving the alarm whoop, and they were told to run for their lives as the whites were coming. "We scattered," says Brickell, "like a flock of partridges, leaving our breakfast cooking on the fire. The Kentucky riflemen saw our smoke and just missed me as I passed them through the corn. They took the whole of our two months' work, jerk, skins and all."
"Two or three days after we arrived at the Rapids, Wayne's spies came right into our camp boldly and fired on the Indians. Their names were Miller, McClellan, May, Wells, Mahaffy, and another whose name I forget. Miller was wounded ; May was chased to the smooth, rocky bed of the river, where his horse fell and he was made prisoner. They knew him, as he had formerly been a prisoner and ran away, and took him back to camp. They said, 'We know you-you speak Indian language-you not content to live with us ; to-morrow we take you to that burr-oak; we will tie you up, make a mark on your breast, and will try what Indian can shoot nearest.' This they did, riddling his body with bullets. Thus ended poor May."
Next day was Wayne's battle of Fallen Timbers. Brickell was out
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TOUCHING INCIDENTS OF INDIAN GENEROSITY.
hunting and met some Indians on the retreat, who told him they had been badly whipped. Many of the Delawares were killed and wounded. Among the former was the Indian who captured May, and who was much missed, as he was the only gunsmith among the Indians. The In- dians now had a terrible time. The British did not half support them. All their dogs and cattle died, and they were nearly starved, and very bitter against the British, who had goaded them on to hostilities. They then went and made peace with the Americans, and had an exchange of prisoners, but as there was no Indian to give up for Brickell, he con- tinued, and in the Spring all went to Fort Defiance; and now fol- lows a scene very creditable to the Indian character. We quote:
"On the same day Big Cat told me I must go over to the fort. The children hung around me crying, and asked me if I was going to leave them. I told them I did not know. When we got over, and were seated with the officers, Big Cat told me to stand up, which I did. He then rose and addressed me in about these words: 'My son, there are men the same color as yourself. There may be some of your kin there, or your kin may be a great way off from you. You have lived a long time with us. I call on you to say if I have not been a father to you.' I said, 'You have used me as well as a father could a son.' He said, ' I am glad you say so. You have lived long with me; you have hunted for me, but our treaty says you must be free. If you choose to go with the people of your own color, I have no right to say a word; but if you choose to stay with me, your people have no right to speak. Now re- flect on it and take your choice, and tell us as soon as you make up your mind.'
" I was silent a few minutes, in which time it seemed as if I thought of almost everything. I thought of the children I had just left crying; I thought of the Indians I was attached to, and I thought of my own people, and this latter thought predominated, and I said, ' I will go with my kin.' The old man then said, 'I have raised you; I have taught you to hunt; you are a good hunter; you have been better to me than Iny own sons. I am now getting old and cannot hunt. I thought you would be a support to my age. I leaned on you as a staff; now it is broken. You are going to leave me and I have no right to say a word, but I am ruined.' He then sank back, in tears, to his seat. I heartily joined him in his tears ; parted with him, and have never seen nor heard of him since."
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ADVENTURES OF YOUNG JAMES RAY.
We have already quoted from James Ray, (afterwards General Ray,) how, when. but a youth of seventeen, he first became acquainted with George Rogers Clark. From all accounts Ray must have been a very daring and spirited youth. We select the following incidents relating to him :
In March, 1777, while he, his brother William, William Coomes and Thomas Shores were engaged in clearing some land about four miles from Harrodstown, Ky., they were attacked by a very large party of savages, under the command of the celebrated chief Blackfish. The Indians were attracted to the place by the sound of the axes, and rush- ing upon the choppers, killed William Ray and took Shores prisoner; Coomes hiding in the brush. James Ray being uninjured by the dis- charge of rifles, fled rapidly in the direction of the fort at Harrods- town. Several of the swiftest Indian runners pursued him, but such was the white lad's fleetness and activity, that he distanced them all and reached the fort in safety. His remarkable speed elicited the admira- tion of the Indians-most excellent judges of that power-and Black- fish himself remarked to Boone, when he was a captive, that some Kan-tuck boy at Harrodstown had outrun all his best warriors.
