USA > Virginia > Historical collections of Virginia : containing a collection of the most interesting facts, traditions, biographical sketches, anecdotes, &c. relating to its history and antiquities ; together with geographical and statistical descriptions ; to which is appended, an historical and descriptive sketch of the District of Columbia. > Part 64
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When about thirteen years old, he was taken prisoner by the Indians, together with; his brother Jacob, about eleven years old. Before he was taken he received a slight woand in the breast from a bullet, which carried off a small piece of his breast-bone The second night after they were taken, the Indians encamped at the Big Lick, twenty miles from the river, on the waters of M'Mahan's creek. The boys were not confined, After the Indians had fallen asleep, Lewis whispered to his brother Jacob that he must pet up and go back home with him. Jacob at first objected, but afterwards got up and went along with him. When they had got about one hundred yards from the camp. they sat down on a log. " Well," said Lewis, " we can't go home barefooted ; I will go ; buck and get a pair of moccasins for each of us ;" and accordingly did so, and returned. Atter sitting a little longer, " Now," says he, " I will go back and get father's gan, and
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then we'll start." This be effected. They had not travelled far on the trait by which they came, before they heard the Indians coming after them. It was a moonlight night, When the Indians catre pretty high them, they stopped aside into the basis. i pass, then fell into their rear, and travelled on. On the return of the fadi. the same. They were then pursued by two Indians on horseback, whom !'. in the same way. The next day they reached Wheeling in safety, crossing tion to . .. dian shore to Wheeling island on a raft of their own making. By thi fine Levis bad become almost spont from his wound.
In the year 1782, after Crawford's defeat, Lewis went with a Thomas Mips. who tad bien in the campaign, to get his borse which he had jer meurthe place where M Chers. ville now stands. At the Indian springs, two miles from St. Clairsville, so the Nicel- ing road, they were met by about forty Indians, who were in pursuit of the stragekis from the campaign. The Indians and white men discovered each other about the same mnemont. Low's Cred fiet and killed an Indian, while the Tadions wounded Minst the hoel, who was soon overt then and killed. Four of the Indians then singled out, chopped. their guns, and pursued Wetzel. Wetzel loaded his rifle as he ran. After running about half a mule, one of the Indians hating got within eight or ten steps of his, Wetzel wheeled round and shot him down, ran, and loaded his gun as before. After going about three quarters of a mile further, a ground Indian came so close to bin, that when he turned to fire, the Indian caught the muzzle of the gun, and, as he expressed is. " hc and the Indian had a severe wring." Ir howera succeeded in bringing the month to the Indien's lernst, and killed him on the spot. by this time, he as well as the Indians wore pretty well tired ; yet the pursuit was continued by the two remaining Indians. Waty best for Loaded ho gon, and stopped several times during this latter chure : when he did so, the Indians freed themselves. After going something more than a mile. Wetzel took advantage of a little open piece of ground over which the Indians per- passing, a short distance behind him, to make a sudden stop for the purpose of shooting the foremost, who get behind a little sopling which was too small to cover his body Wetzel shot, and broke his thigh. The wound in the issue proved fatel. The last of the Indians then gave a little yell, and said, " No catch dat man, gun always loaded," and gave up the chase, glad no doubt to get off with his life.
It is said that Lewis Wetzel, in the course of the Indian wars in this part of the coon- try, killed twenty -se ven Indians, besides a number more along the frontier settlements of Kentucky.
Admon Poe .-- In the summer of 1782, a party of seven Wyandots made an incursion into a sallement same distance below Fort Pitt, and several miles from the Only River. Here finding an old man alone in a cabin, they killed him, parked up what plande they could find, and commenced their retreat. Amongst their party was a celebrated Wyan. dot chief, who, in addition to his fame as a warrior and counsellor, was, as to his size and strength, a real giant.
