USA > Virginia > A history of the valley of Virginia, 3rd ed > Part 12
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any objection to his name being given as authority, and as one of Fry's party. He replied with equal animation and emphasis, "No, my friend, I always gloried in what I did." Moses Russell, Esq., informed the author that his two elder brothers were of Fry's party, and that if he had been old enough, he would, doubtless, have been among them. But he had more than once heard one of his brother's speak of this occurrence with great regret, and lament the part he had taken in it. General Smith recollects hear- ing much said on this subject soon after he came to Winchester to live. To say the least of it, it was a dangerous precedent in a civilized society. There is another individual, now living in the neighborhood of the author's residence, who was of Fry's party, and is now about eighty years of age, who was an active and useful character in the war of the revolution, and from him the author obtained many particulars of this occurrence, but as lie never formally authorized the use of his name publicly, it is with- held. It was from the information of this individul that the au- thor was enabled to find the year when this important occurrence took place.
After the most diligent inquiry, the author could not ascertain whether the murder of these two Indians was followed by any acts of retaliation on the part of the Indians.
The same year (1768) a worthless character by the name of Jolin Price committed a most wanton and unprovoked murder on the body of a popular young Indian chief. Price had resided sever- al years in the Hawksbill settlement. He went out to the Indianl country under the character of an Indian trader, and soon formed an acquaintance with this young war chief. Price was an expert marksman and experienced hunter, and soon acquired the confi- dence and attachment of the young warrior. They frequently took hunting excursions; in the last of which, having wandered a considerable distance from the Indian habitations, Price shot the young man dead, robbed him of his. rifle, a few silver orna- ments and hunting dress, and left him lying in the wilderness ; then pushed home, boasting of what he had done, and showed his ill- gotten booty.
A few days after Price's return home, Lewis Bingaman, who was taken prisoner when a boy, and who grew up and became a dis- tinguished man, (which has been heretofore noticed), came in at the head of thirty warriors in pursuit of Price. He made himself known to Frederick Offenberger, and told what Price had done ; said that he would go to Price, and propose to take a hunt ; that his warriors were concealed in the Massinutten Mountain ; and if he succeeded in decoying Price into their hands, they would be perfectly satisfied, and do no injury to any other person ; but if they did not succeed in getting Price, they would revenge the death of their young chief upon the first white person they could find, and the lives of many innocent women and children
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would be sacrificed to appease their vengeance. Offenberger kept Bingaman's communication to himself, believing that Price de- served punishment. He was accordingly decoyed into the hands of thirty warriors, and never heard from afterwards ; of course he expiated his base and treacherous murder of the young Indian, by the most lingering and painful death which savage instinct could devise.
Tradition relates a story of Mr. Hogeland, who on a certain occasion killed an Indian in the following manner. Hogeland went out in the evening from Furman's Fort, in pursuit of the milch cows. He heard the bell in a deep glen, and from its peculiar sound, sus- pected some strategeni. Instead of pursuing the hollow therefore, he took up a high ridge, and passed the spot where the bell was ringing ; then cautiously descending the hollow, he discovered an Indian with the bell (which he had taken from the cow), suspended to a small sapling, which he shook gently to keep the bell in motion. Whilst the savage was thus engaged with a view to decoy the owner within the reach of his rifle, Hogeland took deliberate aim at him, and shot him through the body ; upon which another Indian started up, ran, and got off. Thus this wily savage fell into the snare he believed he had adroitly prepared for killing the owner of the cattle. *
The author has heard another version of this story. It is said there was a young man with Hogeland ; and when the Indian was seen with the bell, Hogeland at the same instant discovered the other Indian standing at a tree, with his guu raised ready to fire at whoever should come for the cows. Hogeland pointed him out to the young man, and observed, "Now take deliberate aim, whilst I take the fellow with the bell." They both fired and both Indians fell dead." +
Thus ends the author's narrative of the many important oc- currences and great events from the commencement of Indian hostili- ties, in the year 1754, until their final termination in 1766, a period of twelve years.