This swiftness was a fortunate circumstance for the fort, as it enabled the garrison to prepare for an attack. The militia was organized, am- munition prepared, water and provisions procured, and all put in readi- ness for an attack. The hot-headed McGary openly charged Harrod with having been wanting in precaution, and were about to shoot at each other, when McGary's wife rushed in and turned aside the rifle of her husband, when Harrod immediately withdrew his. McGary in- stantly insisted that a party of thirty should be immediately dispatched in search of Coomes, Shores and Ray. Harrod and Rogers Clark op- posed the measure as imprudent.
At length, however, McGary's passion prevailed, and thirty mounted men were placed under him, and moved with great rapidity. Near an abandoned encampment they discovered the mangled remains of William Ray, who was McGary's son-in-law, at sight of which McGary turned pale and was near falling from his horse. When the body was first sighted, one of the men shouted out: "See there! They have killed poor Coomes !" Coomes, who had hitherto lurked in his hiding place, now sallied forth, exclaiming, " No, by gob, they haven't killed him, Coomes
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ADVENTURES OF YOUNG JAMES RAY.
is safe yet !" The party having buried Ray and rescued Coomes, re- turned in sadness to the fort.
A few days after the Indians approached the fort, first firing a cabin on the east side of the place. The garrison, supposing the fire to be the result of an accident, rushed out to quench the flames. The artful In- dians, having succeeded in their decoy, instantly attempted to intercept their return to the fort. The whites retreated, keeping up a random fire, until they reached a grove on the hill, where the Harrodsburg Court House was afterwards built. Each man now taking his tree, the Indians were compelled to retire, one white being killed and four Indians -one of whom afterwards died-being wounded.
Some time after the Indians collected in great numbers about Har- rodstown, in order, it was thought, to prevent any corn from being raised. In this period of peril and distress, James Ray, at that time but seventeen, rendered himself an object of general favor by his cool- ness, enterprise and intrepidity. He often arose before day, and left the fort on an old horse-the only one left by the Indians, of forty brought to the country by Major McGary-in order to procure food for the gar- rison. Proceeding cautiously to Salt river, (generally riding in the water, or in the bed of some small stream, in order to conceal his route,) when sufficiently out of hearing, he would kill his load of game and bring it in to the suffering inhabitants after nightfall. Older and more experienced hunters, in similar hazardous enterprises, were killed by the Indians.
During the same year, while Ray and a man named McConnell were shooting at a mark near the fort, the latter was suddenly shot down by the Indians. Ray instantly glanced his eye in the direction of the shot, and perceiving the enemy, raised his rifle to avenge the death of his friend, when he was suddenly attacked by a large body of Indians, who had crept near him. His powers as a runner were again called into requisition, and Ray bounded towards the fort, distant a hundred and fifty yards, with the speed of an antelope, amidst showers of bullets from the savages. But when he approached the gates of the fort he found them closed, and the garrison too much under the influence of their fears to open them for his admittance.
RAY FOUR HOURS UNDER FIRE-CLARK COMPLIMENTS RAY.
In this critical situation, pursued by the savages and refused shelter by his friends, Ray threw himself flat upon the ground, behind a stump just large enough to protect his body. Here, within seven steps of the" fort wall, in sight of his mother, he lay for four hours, while the Indians
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kept up an incessant fire, the balls often striking and tearing up the ground on either side of him. At last, becoming somewhat impatient, he called out to the garrison, "For God's sake, dig a hole under the cabin wall, and take me in." Strange as may have appeared the sug- gestion, it was immediately carried out, and the noble young hunter was speedily within the shelter of the fort and in the arms of his friends.