The news of the visit of the Indians soon spread through the neighborhood, and a party of eight good riffeinen was collected in a few hours for the purpose of pursuing the It- dians. In this party were two brothers of the names of Adam and Andrew Poe. They were both famous for courage, size, and activity. This little party commenced the pur- suit of the Indians with a determination, if possible, not to suffer them to escape, as they usually did on such occasions, by making a speedy flight to the river, crossing it, and then dividing into small parties, to meet at a distant point in a given time. The pursuit was continued the greater part of the night after the Indians had done the mischief. In the morning the party found themselves on the trail of the Indians, which led to the river, When arrived within a little distance of the river, Adam Poc, fearing an ambos code, left the party, who followed directly on the trail, to creep along the brink of the river bank, under cover of the woods and bushes, to fall on the rear of the Indians, should he find them in ambuscade. He had not gone far before he saw the Indian rafts at the water's edge. Not seeing any Indians, he stepped softly down the bank, with his rifle cocked. When about half way down, he discovered the large Wyandot chief and a small Indian, within a few stage of bien. They were standing with their guns cooked and looking in the direction of our party, who by this time had gone some distance lower down the bottom. Poe took aim at the large chief, tant his rifle missed fire. The Judians hearing the snap of the gun-lock, instantly turned round and discovered Poc. who being too near them to retreat, dropped his gun, and sprang from the bank upon them, and atizing the large Indian by the clothes on his bert, and at the same time: embracing the neck of the small one, threw them both down on the ground, himself being uppermost. The small Indian soon extreated himself, run to the really got his teatralewh
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and attempted to dispatch Pos, the large Indian holding how fast in his arms with the his might. the better to enable his slow to effet his perpost. los, however, soweit watched the motions of his assailant, that, when in the act of aiming his blow at his head, by a vigorous and well-directed kick with one of his feet, he staggered the savage. and knocked the tomahawk out of his hand. This failure, on the part of the small Indian. was reproved by an exclamation of contempt from the large one.
In a moment the Indian caught up his tomahawk again, approached more cautiously, brandishing his tomahawk, and making a number of feigned blows in defiauce and de- risiou. Poe, however, stilt on his guard, averted the real blow from his head, by throw- big up his arm and receiving it on the wrist, in which he was severely wouldn't be not so as to lose entirely the use of his hand. In this perilous moment, Poe, by a vio- lent edert. broke loose from the brown, snatched up our of the Indians gras, and shot the small farran through the breast as be lan up a third time to tomahawk iem The large Indian was now on his feet, and grasping Poc by a shoulder and leg, threw him down on the bank. Poc instant, diving spod hlaself, and got on his tee. 'The Indian then seized him again, and a new struggle ensued, which, owing to the slippery state of the bank, ended in the fall of both combatants into the water. In this situation, it was the object of each to drown the other. Their efforts to effect their purpose were con- tinued for some time with alternate success, sometimes one being under the water and sometimes the other. Poe at length seized the tet of hair on the scalp of the indian; with which he held his head under water; until he supposed him drowned. Relaxing his hold too soon. Doc instantly found his gigantic antagreit on bir jest again, and ready for another combat. In this they were carried into the water beyond their depth. It this situation they were compelled to lose their hold on each other and swin for mutual safety. 'Both sought the shore, to seize a gun and end the contest with bullets. The Indian, being the best swimmer, reached the land first. Poe seeing this, immediately turned back into the water, to escape, if possible, being shot, by diving. Fortunately, the Indian caught up the rifle with which Poe had killed the other warrior. At this juncture, Andrew Poe, missing his brother from the party, and supposing from the report of the gun which he shot, that he was either killed or engaged in conflict with the In- dians, hastened to the spot. On sceing him, Adam called out to him to " kill the big Indian on shore." But Andrew's gun, like that of the Indian's, was empty. 'The con- test was now between the white and the Indian, who should load and fire first. Very fortunately for Poe, the Indian in loading drew the ramrod from the thimbles of the stock of the gun with so much violence that it slipped out of his hand, and fell a little distance from him. He quickly caught it up, and rammed down his bullet. This little delay gave Poe the advantage. He shot the Indian as he was raising his gou to take aim at him.
As soon as Andrew had shot the Indian, he jumped into the river to assist his wounded brother to shore ; but Adam, thinking more of the honor of carrying the pulp of the big Indian home as a trophy of victory than of his own safety, urged Andrew to go bach, .and prevent the struggling savage from rolling himself into the river and escaping. An- drew's solicitude for the Wife of his brother prevented him from complying with this re- quest. In the mean time, the ladies. jealous of the honor of his scalp even in the ago- nies of death, succeeded in revebring the river and getting into the current, so that his body was never obtained. An unfortunate occurrence took place during this conflict. Just as Andrew arrived at the map of the bank for the relief of his brother. one of the party who had followed close behind him, seeing Adam in the river, and misteking him for a wounded indian, shot at him, and wounded him in the shoulder. He however re- covered from his wounds. During the contest between Adam Poc and the Indians, the party had overtaken the remaining six of them. A desperate conflict ensned, in which five of the Indians were killed. Our loss was three men killed, and Adam Poe severely wounded. Thus ended this Spartan conflict, with the loss of three valiant men on our part, and with that of the whole Indian party excepting one warrior. Never on any occasion was there a greater display of desperate bravery, and seldom did a conflict take place, which, in the issue, praved fatal to so great a proportion of tho-e engaged in it.
