University of Virginia Library

[156] CHAPTER IX.

While Cornstalk was detained at Point Pleasant, as
surety for the peace and neutrality of the Shawanees, Indians,
of the tribes already attached to the side of Great
Britain, were invading the more defenceless and unprotected
settlements. Emerging, as Virginia then was, from
a state of vassalage and subjection, to independence and
self-government—contending in fearful inferiority of
strength and the munitions of war with a mighty and
warlike nation—limited in resources, and wanting in
means, essential for supporting the unequal conflict, she
could not be expected to afford protection and security
from savage inroad, to a frontier so extensive as hers; and
still less was she able to spare from the contest which she
was waging with that colossal power, a force sufficient to
maintain a war in the Indian country and awe the savages
into quiet. It had not entered into the policy of this state
to enlist the tomahawk and scalping knife in her behalf;
or to make allies of savages, in a war with Christians and
civilized men. She sought by the force of reason and the
conviction of propriety, to prevail on them to observe
neutrality—not to become her auxiliaries. "To send
forth the merciless cannibal, thirsting for blood, against
protestant brethren," was a refinement in war to which
she had not attained. That the enemy, with whom she
was struggling for liberty and life as a nation, with all the
lights of religion and philosophy to illumine her course,
should have made of them allies, and "let loose those horrible
hell-hounds of war against their countrymen in
America, endeared to them by every tie which should
sanctify human nature," was a most lamentable circumstance—in
its consequences, blighting and desolating the
fairest portions of the country, and covering the face of
[157] its border settlements, with the gloomy mantle of
sorrow and woe.

There is in the Indian bosom an hereditary sense of
injury, which naturally enough prompts to deeds of revangeful
cruelty towards the whites, without the aid of adventitious
stimulants. When these are superadded, they
become indeed, the most ruthless and infuriated enemy—
"thirsting for blood," and causing it literally to flow, alike
from the hearts of helpless infancy and hoary age—from
the timorous breast of weak woman, and the undaunted
bosom of the stout warrior. Leagued with Great Britain,
the Indians were enabled more fully and effectually, to
glut their vengeance on our citizens, and gratify their entailed
resentment towards them.

In the commencement of Indian depredations on
North Western Virginia, during this war, the only places
of refuge for the inhabitants, besides private forts and
block-houses, were at Pittsburg, Redstone, Wheeling and
Point Pleasant. Garrisons had been maintained at Fort
Pitt and Redstone, ever after their establishment; and
fortresses were erected at the two latter places in 1774.
They all seemed to afford an asylum to many, when the
Indians were known to be in the country; but none of
them had garrisons, strong enough to admit of detachments
being sent, to act offensively against the invaders.
All that they could effect, was the repulsion of assaults
made on them, and the expulsion from their immediate
neighborhoods, of small marauding parties of the savage
enemy. When Captain Arbuckle communicated to the
Governor the information derived from Cornstalk, that
extensive preparations were making by the Indians, for
war, and the probability of its early commencement, such
measures were immediately adopted, to prevent its success,
as the then situation of the country would justify. A
proclamation was issued, advising the inhabitants of the
frontier, to retire into the interior as soon as practicable;
and that they might be enabled the better to protect themselves
from savage fury, some ammunition was forwarded
to settlements on the Ohio river, remote from the state
forts, and more immediately exposed to danger from incursion.
General Hand too, then stationed at Fort Pitt,
sent an express to the different settlements, recommending

that they should be immediately abandoned, and the individuals
composing them, should forthwith seek shelter in
some contiguous fortress, or retire east of the [158] mountain.
All were apprized of the impending danger, and
that it was impracticable in the pressing condition of affairs,
for the newly organized government to extend to
them any effective protection.

Thus situated, the greater part of those who had taken
up their abode on the western waters, continued to reside
in the country. Others, deeming the means of defence
inadequate to security, and unwilling to encounter the
horrors of an Indian war, no better provided than they
were, pursued the advice of government, and withdrew
from the presence of danger. Those who remained, sensible
of dependence on their individual resources, commenced
making preparations for the approaching crisis.
The positions which had been selected as places of security
and defence in the war of 1774, were fortified anew, and
other block-houses and forts were erected by their unaided
exertion, into which they would retire on the approach of
danger. Nor was it long before this state of things was
brought about.