From the termination of hostilities in 1766, until the com- mencement of Dunmore's war in 1774, the people of the Valley enjoyed uninterrupted peace and tranquility, and the country set- tled and increased with great rapidity. Several families of distinc- tion removed from the lower country and settled in the Valley. The ancestors of the Washingtons, Willeses, Throckmortons and Whitings, severally settled in the neighborhood of Long Marsh and Bull-skin.
The author did not find it convenient to obtain the several treaties made with the Indian tribes during the period from the
* Samuel Kercheval, Jr., of Romney, related this tradition to the author.
+ William Naylor, Esq., gave the author this version of the story.
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commencement of Braddock's war until the final termination of hostilities. 'Nor does he consider it to be very material, as those treaties were no sooner made than broken. Should this be deemed a material defect, he will endeavor to supply it in an- other edition.
The commencement and termination of Dunmore's war will form the subject of the next chapter.
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DUNMORE'S WAR WITH THE INDIANS.
CHAPTER X.
DUNMORE'S WAR WITH THE INDIANS.
In the year 1773, the Indians killed two white men on the Hockhocking River, to-wit, John Martin and Guy Meek, (Indian traders), and robbed them of about {200 worth of goods. About the Ist of May, 1774, they killed two men in a canoe on the Ohio River, and robbed the canoe of its contents. * There were other similar occurrences, which left no doubt upon the minds of the west- ern people, that the savages had determined to make war upon them; and of course acts of retaliation were resorted to on the part of the whites.
The late Col. Angus McDonald, near Winchester, and several other individuals, went out in the spring 1774, to survey the mili- tary bounty lands, lying on the Ohio and Kanawha Rivers, allowed by the King's proclamation to the officers and soldiers of the army, for their services in a preceding war with the Indians, but were driven off.
Col. McDonald forthwith waited on Gov. Dunmore in person, and gave him an account of the hostile disposition of the Indians. The governor authorized him to raise a regiment of four hundred men, and immediately proceed to punish the enemy. He soon suc- ceeded in raising his little army ; in the month of June marched into the Indian country, destroyed several of their villages, cut off their corn, and returned. He had two or three running fights with the Indians, but there was little blood shed on either side.
This act of war produced a general combination of the various nations northwest of the Ohio; and hence arose the necessity of speedily raising a powerful army to save the western people from being entirely cut off, or driven from their habitation.
Lord Dunmore issued his order to Col. A. Lewis, of Augusta county, to raise a body of one thousand men, and immediately pro- ceed to the Ohio River, where he, (Dunmore) would join him with an equal number, to be raised in the northern counties of Virginia. Dunmore very soon raised the requisite number of men, principally volunteers from the counties of Berkeley, Hampshire, Frederick and Shenandoah. f Capt. Daniel Cresap went to South Carolina, and brought in one hundred and twenty Catawba Indian warriors at his
* Mr. Jacob's Life of Cresap.
t General John Smith.
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ow11 expense and responsibility, which he intended employing against the western enemy. He soon after marched at the head of this band of warriors, with the addition of sixteen white volunteers, with the design of breaking up and destroying the Moravian Indian towns on Cheat River. These people professed Christianity and neutrality in the war then going on between the red and white people. But they were charged by the white people with secretly aiding and abetting the hostile Indians ; hence Cresap's determination to break up their settlement and drive them off. In crossing the Alleghany Moun- tains seven Indians under the guise of friendship, fell in with Cresap's party and in the most treacherous manner contrived to kill seven of the white volunteers, and then fled. They were instantly pursued by the Catawbas, and two of them taken prisoners and delivered up to Cresap, who, after reproaching them with their base treachery, discharged them, and retreated into the settlement with his Indians and remaining white volunteers. The Catawba Indians soon after left Cresap and returned to their nation. The late Generals, Daniel Morgan and James Wood, were captains in Dunmore's campaign, each of whom had served under McDonald as captains the preceding spring. *
For farther particulars of this war, the author will give copious extracts from Mr. Doddridge "Notes on the Wars West of the Alleghany Mountain," and from Mr. Jacob's "Life of Cresap." These two authors have detailed the causes which led to this disas- trous and destructive war, and are directly at issue on some of the most important particulars. In this controversy the author of this work will not partake so far as to express an opinion which of these two divines have truth on their side ; but he considers it is his duty, as an impartial and faithful historian, to give both these reverend gentlemen's accounts, at full length, of the original cause and con- sequences of this war.