The fatal result of this little cumpaign, on the side of the Indians, occasioned a uni- versal mourning among the Wyandot nation. "The big Indian and his tour brothers, all of whom were killed at the same place, were among the most distinguished chiefs and warriors of their nation.
The big Indian was magnanimous as well as brave. ile, more than any other indi- vidual, contributed, by his example and influence, to the good character of the Wyan- dots for lenity towards their prisoners. He would not suffer thein to be killed of ill-
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treated. This mercy to captives was an honorable distinction in the character of the Wyandots, and was well understood by our first settlers, who, in case of captivity. thetis it a fortunate circumstance lo fall into their hands.
T! . Johnsons ---- In the fall of the year 1793, two boys of the name of John and Henry penter s station, a inve dulce above the mouth of Short creek, on the east side of Br Ohio River, were sent out in the evening to hunt the cows. At the post of His at De bank of the bottom, they sat down under a hickory tree to crack some rats. They son saw two men coming towards them, one of whom had a bridle in his band. Bene dressed like white men, they mistook them for their father and an unck, in search of horses. When they discovered their mistake, aud attempted to run off, the ludings. painting their gens at them, fold there to stop of they would kill theme. They halad, and were taken prisoners.
The Indians, being in pursuit of horses, conducted the boys by a circuitons route over the Short creek hills in search of them, until late in the evening, when they halted at a spring in a hollow place, abont three miles from the fort. Here they kindled a small Fre cooked and ate some victuals, and prepared to repose for the night. Henry, the youngest of the boys, during the ramble had affected the greatest satisfaction at having been taken prisoner. Ile said my fether was a hard master, who kept him always at hard work, and allowed him no play ; but that for his part he wished to live in the woods and be a hunter. This deportenent soon brought him into intiomer with one of the la- dians, who could speak very good English. The Indians frequently asked the boys if they knew of any good horses running in the woods. Some time before they halted, one of the Indians gave the largest of the boys a little bag, which he supposed contained money, and made him carry it.
When night came on the fire was covered up, the boys pinioned, and made to lie down together. The Indians then placed their boppis straps over them, and lay down, one on each side of them, on the ends of the straps. Pretty late in the night the indians tell asleep ; and one of them becoming cold, caught hold of John in his arms, and turned lam over on the outside. La this situation. the boy who had kept awake. found wane to get his band dress. He then whispered to his brother, made him get up, and untied his arms. This done, Henry thought of nothing but running off as fast as possible ; but when about to start, John caught hold of him, saying, " We must kill these Indiaus he- fore we go." After some hast tion, Henry agreed to make the attempt. Juba then took one of the rifles of the Indians, and placed it on a log, with the muzzle close to the head of one of them. He then cocked the gun, and placed his little brother at the breech, with his finger on the trigger, with instructions to pull it as soon as he should strike the other Indian.
He then took one of the Indian's tomahawks, and standing astride of the other In- dian, struck him with it. The Flow, however, fell on the back of the neck and to one side, so as tid to be fatal. The Indian then attempted to spring up ; but the lithe fel- jury repeated his blows with such force and rapidity on the skull. that, as be expressed it, "the Indian lay still and began to quiver." At the moment of the first stroke given by the older brother with the tomahawk. the younger one pulled the trigger, and shot away a considerable portion of the Indian's lower jaw. This Indian, a moment after receiving the shot, began to flounce about and yell in the most irightful mauser. The boys then made the best of their way to the fort, and reached it a little before daybreak. On getting near the fort they found the people all up and in great agitation on their ac. count. On hearing a woman exclaim, " Poor little fellows, they are killed or taken prisoners !" the oldest one answered, " No, mother. we are here yet."