In June 1777,[1] a party of Indians came to the house
of Charles Grigsby on Rooting creek, a branch of the
West Fork, and in the county of Harrison. Mr. Grigsby
being from home, the Indians plundered the house of
every thing considered valuable by them, and which they
could readily carry with them; and destroying many
other articles, departed, taking with them Mrs. Grigsby
and her two children as prisoners. Returning home soon
after, seeing the desolation which had been done in his
short absence, and unable to find his wife and children,
Mr. Grigsby collected some of his neighbors and set out
in pursuit of those, by whom the mischief had been effected,—hoping
that he might overtake and reclaim from
them the partner of his bosom, and the pledges of her
affection. His hopes were of but momentary existence.

Following in the trail of the fugitives, when they had arrived
near to Loss creek, a distance of but six miles, they
found the body of Mrs. Grigsby and of her younger child,
where they had recently been killed and scalped. The
situation of this unfortunate woman (being near the hour
of confinement,) and the entire helplessness of the child,
were hindrances to a rapid retreat; and fearing pursuit,
the Indians thus inhumanly rid themselves of those incumbrances
to their flight and left them to accidental discovery,
or to become food for the beasts of the forest.

[159] Stimulated to more ardent exertions by the distressing
scene just witnessed, the pursuers pushed forward,
with increased expectation of speedily overtaking and
punishing, the authors of this bloody deed; leaving two
of their party to perform the sepulture of the unfortunate
mother, and her murdered infant. But before the whites
were aware of their nearness to the Indians, these had become
apprized of their approach, and separated, so as to
leave no trail by which they could be farther traced. They
had of course to give over the pursuit; and returned
home, to provide more effectually against the perpetration
of similar acts of atrocity and darkness.

A short time after this, two Indians came on the West
Fork, and concealed themselves near to Coon's fort, awaiting
an opportunity of effecting some mischief. While
thus lying in ambush, a daughter of Mr. Coon came out
for the purpose of lifting some hemp in a field near to the
fort, and by the side of the road. Being engaged in performing
this business, Thomas Cunningham and Enoch
James passing along, and seeing her, entered into conversation
with her, and after a while proceeded on their
road. But before they had gone far, alarmed by the report
of a gun, they looked back and saw an Indian run
up to the girl, tomahawk and scalp her. The people of
the fort were quickly apprised of what had been done,
and immediately turned out in pursuit; but could not
trace the course taken by the savages. It afterwards appeared
that the Indians had been for some time waiting
for the girl to come near enough for them to catch and
make her prisoner, before she could alarm the fort, or get

within reach of its guns; but when one of them crossed
the fence for this purpose, she espied him and ran directly
towards the fort.—Fearing that he would not be able to
overtake her, without approaching the fort so as to involve
himself in some danger, he shot her as she ran; and
going up to her he tomahawked and scalped her. In endeavoring
then to secure himself by flight, he was shot at
by James, but at so great distance as to prevent the doing
of execution.

In the neighborhood of Wheeling, some mischief of
this kind was done about the same time, and by Indians
who acted so warily, as to avoid being discovered and
punished. A man by the name of Thomas Ryan was
killed in a field some distance from the house, and a negro
fellow at work with him, [160] taken prisoner and carried
off. No invasion however, of that country, had been as
yet, of sufficient importance to induce the people to forsake
their homes and go into the forts.—Scouting parties
were constantly traversing the woods in every direction,
and so successfully did they observe every avenue to the
settlements, that the approach of Indians was generally
discovered and made known, before any evil resulted from
it. But in August the whole country bordering on the
Ohio, from Fort Pitt to Wheeling, became justly alarmed
for its fate; and the most serious apprehensions for the
safety of its inhabitants, were excited in the bosoms of all.
Intelligence was conveyed to General Hand at Fort Pitt,[2]
by some friendly Indians from the Moravian towns, that
a large army of the north western confederacy, had come
as far as those villages, and might soon be expected to
strike an awful blow on some part of the Ohio settlements.
The Indian force was represented as being so great, as to
preclude all idea of purchasing safety, by open conflict;

and the inhabitants along the river, generally retired into
forts, as soon as they received information of their danger,
and made every preparation to repel an assault on them.
They did not however, remain long in suspense, as to the
point against which the enemy would direct its operations.