It appears, however evident, that the late Capt. Michael Cres- ap has had injustice done to his character, both by Mr. Jefferson and Mr. Doddridge. Mr. Jefferson in his " Notes on Virginia," charges Cresap with being "infamous for his many Indian murders and mur- dering Logan's family in cold blood." Mr. Doddridge repeats the charge of the murder of Logan's family, and adds the further charge "that Cresap was the cause of Dunmore's war. How far these charges are refuted by Mr. Jacob, an impartial world will determine.
It is to be regretted that Mr. Jacob's vindication of the charac- ter of his friend Cresap cannot have a circulation co-extensive with Mr. Jefferson's charges against him. The celebrity of Mr. Jefferson's character, together with the beautiful specimen of Indian oratory in
* Mr. John Tomlinson related the particulars of these occurrences to the author, and added that he himself was one of Cresap's party, and that he was then a youth of seventeen or eighteen years of age.
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DODDRIDGE'S ACCOUNT
the Logan speech, has probably caused his work to be circulated and read all over the civilized world.
The author will only add that he has obtained permission, from the proprietors of these works, to use thein as he deems proper. The Hon. Philip Doddridge, shortly before his death, in a letter to the author stated, that he considered there would be no impropriety in appending any part of his brother's book to this publication ; and Mr. Jacob's, in the most liberal and unquali- fied terms, permits him to append the whole, or any part of his "Life of Cresap."
REV. MR. DODDRIDGE'S ACCOUNT OF DUNMORE'S WAR.
After the conclusion of the Indian wars, by the treaty mnade with the chiefs by Sir William Johnson at the German flats, in the latter part of 1764, the western settlements enjoyed peace until the spring of 1774.
During this period of time, the settlements increased with great rapidity along the whole extent of the western frontier. Even the slrores of the Ohio, on the Virginia side, had a considerable popula- tion as early as the year 1774.
Devoutly might humanity wish that the record of the causes which led to the destructive war of 1774, might be blotted from the annals of our country. But it is now too late to efface it ; the "black-lettered list" must remain, a dishonorable blot in our na- tional history. Good however may spring out of evil. The injuries inflicted upon the Indians, in early times by our forefathers, may induce their descendants to show justice and mercy to the dimin- ished posterity of those children of the wilderness, whose ancestors perished, in cold blood, under the tomahawk and scalping knife of the white savage.
In the month of April, 1774, a rumor was circulated that the Indians had stolen several horses from some land jobbers on the Ohio and Kanawha Rivers. No evidences of the facts having been ad- duced, led to the conclusion that the report was false. This report, however, induced a pretty general belief that the Indians were about to make war upon the frontier settlements, but for this apprehen- sion there does not appear to have been the slightest foundation.
In consequence of this apprehension of being attacked by the Indians, the land jobbers ascended the River, and collected in Wheel- ing. On the 27th of April, it was reported in Wheeling that a canoe containing two Indians and some traders, were coming down the River, and then not far from the place. On hearing this, the com- mandant of the station, Capt. Cresap, proposed to go up the River and kill the Indians. This project was vehementiy opposed by Col. Zane, the proprietor of the place. He stated to the captain that the killing of those Indians would inevitably bring on a war, in which
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much innocent blood would be shed, and that the act in itself would be an atrocious murder, and a disgrace to his name forever. His good counsel was lot. The party went up the river. On being asked, at their return, what had become of the Indians? they coolly ans- wered, that "they had fallen overboard into the River !" Their canoe, on being examined, was found bloody, and pierced with bul- lets. This was the first blood which was shed in this war, and terri- ble was the vengeance which followed.
In the evening of the same day, the party, hearing that there was an encampment of Indians at the mouth of the Captina, went down the river to the place, attacked the Indians and killed several of them. In this affair only one of Cresap's party was se- verally wounded.