During the Fall of this year, (1777,) in order to make up the deficiency arising from having raised no corn, the people of the fort determined to make a turnip patch about two hundred yards northwest of the station. While clearing the ground, an Indian was shot at by the guard and the men retired. The next day the cattle were perceived to be disturbed, and snuffing the air about a small field in the furthest corner, that had been allowed to grow up in very high weeds. The presence of con- cealed Indians was instantly suspected, so sure were the cattle to betray their vicinity, either from the sight of the Indians themselves or from the smell of paint upon their persons. The indication prompted Major George Rogers Clark to turn the ambuscade upon the enemy. For this purpose some men were still kept at work in the turnip patch near- est the fort, and, in order to prevent suspicion by the Indians of any movement from within, they occasionally hallooed to their companions to come out to their work, while Clark, with a party of the garrison, sallied out of the fort with great secrecy, and, making a circuit, came up in the rear of the Indians as they lay concealed in the weeds.
A volley was discharged at the concealed foe, and four of their num- ber killed-one by Clark and another by Ray. The Indians instantly retreated, and were pursued by the whites about four hundred yards down the creek, where they came upon the remains of a deserted In- dian encampment, of sufficient extent for the accommodation of five or six hundred warriors. From this camp the enemy had issued during the preceding Summer to assail the stations, which they had kept in a state of constant alarm, and had destroyed the greater portion of their horses and cattle. The Indians had now abandoned their position, and the party which had just been pursued was supposed to be the remnant of the Indian force which had occupied the encampment. Major Clark complimented James Ray with the gun of the Indian which he had shot, and which was the first he had ever killed.
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HOW READILY CAPTIVE BOYS BECOME INDIANIZED.
HOW READILY CAPTIVE BOYS BECOME INDIANIZED.
Frederick Lee, with a brother-in-law and a few families, settled on the Green Briar, a branch of the Kanawha. In time of peace a large party of savages encamped on Lee's place for several days, appearing to be on one continuous frolic. Mr. Lee, however, was anxious, and did all he could to propitiate them, killing a fine hog, supplying them with bread, &c. It all availed nothing. When the time came for the blow he was the first to fall. He had a large family, several daughters grown, and one married, with her first child at her breast. Several savages one day entered the cabin and tomahawked old Mr. Lee and his son-in-law, and made prisoners of the rest. The blood of the father fell on the head and face of his little son, who was then seated on his lap. The Indians, intending to spare the boy and fearful he might be hurt, carried him to the creek and washed him. While this tragedy was enacting, many neighboring families were sharing the same fate.
All now started out for the Indian towns. There were several women along, all with babes at the breast. Mrs. Johnson, one of the daughters, who gives the narrative, says that her sister pressed her babe to her breast and bore her long march with fortitude, hoping the child would be saved. The day before the Indian town was reached, how- ever, all the babes were pitilessly murdered, and their bodies left in the woods to be devoured. After this Mrs. Johnson said her sister wished to die, and did all she could to provoke the Indians to kill her, and made several attempts on their lives. She lived, however, to marry afterwards.
Soon after getting to the Indian towns the women were put to hard drudgery and the boys allowed to run wild with the Indian lads : to shoot with bow and arrow, dabble in the water, &c. They were kept prisoners some ten years, and after peace was declared, found their way home. The boys, and especially the younger ones, had become so completely Indian that they had to be forced away : a close watch had to be kept on them, and, notwithstanding all, John Lee made his es- cape on the third night, evaded all pursuit, made his way back to the Indians, and was two years longer with them before his relatives could get him away. They, however, said that they never undertook such a task as breaking in those wild Indian boys, and especially John. It was utterly impossible to keep clothes on them. In the Summer it was useless to
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attempt it, at least any more than shirts, for the strongest tow or hemp linen shirt, with the strongest kind of fastenings at the collar and wrist- band, would, in an hour's time, be torn off and thrown away, and they would be found swimming like wild ducks in the river, or rolling naked on the sand beaches, and in their melancholy moments they would often be heard to exclaim, in tones of real distress, " Oh, my Innies, my Innies," (meaning Indians). It took a number of years to root out this attachment, and indeed some of the boys carried their woodland habits and costumes to the grave.
TWO LADS SAVE THE LIFE OF A GIRL.