Wheeling Fort, although it had been erected by the
proper authorities of the government, and was supplied
with arms and ammunition from the public arsenal, was
not at this time garrisoned, as were the other state forts on
the Ohio, by a regular soldiery; but was left to be defended
solely by the heroism and bravery of those, who
might seek shelter within its walls.[3] The settlement
around it was flourishing, and had grown with a rapidity
truly astonishing, when its situation, and the circumstances
of the border country generally, are taken into consideration.
A little village, of twenty-five or thirty houses, had
sprung up, where but a few years before, the foot of civilized
man had never trod; and where the beasts of the
forest had lately ranged undisturbedly, were to be seen
lowing herds and bleating flocks, at once, the means of
sustenance, and the promise of future wealth to their
owners.—In the enjoyment of this, comparatively, prosperous
condition of things, the inhabitants little dreamed,
how quickly those smiling prospects were to be blighted,
their future hopes blasted, and they deprived of almost
every necessary of life. They [161] were not insensible to
the danger which in time of war was ever impending over

them; but relying on the vigilance of their scouts, to ascertain
and apprize them of its approach, and on the proximity
of a fort into which they could retire upon a minute's
warning, they did not shut themselves up within its walls,
until advised of the immediate necessity of doing so, from
the actual presence of the enemy.

On the night of the first of September, Captain Ogal,
who with a party of twelve men, had been for some days
engaged in watching the paths to the settlement and endeavoring
to ascertain the approach of danger,[4] came into
Wheeling with the assurance that the enemy were not at
hand. In the course of that night, however, the Indian
army, consisting of three hundred and eighty-nine warriors,[5]
came near to the village, and believing from the
lights in the fort, that the inhabitants were on their
guard, and that more might be effected by an ambuscade
in the morning, than by an immediate and direct attack,
posted themselves advantageously for that purpose. Two
lines were formed, at some distance from each, extending
from the river across the point to the creek, with a cornfield
to afford them concealment. In the centre between
these lines, near a road leading through the field to the
fort, and in a situation easily exposing them to observation,
six Indians were stationed, for the purpose of decoying

within the lines, any force which might discover, and
come out to molest them.

Early in the morning of the second, two men, going
to a field for horses, passed the first line, and came near to
the Indians in the centre, before they were aware of danger.[6]
—Perceiving the six savages near them, they endeavored
to escape by flight. A single shot brought one of
them to the ground: the other was permitted to escape
that he might give the alarm. Captain Mason (who, with
Captain Ogal and his party, and a few other men had occupied
the fort the preceding night) hearing that there
were but six of the enemy, marched with fourteen men,
to the place where they had been seen. He had not proceeded
far from the fort, before he came in view of them;
and leading his men briskly towards where they were,
soon found themselves enclosed by a body of Indians,
who 'till then had remained concealed.—Seeing the impossibility
of maintaining a conflict with them, he endeavored
to retreat with his men, to the fort; but in
[162] vain. They were intercepted by the Indians, and
nearly all literally, cut to pieces.[7] Captain Mason however,
and his sergeant succeeded in passing the front line, but
being observed by some of the enemy, were pursued, and
fired at, as they began to rise the hill. The sergeant was
so wounded by the ball aimed at him, that he fell, unable
again to get up; but seeing his Captain pass near without
a gun and so crippled that he moved but slowly in advance

of his pursuers, he handed him his, and calmly surrendered
himself to his fate.

Captain Mason had been twice wounded, and was
then so enfeebled by the loss of blood, and faint from
fatigue that he almost despaired of ever reaching the fort;
yet he pressed forward with all his powers. He was sensible
that the Indian was near him, and expecting every instant,
that the tomahawk would sever his skull, he for a while
forgot that his gun was yet charged. The recollection of
this, inspiring him with fresh hopes, he wheeled to fire at
his pursuer, but found him so close that he could not bring
his gun to bear on him. Having greatly the advantage of
ground, he thrust him back with his hand. The uplifted
tomahawk descended to the earth with force; and before
the Indian could so far regain his footing as to hurl the
fatal weapon from his grasp, or rush forward to close in
deadly struggle with his antagonist, the ball from Captain
Mason's gun had done its errand, and the savage fell lifeless
to the earth. Captain Mason was able to proceed only
a few paces farther; but concealing himself by the side of
a large fallen tree, he remained unobserved while the
Indians continued about the fort.