Having brought nothing away with them from the Indian camp, their relation of what had taken place between them and the Indians was not fully credited. A small party was soon made up to go and ascertain the truth or thischoad of their report. This party the boys conducted to the spot by the shortest route. On agiving at the phies, they found the Indian whom the oldest bro her had tomahawked, lying dead in the camp : the other had crawled away, and taken his gun and shot-pouch with him. After scalping the Todian, the party returned to the fort; and the same day a larger party went out to look after the wounded Indian, who had crawled some distance from the camp and con- ccaled himself in the top of a fallen tree, where, notwithstanding the severity of his wound, with a Spartan bravery he determined to sell his life as dearly as possible. Hav- ing fixed his gun for the purpose, on the approach of the men to a proper distance, h. touk aim at one of them, and pulled the trigger, but his grun missed fire. On hearing the snap of the lock, one of the men exclaimed, " I should not like to be killed by a
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dead Indian !" The party coneinding that the Todian would die at any rate, thought best to retreat, and return and look for him after some time. On returning, however, he could not be found, having crawled away and concealed himself in some other places. His sket ton and gun were found some time afterwards.
The Indians who were killed were great warriors, and very wealthy. The bag, which was supposed to contain money. it was coup ctured was got by one of the party who went out first in the morning. On hearing the report of the boys, he slipped off by himself. and reached the place before the party arrived. For some time afterwards he appeared to have a greater plenty of money thay his neighbors.
The Indians themselves did hovor to the bravery of these two boys. After their treaty with Gen. Wayne, a friend of the ladians who were killed, usade inquiry of a man from Short creck, what had become of the boys who killed the Indians? He was answered that they lived at the same place with their parents.s The Indian replied, " You have not done right ; you should make kings of those boys."
ORANGE.
ORANGE was formed in 1231, from Spottsylvania, and derived its name from the color of the soil in it: upper or mountainous portion. Its original limits comprised the whole of Virginia west of the Blue Ridge. It is now 22 m. long, with a variable width of trom 5 to 30
The Church of the " Blind Preacher."
miles. The Rapid Ann forms its ww. boundary. The surface is billy, and the soil generally fertile. Gold is found in the county, and in 1840 the value produced amounted to 884,000. Pop. in 1840, whites 3,575, slaves 5,361, frec colored 186; total. 9.125,
Orange C. H., is 80 miles ww. of Richmond, and 92 miles from Washington City. It contains 5 mercantile stores, 1 Episcopal and I Methodist church, and a population of about 350. Bar- boursville, le maire sw, and Gordonsville, lo miles s. of the C. I., are small places. The latter is the terminating point of the Louisa rail-road, and about 70 miles from Richmond.
Near the little village of Gordonsville, in the depths of the forest. stands an old church. It is an humble unpainted structure of 53
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wood, yet there clings about it a peculiar interest-an interest which all most feel who have read -- and who has not ?- the me- thetie description of the Blind Preacher by the Brbsd. Sov :
ho.) as I travelled through the county of Orange, Phes to. eye was caught by a cluster of horses find near a ruinous old wooden house in the forest, not far from the roadside. Having frequently seen such objects before, in travelling 94, I hod a ditheulty in understanding that this was a place of
Direction alone should have stopped me, to join in the duties of the congregation ; but I must confess that curiosity to hear the protection of such a wilderness was not the least of my motives. `On entering, I was struck with his preternatural appearance. He was a tall and very spare old man. His head, which was covered with a white linen cap. his shrivelled hands, and his voice, were all shaking under the influence of a palsy ; and a few moments ascertained to ine that he was perfectly blind
The first ciotions which weueLed my breast were those of mingled pity and venera- tion. But ah ! sacred God ! how soon were all my feelings changed ! The lips of Plato were never more worthy of a prognostic swarm of bees, than were the lips of this holy man ! It was a day of the administration of the sacrament ; and his subject, of course, was the passion of our Saviour. I had heard the subject handled a thousand times. I had thought it exhausted long ago. Little did I suppose, that in the wild woods of America I was to meet with a man whose contente would give to this topic a new and more sublime pathos than I had ever before witnessed.
As he descended From the pulpit to distribute the mystic symbols, there was a peculiar, a more than human solemnity in his air and manner, which made my blood run cold, and my whole frame shiver.
