University of Virginia Library

The Orkney or Yellow Springs, are about 18 miles southwest of Woodstock. "The
waters are composed of several lively springs, and are strongly chalybeate. Every thing
the water passes through, or over, is beautifully lined with a bright yellow fringe or
moss. The use of this water is found beneficial for the cure of several complaints. A
free use of this water acts as a most powerful cathartic, as does also a small quantity of
the fringe, or moss, mixed with common water." There is, high up on Cedar creek, an
ebbing and flowing spring. It is "a beautiful spring of clear mountain water, issuing
from the western side of the Little North mountain, in a glen. It ebbs and flows twice
in every twenty-four hours; and if care is not particularly taken at every flow, its current
is so strong as to overset the vessels of milk placed in the water."

The low grounds upon the banks of the Shenandoah are very rich and fertile. They
are chiefly settled by Germans, who gain a sufficient livelihood by raising stock for the
troops, and sending butter down into the lower parts of the country. I could not but
reflect with pleasure on the situation of these people; and think, if there is such a thing
as happiness in this life, they enjoy it. Far from the bustle of the world, they live in the
most delightful climate and richest soil imaginable. They are everywhere surrounded
with beautiful prospects and sylvan scenes—lofty mountains, transparent streams, falls
of water, rich valleys, and majestic woods; the whole interspersed with an infinite variety
of flowering shrubs, constitute the landscape surrounding them. They are subject
to few diseases, are generally robust, and live in perfect liberty. They are ignorant of
want, and are acquainted with but few vices. Their inexperience of the elegances of
life, precludes any regret that they have not the means of enjoying them; but they
possess what many princes would give half their dominions for—health, content, and
tranquillity of mind.

In the year 1758, a party of about fifty Indians and four Frenchmen penetrated into
the Mill Creek neighborhood, about nine miles south of Woodstock, and committed some
murders, and carried off forty-eight prisoners. Among them was a young lad of the
name of Fisher, about thirteen years of age.

After six days' travel they reached their villages west of the Alleghany mountains,
where they held a council, and determined to sacrifice their helpless prisoner, Jacob
Fisher. They first ordered him to collect a quantity of dry wood. The poor little fellow
shuddered, burst into tears, and told his father they intended to burn him. His
father replied, "I hope not;" and advised him to obey. When he had collected a sufficient
quantity of wood to answer their purpose, they cleared and smoothed a ring
around a sapling, to which they tied him by one hand, then formed a trail of wood
around the tree, and set it on fire. The poor boy was then compelled to run round in
this ring of fire until his rope wound him up to the sapling, and then back, until he
came in contact with the flame, while his infernal tormentors were drinking, singing,
and dancing around him, with "horrid joy." This was continued for several hours;
during which time the savage men became beastly drunk, and as they fell prostrate to
the ground, the squaws would keep up the fire. With long sharp poles, prepared for the
purpose, they would pierce the body of their victim whenever he flagged, until the poor
and helpless boy fell, and expired with the most excruciating torments, while his father
and brothers, who were also prisoners, were compelled to be witnesses of the heart-rending
tragedy.

In 1766, two men by the name of Sheetz and Taylor, had taken their wives and
children in a wagon, and were on their way to the fort at Woodstock. At the Narrow
Passage, three miles south of Woodstock, five Indians attacked them. The two men
were killed at the first onset, and the Indians rushed to seize the women and children.
The women, instead of swooning at the sight of their bleeding, expiring husbands,
seized their axes, and with Amazonian firmness, and strength almost superhuman, defended
themselves and children. One of the Indians had succeeded in getting hold of
one of Mrs. Sheetz's children, and attempted to drag it out of the wagon; but with the
quickness of lightning she caught her child in one hand, and with the other made a blow
at the head of the fellow, which caused him to quit his hold to save his life. Several
of the Indians received pretty sore wounds in this desperate conflict, and all at last ran
off, leaving the two women with their children to pursue their way to the fort.

Gen. Peter Muhlenburg was a native of Pennsylvania, and by profession a clergyman
of the Lutheran order. At the breaking out of the revolution, he was a young

man about 30 years of age, and pastor of a Lutheran church at Woodstock. In 1776,
he received the commission of colonel, and was requested to raise his regiment among
the Germans of the valley. Having in his pulpit inculcated the principles of liberty, he
found no difficulty in enlisting a regiment. He entered the pulpit with his sword and
cockade, preached his farewell sermon, and the next day marched at the head of his
regiment to join the army. His regiment was the 8th Virginia, or, as it was commonly
called, the German regiment. This corps behaved with honor throughout the war.
They were at Brandywine, Monmouth, and Germantown, and in the southern campaigns.
In 1777, Mr. Muhlenburg was promoted to the rank of brigadier-general. After the
war he returned to Pennsylvania, and was appointed treasurer of that state, where he
ended his days. In person, Gen. Muhlenburg was tall and well-proportioned, and in his
address, remarkably courteous. He was a fine disciplinarian, an excellent officer, and
esteemed and beloved by both officers and soldiers.

Human bones of extraordinary size—thigh bones three feet in length, and skeletons
seven feet in length—have been discovered on Flint run, in this county, on Hawksbill
creek, Tuscarora creek, and in Hardy county. (See p. 300.) Capt. Smith's "Generall
Historie," vol. I., p. 120, gives an account of a prodigious giant tribe of Indians, the
Sasquesahanocks, whom he met with at the head of Chesapeake Bay. This relation has
been rejected as incredible, and considered as on a footing with the stories of Baron
Munchausen, or Sinbad the Sailor; but these evidences would seem to confirm it.[1]