The massacre at Captina, and that which took place at Baker's, about forty miles above Wheeling, after that at Captina, was un- questionably the sole cause of the war of 1774. The last was perpe- trated by thirty-two men, under the command of Daniel Great- house. The whole number killed at this place, and on the River opposite to it, was twelve, besides several wounded. This hor- rid massacre was effected by an hypocritical stratagem, which reflects the deepest dishonor on the memory of those who were agents to it.
The report of the murders committed on the Indians near Wheeling, induced a belief that they would immediately commence hostilities ; and this apprehension furnished the pretext for the mur- der above related. The ostensible object for raising the party under Greathouse, was that of defending the family of Baker, whose house was opposite to a large encampment of Indians, at the mouth of the Big Yellow Creek. The party were concealed in ambuscade, while their commander went over the River, under the mask of friendship, to the Indian camp, to ascertain their number. While there an In- dian woman advised him to return home speedily, saying that the Indians were drinking and angry on account of the murder of their people down the River, and might do him some mischief. On his return to the party, he reported that the Indians were too strong for an open attack. He returned to Baker's, and requested him to give any Indians who might come over, in the course of the day, as much ruin as they might call for, and get as many of them drunk as he possibly could. The plan succeeded. Several Indian men and women came over the River to Baker's, who had previously been in the habit of selling rum to the Indians. The men drank freely, and became intoxicated. In this state they were all killed by Greathouse and a few of his party. I saw a few of his party ; for it is but jus- tice to state, that not more than five or six of the whole number had any participation in the slaughter at the house. The rest pro- tested against it as an atrocious murder. From their number, being by far the majority, they might have prevented the deed ; but alas ! they did not. A little Indian girl alone saved from the
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slaughter, by the humanity of some of the party, whose name is not now known.
The Indians in the camp, hearing the firing at the house, sent a canoe with two men in it to inquire what had happened. These two Indians were both shot down as soon as they landed on the beach. A second and larger canoe was then manned with a number of In- dians in arms ; but in attempting to reach the shore, some distance below the house, they were received by a well directed fire from the party, which killed the greater number of them, and compelled the survivors to return. A great number of shots were exchanged across the River but without damage to the white party, and none of whom were even wounded. The Indian men who were murdered were all scalped.
The woman who gave the friendly advice to the commander of the party when in the Indian camp was amongst the slain at Baker's house.
The massacres of the Indians at Capitna and Yellow Creek, comprehended the whole of the family of the famous but unfortun- ate Logan, who before these events liad been a lover of the whites, a strenuous advocate for peace ; but in the conflict which followed them, by way of revenge for the death of his people, he became a brave and sanguinary chief among the warriors.
The settlers along the frontiers, knowing that the Indians would make war upon them for the murder of their people, either moved off to the interior, or took up their residences in Forts. The appre- hension of war was soon realized. In a short time the Indians com-' menced hostilities along the whole extent of our frontier.
Express was speedily sent to Williamsburg, the then seat of government of the colony of Virginia, communicating intelligence of the certainty of the commencement of an Indian war. The assem- bly was then in session.
A plan for a campaign, for the purpose of putting a speedy con- clusion to the Indian hostilities, was adopted between the Earl of Dunmore, governor of the colony, and Gen. Lewis, of Botetourt county. General Lewis was appointed to the command of the south- ern division of the forces to be employed on this occasion, with or- ders to raise a large body of volunteers, and drafts from the south- eastern counties of the colony with all dispatch. These forces were to rendezvous at Camp Union, in the Greenbrier country. The Earl of Dunmore was to raise another army in the northern counties of the colony, and in the settlements west of the mountains, and as- semble them at Fort Pitt, and from thence descend the River to Point Pleasant, at the mouth of the great Kanawha, the place ap- pointed for the junction of the two armies, for the purpose of invading the Indian country and destroying as many of their villages as they could reach in the course of the season.