He then drew a picture of the sufferings of our Saviour ; his trial before Pilate ; his ascent up Calvary ; his crucifixion, and his death. I knew the whole history ; but never, until then, had I heard the circumstances so selected, so arranged. so colored ! It was all new, and I seemed to have heard it for the first time in my life. Ilis enunciation was mod erate that his voice trembled on every syllable, and every heart in the teaser My trembled ma maison. His peculiar phrases had that force of description that the original ccere appeared to be. at that moment, acting before our eyes. We saw the very faces of the Jews : the stering, frighti'll distortions of malice and isge. buffet ; my soul kindied with a flame of indignation, and my hands were involuntarily and convulsively clenched.
But when he came to touch on the patience, the forgiving meckness of our Saviout ; when he drew, to the life, his blessed eyes streaming in tears to heaven ; his voice breathing to God a soft and gentle prayer of pardon on his enemies, " Father, forvite them, for they know not what they do"~the voice of the preacher, which had ad along faltered, grew fainter and fainter, until his utterance being entirely obstructed by the force of his feelings, he raised his handkerchief to his eyes, and burst into a loud and irrepressible flood of grief. The effect is inconceivable. The whole house resounded with the mingled groans, and sobs, and shrieks of the congregation.
It was some time before ile tamolt had subsided so far as to permit him to proceed. Indeed, judging by the usual, but fallacious standard of my own weakness, I began to be very uneasy for the situation of the preacher: For I could not conceive bow he would be able to Ict his audience down from the height to which he had wound them, without impairing the solemnity and dignity of his suvivet, or perhaps shocking theu. by the abruptness of the fall. But -- no ; the descent was as beautiful and sublong as the elevation had been rapid and enthusiastic.
The first sentence, with which he broke the awful silence, was a quotation from Rous. seau, " Socrates died like a philosopher, but Jesus Christ like a God !"
I despair of giving you any idea of the effect produced by this short sentence, unless you could perfectly conceive the whole manner of the man, as well as the peculiar crisis in the discourse. Never before did I completely understand what Demosthenes meant by laying such stress on delivery. You are to bring before you the venerable figure of the preacher ; his blindness constantly recalling to your recollection old Homer, Ossian, and Milton, and associating with bis performance the melancholy grandeur of their geniuses. You are to imagine that you hear his slow, nolein, well-accented enoncin- tion, and his voice of affecting, trembling melody ; you are to remember the pitch of passion and enthusstart to which the congregation were raised ; wiet then the few til. utes of portentous, death-like silence, which reigned throughout the house ; the preacher
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removing his white handkerchief from his aged face, (even yet wet from the rest Brent of his tones and slowly stretching forth the palsind land which holds it. i the sentence, " Socrates died like a philosopher"-then pausing, raising his other hand, pressing them both clasped together with warmth and energy to his breast, lifting his " sightless balls" to heaven, and pouring his whole soul into his tremulous voice- but Jesus Christ -- like a God !' If he had been indeed and in truth an angel of light, the effect could scarcely have been more divine.
Whatever I had been able to conceive.of the sublimity of Massillon, or the force of Bourdaloue, had fallen far short of the power which I felt from the delivery of this simule sentence. The blood, which just before had rushed in a hurricane upon my bratt .; and, tx the violence and seemy of as Robert. hand held my white system in shapeer, now ran back into my heart with a sensation which I cannot describe --- a kind of shud- dating delicious horror ! The paroxysme os blooded pity an indication to alight had been transported, subsided into the deepest self-abasement, humility, and adoration. I had just been lacerated and dissolved by sympathy for our Saviour as a fellow- creature ; but now, with fear and treinbling, I adored him as --- " a God !"
If this description give you the impression that this incomparable minister had any thing of shallow, theatrical trick in his manner, it does him great injustice. I have never seen, in any other orator, such a union of simplicity and majesty. He has not : gesture, an attitude, or an accent, to which he does not seem forced by the sentiment which he is expressing. His mind is too serious, too camest, too solicitous, and, at the sanie time, too dignified, to stoop to artifice. Although as far removed from ostentation us a man can be, yet it is clear from the train, the style, and substance of his thoughts. that he is not only a very polite scholar, but a man of extensive and profound tradition. I was forcibly struck with a short, yet beautiful character which he drew of our learned and amiable countryman, Sir Robert Boyle. He spoke of him as if " his noble mind had, even before death, divested herself of all infinence from his frail tabernacle of flesh :"" aud called him, in his peculiarly emphatic and impressive manner, " a pure intelligence : the link between men and angels."
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