The shrieks of Captain Mason's men, and the discharge
of the guns, induced Capt. Ogal to advance with
his twelve scouts, to their relief. Being some distance in
the rear of his men, the Indians, in closing round them,
fortunately left him without the circle, and he concealed
himself amid some briers in the corner of the fence; where
he lay until the next day. The same fate awaited his
men, which had befallen Capt. Mason's. Of the twenty
six who were led out by these two officers, only three escaped
death, and two of these were badly wounded: a
striking evidence of the fact, that the ambuscade was
judiciously planned, and the expectations of its success,
well founded.[8]

While these things were doing, the inhabitants of the
village were busily employed in removing to the fort and

preparing for its defense. A single glance at the situation
of the parties led on by Mason and Ogal, convinced them
of the overwhelming force of the [163] Indians, and the
impossibility of maintaining an open contest with them.
And so quick had been the happening of the events which
have been narrated, that the gates of the fort were scarcely
closed, before the Indian army appeared under its walls,
with a view to its reduction by storm.[9] But before the assault
was begun to be made, the attention of the garrison
was directed to a summons for its surrender, made by that
infamous renegado, Simon Girty.[10]

This worse than savage wretch, appeared at the end
window of a house not far from the fort, and told them,
that he had come with a large army to escort to Detroit,
such of the Inhabitants along the frontier, as were willing
to accept the terms offered by Governor Hamilton, to
those who would renounce the cause of the colonies and
attach themselves to the interest of Great Britain; calling
upon them to remember their fealty to their sovereign;
assuring them of protection, if they would join his standard,
and denouncing upon them, all the woes which spring
from the uncurbed indulgence of savage vengeance, if
they dared to resist, or fire one gun to the annoyance of

his men. He then read to them, Gov. Hamilton's proclamation;
and told them, he could allow only fifteen minutes
to consider of his proposition. It was enough. In
love with liberty, attached to their country, and without
faith in his proffered protection, they required but little
time to "deliberate, which of the two to choose, slavery
or death." Col. Zane replied to him, "that they had consulted
their wives and children, and that all were resolved
to perish, sooner than place themselves under the protection
of a savage army with him at its head, or abjure the
cause of liberty and of the colonies." Girty then represented
to them the great force of the Indians,—the impossibility
that the fort could withstand the assault,—the certainty
of protection if they acceded to his propositions,
and the difficulty of restraining the assailants, if enraged
and roused to vengeance by opposition and resistance. A
shot discharged at him from the fort, caused him to withdraw
from the window and the Indians commenced the
assault.

There were then in the fort but thirty-three men, to
defend it against the attack of upwards of three hundred
and eighty Indians; and bravely did they maintain
their situation against the superior force of the enemy,
and all that art and fury could effect to accomplish their
destruction. For twenty-three hours, all was life, and
energy, and activity within the walls. Every individual
had particular duties to perform; and promptly and faithfully
were they discharged. The more expert of the
women, took stations by the side of the men; and handling
their guns with soldier like readiness, aided in the repulse,
with fearless intrepidity.[11] Some were engaged in
moulding bullets; others in loading and supplying the
[164] men with guns already charged; while the less robust

were employed in cooking, and in furnishing to the
combatants, provisions and water, during the continuance
of the attack. It seemed indeed, as if each individual
were sensible, that the safety of all depended on his lone
exertions; and that the slightest relaxation of these, would
involve them all in one common ruin.

Finding that they could make no impression on the
fort, and fearing to remain longer before it, lest their retreat
might be cut off, by reinforcements from the surrounding
country, the assailants fired all the houses without
the walls; killed all the stock, which could be found;
and destroying every thing on which they could lay their
hands, retired about day light, and left the garrison in
possession of the fortress, but deprived of almost every
thing else. The alarm of the presence of Indians having
been given after day light, and the attack on the fort commencing
before sun rise, but little time was afforded them,
for securing their moveable property. The greater part
had taken with them nothing but their clothes, while
some had left their homes with their night apparel only.
Few were left the enjoyment of a bed, or the humble
gratification of the coarse repast of bread and milk. Their
distress was consequently great; and their situation for
some time, not much more enviable, than when pent
within the fort, and straining every nerve to repel its savage
assailants.

