University of Virginia Library

JESSE HUGHES.

One of the most active, daring and successful Indian hunters
in the mountain region of Virginia, was Jesse Hughes.
He has not inappropriately been styled the Wetzel of that
portion of the state, and, in many respects, certainly was
not undeserving of that distinctive appellation. Jesse Hughes
possessed in an eminent degree the rare constituents of
courage and energy. These qualities, so essential in those
days of savage warfare, gained for him the confidence of the
sturdy men by whom he was surrounded, and often induced
them to select him for the post of leader in their various
expeditions against the enemy. Many are the tales of adventure
which the people of West-Fork and Little Kanawha
relate of this notable personage. A few of these we have
collected and now give.

Hughes was a native of the region to which his operations
were chiefly confined. He was born on the head-waters of the
Monongahela, and grew to manhood amid the dangers and
privations which the people of that section of Virginia endured
during the long years of a border warfare. Early
learning that the rifle and tomahawk were his principal means
of maintenance and defence, he became an adept in their
use, and refused to acknowledge a superior anywhere. Passionately
devoted to the wood, he became invaluable to the
settlements as hunter and scout. A man of delicate frame,
but an iron constitution, he could endure more fatigue than

any of his associates, and thus was enabled to remain
abroad at all seasons without inconvenience or detriment.
Many were the threatened blows which his vigilance averted,
and numerous the lives of helpless settlers his strong arm
was reached forth to save. The recollection of his services
and devotion is still cherished with a lively feeling of admiration
by the people of the region with which his name is so
intimately associated.

The following incidents illustrative of his career, we derive
from sources entitled to every credit. The one which immediately
follows, is from an old and intimate friend of Hughes, (Mr.
Renick of Ohio,) to whom it was communicated by the hero
himself, and afterwards confirmed by Mr. Harness, who was
one of the expedition. The time of the incident was about
1790.

No Indian depredations had recently occurred in the vicinity
of Clarksburgh, and the inhabitants began to congratulate
themselves that difficulties were finally at an end.

"One night a man hearing the fence of a small lot, he had
a horse in, fall, jumped up and running out saw an Indian
spring on the horse and dash off. The whole settlement was
alarmed in an hour or two, a company of twenty-five or thirty
men were paraded, ready to start by daylight. They took a
circle outside of the settlement, and soon found the trail of
apparently eight or ten horses, and they supposed, about that
many Indians. The captain (chosen before Hughes joined the
company) called a halt, and held a council to determine in
what manner to pursue them. The captain and a majority of
the company were for following on their trail: Hughes was
opposed, and he said he could pilot them to the spot where
the Indians would cross the Ohio, by a nearer way than the
enemy could go, and if they reached there before the Indians,
could intercept them and be sure of success. But the commander
insisted on pursuing the trail. Hughes then tried
another argument: he pointed out the danger of trailing the
Indians: insisted that they would waylay their trail, in order

to know if they were pursued, and would choose a situation
where they could shoot two or three and set them at defiance;
and alarming the others, the Indians would out-travel them
and make their escape. The commander found that Hughes
was like to get a majority for his plan, in which event he (the
captain) would lose the honor of planning the expedition.
Hughes, by some, was considered too wild for the command,
and it was nothing but jealousy that kept him from it, for in
most of their Indian excursions, he got the honor of the
best plan, or did the best act that was performed. The commander
then broke up the council by calling aloud to the men
to follow him and let the cowards go home, and dashed off full
speed, the men all following. Hughes knew the captain's
remark was intended for him, and felt the insult in the highest
degree, but followed on with the rest. They had not gone
many miles until the trail ran down a ravine where the ridge
on one side was very steep, with a ledge of rock for a considerable
distance. On the top of this cliff two Indians lay
in ambush, and when the company got opposite they made a
noise of some kind, that caused the men to stop: that instant
two of the company were shot and mortally wounded. They
now found Hughes' prediction fully verified, for they had to
ride so far round before they could get up the cliff, that the
Indians with ease made their escape.