In 1776 the settlements along the West Virginia and North Carolina border had notification of a large force of Cherokees coming upon them. It was anxiously debated which were best ; to await the enemy's coming in the crazy fort, or to march out boldly and meet them in the woods. The latter resolve prevailed, and a sharp contest ensued, when the savages disappeared like magic, leaving eleven or twelve dead be- hind. Alexander Moore, a strong, athletic man, grappled with a cun- ning savage of about his own size and strength, and being hard pressed, William King ran up to Moore's relief, but the Indian adroitly kept Moore in such a position that King could not shoot him without first shooting his friend. The savage had a large knife at his belt, for the . possession of which both struggled, but at length Moore drew it and plunged it into the Indian's bosom, when King finished him by shooting him through the head.
Shortly after two parties, supposing hostilities over for the present, went out to visit their farms, and were both violently attacked in full hearing of the fort, and causing indescribable confusion. The men in the fort sallied out, but the savages quickly retired. One incident deserves mention. A lad by name of William Casey had a sister, a beautiful lit- tle girl, along with the party in the field, and as he was running for his life, he discovered the Indians in close pursuit of his sister. At that moment his eyes fell upon another lad of about his own age by name of Robert Hasold, and he shouted to him to come and help him save Nancy. Hasold obeyed, and although there were five Indians in pur- suit, (some say seven,) the lads rushed between them and the girl, and by dexterously managing to fire alternately, still keeping one gun loaded when the other was discharged, they so galled the pursuers that they were glad to give up the chase.
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GEORGE BOZARTH'S RUSE AND ESCAPE.
SILAS HART'S SON AVENGES HIS FATHER.
In September, 1782, a marauding band of savages appeared in Har- din county, Ky., and committed many depredations. Silas Hart, named " Sharp Eye " by the Indians, on account of his skill and penetration as a fighter, pursued them with a chosen few, Hart shooting their chief. Vengeance was denounced by the tribe against Sharp Eye and his fam- ily, and some time after, another gang, led by the brother of the slain chief, appeared again in Hardin county. Hart was the very first upon their trail, but was unable to overtake them. The savages now worked back on the trail of the whites. Hart arrived home about dark and slept soundly after his chase. Next morning, just as his family were seating themselves for breakfast, the savages appeared and the chief's brother shot Hart dead.
The scout's son, a brave lad of only twelve years, the instant he saw his father fall, grasped his rifle, and, before the savage could enter the. door, sent a ball through his heart. The Indians now rushed on in a body, but the first who entered received from the hands of the gallant lad a hunting knife in his breast, driven to the hilt. The contest, how- ever, was too unequal. He, and his mother and sister, were overpow- ered and carried to the Wabash. The sister, unable on account of fee- bleness to keep up, was soon dispatched. The mother and son were intended for a more terrible sacrifice. All the horrid preparations were made, but an influential squaw interfered and saved the boy's life, while a chief, who wished the mother as a wife, interfered in her behalf. Both were ultimately redeemed by traders and returned home. Mrs. Hart subsequently married a Mr. Countryman, and the boy migrated to Missouri.
GEORGE BOZARTH'S RUSE AND ESCAPE.
The last incursion of savages in Northwestern Virginia happened in 1794. A murderous band appeared on Leading Creek. Expresses were sent all about to warn the people, but they had been so long ex- empt from savage marauds, that a false security was engendered. Among other careless settlers, John Bozarth, with his sons, George and John, were busy in a field drawing grain to the barn, when the agonizing shrieks of those at the house rent the air, and they hastened to ascer- tain the cause.
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The elasticity of youth enabled George to approach the house some few paces in advance of his father, but the practiced eye of the old gentleman first discovered an Indian, only a small distance from his son, and with his gun raised to fire upon him. With parental solici- tude he exclaimed, " Take care, George, an Indian is going to shoot you !" George was then too near the savage to think of escaping by flight. He looked at him steadily, and when he supposed the fatal aim was taken and the finger just pressing the trigger, he fell, and the ball whistled by him. Not doubting but that the youth had fallen in death, the savage passed by him and pressed in pursuit of the father. Mr. Bozarth was yet springy and agile, and was enabled to keep ahead of his pursuer. Despairing of overtaking him, by reason of his great speed, the savage hurled a tomahawk at his head. It passed harmless by, and the old gentleman got safely off.
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