Before this, the Governor had sent to Col. Andrew
Swearingen, a quantity of ammunition for the defence of
those who remained in the country above Wheeling. By
his exertions, and under his superintendence, Bolling's and
Holliday's old forts were repaired, and the latter made
strong enough to serve as a magazine. In it was collected,
all the inhabitants from its neighborhood; and it was
generally regarded, as a strong position, and able, occasionally,
to detach part of its garrison, for the aid of other
portions of the country. Soon after the attack was begun
to be made on Wheeling, the alarm reached Shepherd's
fort, and a runner was despatched from thence to Holliday's
fort with the intelligence, and the apprehension that
if speedy relief were not afforded, the garrison at Wheeling

must fall. No expectation, of being able to collect a
force sufficient to cope with the assailants, was entertained.
All that was expected was, to throw succours into the
fort, and thus enable the garrison the more successfully to
repel assaults, and preserve it from the violence of the Indian
onsets. For this purpose, Col. Swearingen left Holliday's
with fourteen men, who nobly volunteered to accompany
him in this hazardous enterprise, to the regret of
those who remained, from an apprehension that thus
weakened, if Holliday's fort were attacked it must fall
easily into the hands of the enemy. These men got into
a large continental canoe, and plied their paddles industriously,
to arrive in time to be of service to the besieged.
But the night being dark, and a dense fog hanging over
the river, they toiled to great disadvantage, frequently
coming in contact with the banks; until [165] at length
it was thought advisable to cease rowing and float with
the current, lest they might, unknowingly, pass Wheeling,
and at the appearance of day be obliged to contend
with the force of the stream, to regain that point. Floating
slowly, they at length described the light which proceeded
from the burning of the houses at Wheeling, and
with all their exertion could not then attain their destination
before the return of day. Could they have realized
their expectation of arriving before day, they might from
the river bank, in the darkness of the night, have gained
admission into the fort; but being frustrated in this, they
landed some of the men near above Wheeling, to reconnoiter
and ascertain the situation of things: it being
doubtful to them, from the smoke and fog, whether the
fort and all, were not a heap of ruins. Col. Swearingen,
Cap. Bilderbock and William Boshears, volunteered for
this service, and proceeding cautiously soon reached the
fort.

When arrived there, it was still questionable whether
the Indians had abandoned the attack, or were only lying
concealed in the cornfield, in order to fall on any, who
might come out from the fort, under the impression that
danger was removed from them. Fearing that the latter
was the case, it was thought prudent, not to give the preconcerted

signal for the remainder of Col. Swearingen's
party to come on, lest it might excite the Indians to
greater vigilance and they intercept the men on their way
to the fort. To obviate the difficulty arising from this apprehension,
Col. Swearingen, Capt. Bilderbock and William
Boshears, taking a circuitous route to avoid passing near the
cornfield, returned to their companions, and escorted them
to Wheeling. It then remained to ascertain whether the
Indians had really withdrawn, or were only lying in ambush.
A council, consisting of Col. Zane, Col. Shepherd,
Doctor McMahon and Col. Swearingen, being requested
to devise some expedient by which to be assured of the
fact, recommended that two of their most active and vigilant
men, should go out openly from the fort, and carelessly,
but surely, examine the cornfield near to the
palisade. Upon their return, twenty others, under the
guidance of Col. Zane, marched round at some distance
from the field, and approaching it more nearly on their return,
became assured that the Indians had indeed despaired
of success, and were withdrawn from the field. About
this time Major M'Cullough arrived with forty-five men,
and they all proceeded to view the battle ground.

Here was indeed a pitiable sight. Twenty-three of the
men who had accompanied Capts. Mason and Ogal in the
preceding morning, were lying dead; few of them had
been shot, but the greater part, most inhumanly and barbarously
butchered with the tomahawk and scalping
knife. Upwards of three hundred head of cattle, horses,
and hogs, wantonly killed by the savages, were seen lying
about the field, and all the houses, with every thing which
they contained, and which could not be conveniently
taken off by the enemy, were but heaps of ashes. It was
long indeed, before the [166] inhabitants of that neighborhood
regained the comforts, of which that night's desolation
had deprived them.