On the 11th of September, the forces under Gen. Lewis, amount- ing to eleven hundred men, commenced their march from Camp
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Union to Point Pleasant, a distance of one hundred and sixty miles. The space of country between these two points was at that time a trackless desert. Captain Matthew Arbuckle, the pilot, conducted the army by the nearest and best route to their place of destination. The flour and ammunition where wholy transported on pack horses, as the route was impassable for wheel carriages. After a painful march of nineteen days, the army arrived, on the Ist of October, at Point Pleasant, * where an encampent was made.
Gen. Lewis was exceedingly disappointed at hearing no tidings of the Earl of Dunmore, who according to previous arrangements, was to forin a junction with him at this place. He immediately dis- patched some scouts, to go by land in the direction of Fort Pitt, to obtain intelligence of the route which the Earl had taken, and then return with the utmost dispatch. On the 9th, three men, who had formerly been Indian traders, arrived in the camp, on express from the Earl, to inform Lewis that he had changed his plan of operations, and intended to march to the Indian towns by the way of Hockhocking, and directing Gen. Lewis to commence his march immediately for the old Chillicothe towns.
Very early in the morning of the 10th, two young men set out from the camp to hunt up the River. Having gone about three
* Of the battle of the Point, the author has obtained some further parti- culars, which may not be uninteresting to the reader. He saw and con- versed with three individuals who participated in that desperate struggle, viz : Joseph Mays, Andrew Reed and James Ellison. The two first named informed the author that Col. Lewis ordered out a body of three hundred men to meet and disperse the Indians as they were approaching his encamp- ment. The detachment was overpowered by the numerical force of the In- dians, not less than a thousand strong ; the whites, contending, however, for every inch of ground in their retreat. They were driven back several hun- dred yards, when Col. Lewis ordered a second detachment of three hundred men, who rushed forward with impetuosity to the relief of the first, which movement at once checked the savages, and partially changed the aspect of the fight. Col. Chas. Lewis, who had arrayed himself in a gorgeous scarlet waistcoat, against the advice of his friends, thus rendering himself a con- spicuous mark for the Indians, was mortally wounded early in the action ; yet was able to walk back after receiving the wound, into his own tent, where he expired. He was met on his way by the commander-in-chief, his brother, Col. Andrew Lewis, who remarked to him, " I expected something fatal would befall you," to which the wounded officer calmly replied, "It is the fate of war." About two o'clock, Col. Christie arrived in the field at the head of five hundred men-the'battle still raging-a reinforcement which decided the issue almost immediately. The Indians fell back about two miles, obstinately fighting the whole distance ; and such was the persever- ing spirit of the savages, though they were fairly beaten, that the contest was not entirely closed till the setting of the sun, when they relinquished the field. Shortly after the battle, several traders with the Indians, regard- ed as nutural in war, called at the Point, and informed Captain Arbuckle, commandant of the station, that there were not less than twelve hundred Indians in this memorable action. Constalk, confident of success, had placed a body of some two hundred Indians on the opposite bank of the Kanawha, to cut off the retreat of the whites ; and that the loss of the Indians in killed and wounded was not short of three hundred men.
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miles, they fell upon a camp of the Indians, who were then in the act of preparing to march to attack the Camp of Gen. Lewis. The Indians fired on them and killed one of them ; the other ran back to the camp with the intelligence that the Indians, in great force would immediately give battle.
Gen. Lewis immediately ordered out a detachment of the Bote- tourt troops under Col. Fleming, and another of the Augusta troops under Col. Charles Lewis, remaining himself with the reserve for the defence of the camp. The detachment marched out in two lines, and met the Indians in the same order about four hundred yards from the camp. The battle commenced a little after sunrise, by a heavy firing from the Indians. At the onset our troops gave back some distance, until met by reinforcement, on the arrival of whichi the Indians retreated a little way and formed a line behind logs and trees, reaching from the bank of the Ohio to that of the Kanawha. By this manceuver, our army and camp were completely invested, being enclosed between two Rivers, with the Indian line of battle in front, so that no chance of retreat was left. An incessant fire was kept up on both sides, with but little change of position until sundown, when the Indians retreated, and in the night recrossed the Ohio, and the next day commenced their march to their towns on the Scioto.
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