"They all now agreed that Hughes' plan was the best, and
urged him to pilot them to the river where the Indians would
cross. He agreed to do it; but was afraid it might be too
late, for the Indians knew they were pursued and would make
a desperate push. After leaving some of the company to take
care of the wounded men, they put off for the Ohio river, at
the nearest point, and got there on the next day shortly after
the Indians had crossed. The water was still muddy, and
the rafts that they crossed on were floatting down the opposite
shore. The men now were unanimous for returning home.
Hughes soon got satisfaction for the insult the captain had
given him: he said he wanted to find out who the cowards were;

that if any of them would go, he would cross the river and
scalp some of the Indians. They all refused. He then said
if one man would go with him, he would undertake it; but
none would consent. Hughes then said he would go and take
one of their scalps, or leave his own.

"The company now started home, and Hughes went up the
river three or four miles, keeping out of sight of it, for he
expected the Indians were watching them to see if they would
cross. He there made a raft, crossed the river, and encamped
for the night. The next day he found their trail, and pursued
it very cautiously, and about ten miles from the Ohio
found their camp. There was but one Indian in it, the rest
were out hunting. The Indian left to keep camp, in order to
pass away the time, got to playing the fiddle on some bones
that they had for the purpose. Hughes crept up and shot him,
took his scalp, and made the best of his way home."

The following characteristic anecdote goes far to illustrate
the great discernment and instantaneous arrangement of plans,
of this shrewd and skilful Virginia hunter.

It is a general belief that the Indian is exceedingly cunning;
unrivalled in the peculiar knowledge of the woods, and capable,
by the extraordinary imitative faculties which he possesses,
to deceive either man, beast, or fowl. This is true to a
certain extent; but still, with all his natural sagacity and
quick perception of a native woodman, the Indian warrior
falls short of the acquired knowledge of a well trained hunter,
as the following case serves to illustrate. Jesse Hughes was
more than a match at any time for the most wary savage in
the forest. In his ability to anticipate all their artifices, he
had but few equals, and fewer still, superiors. But, to the
incident.

"At a time of great danger from the incursions of the
Indians, when the citizens of the neighborhood were in a fort
at Clarksburgh, Hughes one morning, observed a lad very intently
fixing his gun. `Jim,' said he, `what are you doing
that for?' `I am going to shoot a turkey that I hear gobbling

on the hill-side,' said Jim. `I hear no turkey,' said
the other. `Listen,' said Jim: `there, didn't you hear it?
listen again.' `Well,' says Hughes, after hearing it repeated,
`I'll go and kill it.' `No you won't,' said the boy, `it is my
turkey; I heard it first.' `Well,' said Hughes, `but you know
I am the best shot. I'll go and kill it, and give you the
turkey!' The lad demurred but at length agreed. Hughes
went out of the fort on the side that was furthest from the
supposed turkey, and passing along the river, went up a ravine
and cautiously creeping through the bushes behind the spot,
came in whence the cries issued, and, as he expected, espied
a large Indian sitting on a chestnut stump, surrounded by
sprouts, gobbling, and watching if any one would come
from the fort to kill the turkey. Hughes shot him before the
Indian knew of his approach, took off the scalp, and went into
the fort, where Jim was waiting for his prize. `There now,'
says Jim, `you have let the turkey go. I would have killed
it if I had gone.' `No,' says Hughes, `I didn't let it go;'
and, taking out the scalp, threw it down. `There, take your
turkey, Jim, I don't want it.' The lad was overcome, and
nearly fainted, to think of the certain death he had escaped,
purely by the keen perception and good management of Jesse
Hughes."

Jesse Hughes, as we have already stated, was often of invaluable
service to the settlements along the upper Monongahela,
by advising them of the approach of Indians. On one
occasion, a considerable body of the common enemy attacked
a fort near Clarksburg, and but for the energy and fearlessness
of Hughes might have reduced the frail structure, and
massacred every one within it. This daring man boldly went
forth for succor, and succeeded in reaching a neighboring
station in safety. Immediately, a company of men left to
relieve the besieged; when the Indians, fearing the superior
numbers, retreated in haste.

Hughes' scouting expeditions were not always confined to

the extreme upper regions of the Monongahela. He often
visited the stations lower down, and spent much of his time
at Prickett's fort, also at the stockade where Morgantown
now stands, and many other settlements in the neighborhood.
He was a great favorite; and no scouting party could be complete,
unless Jesse Hughes had something to do with it. We
regret that our limits will not allow us to give more incidents
in his very eventful life.

OLD FORT AT MORGANTOWN.