Soon after the happening of these events a company
of militia under the command of Capt. Foreman, arrived
from east of the Alleghany, to afford protection to the
settlements around Wheeling, and occupy the fort at this
place. While stationed in it, it was known that parties of

Indians were still lurking about, seeking opportunities of
doing mischief, and to prevent which, detachments were
frequently sent on scouting expeditions. On the 26th of
September, Capt. Foreman with forty five men, went
about twelve miles below Wheeling and encamped for the
night. He was ignorant of the practices of the Indians,
and seemed rather indisposed to take council of those,
who were conversant with them. After building fires for
the night, he remained with his men close around them,
contrary to the advice of one of the settlers, by the name
of Lynn, who had accompanied him as a spy. Lynn however,
would not consent to remain there himself, but taking
with him those of the frontiers men who were in company,
retired some distance from the fires, and spent the
night. Before it was yet light, Lynn, being awake,
thought he heard such a noise, as would be probably produced
by the launching of rafts on the river, above the
position occupied by Capt. Foreman. In the morning he
communicated his suspicion that an Indian force was near
them, and advised the Captain to return to Wheeling
along the hill sides and avoid the bottoms. His advice
was rejected; but Lynn, with the caution of one used to
such a condition of things, prudently kept on the hill side
with four others, while they, who belonged to the command
of Capt. Foreman, continued along the level at the
base of the hill.

In marching along the Grave creek narrows, one of
the soldiers saw a parcel of Indian ornaments lying in the
path; and picking them up, soon drew around him the
greater part of the company. While thus crowded together
inspecting the trinkets, a galling fire was opened on them
by a party of Indians who lay in ambush, and which threw
them into great confusion. The fire was continued with
deadly effect, for some minutes; and must eventually have
caused the loss of the whole party, but that Lynn, with
his few comrades rushed from the hill discharging their
guns, and shouting so boisterously, as induced the Indians
to believe that a reinforcement was at hand, and they precipitately
retreated.

In this fatal ambuscade there were twenty-one of Captain

Foreman's party killed, and several much wounded;
among the slain were the Captain and his two sons.

It appeared that the Indians had dropped their ornaments,
purposely to attract the attention of the whites;
while they themselves were lying concealed in two parties;
the one to the right of the path, in a sink-hole on the bottom,
and the other to the left, under covert of the river
bank. From these advantageous positions, they [167] fired
securely on our men; while they were altogether exempt
from danger 'till the party in the sink hole was descried
by Lynn. His firing was not known to have taken effect;
but to his good conduct is justly attributable the saving
of the remnant of the detachment. The Indian force was
never ascertained. It was supposed to have been small;
not exceeding twenty warriors.

On the ensuing day, the inhabitants of the neighborhood
of Wheeling under the direction and guidance of
Colonel Zane, proceeded to Grave Creek and buried those
who had fallen.[12]

At the time of the happening of those occurrences
the belief was general, that the army which had been led
to Wheeling by Girty, had been ordered on, for the purpose
of conducting the tories from the settlements to Detroit;
and that detachments from that army continued to
hover about the frontiers for some time, to effect that
object. There was then, unfortunately for the repose and
tranquility of many neighborhoods, a considerable number
of those misguided and deluded wretches, who, disaffected
to the cause of the colonies, were willing to advance the
interest of Britain, by the sacrifice of every social relation,
and the abandonment of every consideration, save that of
loyalty to the king. So far did their opposition, to those
who espoused the cause of American liberty, blunt every
finer and more noble feeling, that many of them were
willing to imbrue their hands in the blood of their neighbors,
in the most sly and secret manner, and in the hour
of midnight darkness, for no offence but attachment to
the independence of the colonies. A conspiracy for the
murder of the whigs and for accepting the terms, offered
by the Governor of Canada to those who would renounce
their allegiance to the United States and repair to Detroit,
by the relenting of one individual, was prevented being
carried into effect; and many were consequently saved
from horrors, equalling, if not transcending in enormity,
the outrages of the savages themselves. Scenes of licentiousness
and fury, followed upon the discovery of the
plot.—Exasperated at its heinousness, and under the influence
of resentful feelings, the whigs retaliated upon the
tories, some of the evils which these had conspired to inflict
upon them. In the then infuriated state of their
minds, and the little restraint at that time imposed on the
passions by the operation of the laws, it is really matter of
admiration that they did not proceed farther, and requite
upon those deluded wretches, the full measure of their
premeditated wrongs. The head only of this fiendish
league, lost his life; but many depredations were committed,
on the property of its members.

A court, for the trial of the conspirants, was held at
Redstone Fort; and many of them were arraigned at its

bar. But as their object had been defeated by its discovery,
and as no farther danger was apprehended from them,
they were released, after having been required to take the
oath of allegiance to the United States and to bear with the
injuries which had [168] been done their property. Those
who were suspected for the murder of the chief conspirator,
were likewise arraigned for that offence, but were acquitted.

Hitherto the inhabitants of Tygart's Valley had escaped
the ill effects of savage enmity; Indian hostility not
having prompted an incursion into that country, since its
permanent settlement was effected previous to the war of
1774. This however had not the effect to lull them into
confident security. Ascribing their fortunate exemption
from irruptions of the enemy, to other causes than a
willingness on the part of the Indians, to leave them in
quiet and repose, they exercised the utmost vigilance to
discover their approach, and used every precaution to ensure
them safety, if the enemy should appear among them.
Spies were regularly employed in watching the warriors
paths beyond the settlements, to detect their advance and
to apprize the inhabitants of it.

In September of this year (1777) Leonard Petro and
Wm. White, being engaged in watching the path leading
up the Little Kenhawa, killed an Elk late in the evening;
and taking part of it with them, withdrew a short distance
for the purpose of eating their suppers and spending
the night. About midnight, White, awaking from sleep,
discovered by the light of the moon, that there were several
Indians near, who had been drawn in quest of them
by the report of the gun in the evening. He saw at a
glance, the impossibility of escaping by flight; and preferring
captivity to death, he whispered to Petro to lie
still, lest any movement of his, might lead to this result.
In a few minutes the Indians sprang on them; and White
raising himself as one lay hold on him, aimed a furious
blow, with his tomahawk, hoping to wound the Indian by
whom he was beset, and then make his escape. Missing
his aim he affected to have been ignorant of the fact that
he was encountered by Indians, professed great joy at

meeting with them, and declared that he was then on his
way to their towns. They were not deceived by the artifice;
for although he assumed an air of pleasantness and
gaity, calculated to win upon their confidence, yet the
woful countenance and rueful expression of poor Petro,
convinced them that White's conduct was feigned, that he
might lull them into inattention, and they be enabled to
effect an escape. They were both tied for the night; and
in the morning White being painted red, and Petro black,
they were forced to proceed to the Indian towns. When
approaching a [169] village, the whoop of success brought
several to meet them; and on their arrival at it, they found
that every preparation was made for their running the
gauntlet; in going through which ceremony both were
much bruised. White did not however remain long in
captivity. Eluding their vigilance, he took one of their
guns and began his flight homeward.—Before he had
travelled far, he met an Indian on horseback, whom he
succeeded in shooting; and mounting the horse from
which he fell, his return to the Valley was much facilitated.
Petro was never heard of afterwards. The painting
of him black, had indicated their intention of killing
him; and the escape of White probably hastened his
doom.

During this time, and after the return of White among
them, the inhabitants of Tygart's Valley practiced their
accustomed watchfulness 'till about the twentieth of November;
when there was a considerable fall of snow. This
circumstance induced them to believe, that the savages
would not attempt an irruption among them until the return
of spring; and they became consequently, inattentive
to their safety.

Generally, the settlements enjoyed perfect quiet from
the first appearance of winter, until the return of spring. In
this interval of time, the Indians are usually deterred from
penetrating into them, as well because of their great exposure
to discovery and observation in consequence of the
nakedness of the woods and the increased facility of pursuing
their trail in the snows which then usually covered
the earth, as of the suffering produced by their lying in

wait and travelling, in their partially unclothed condition,
in this season of intense cold. Instances of their being
troublesome during the winter were rare indeed; and never
occurred, but under very peculiar circumstances: the inhabitants,
were therefore, not culpably remiss, when they
relaxed in their vigilance, and became exposed to savage
inroad.

A party of twenty Indians, designing to commit some
depredations during the fall, had nearly reached the upper
end of Tygart's Valley, when the snow, which had inspired
the inhabitants with confidence in their security,
commenced falling. Fearful of laying themselves open to
detection, if they ventured to proceed farther at that time,
and anxious to effect some mischief before they returned
home, they remained concealed about ten miles from the
settlements, until the snow disappeared. On the 15th of
December, they came to the [170] house of Darby Connoly,
at the upper extremity of the Valley, and killed him, his
wife and several of the children, and took three others
prisoners. Proceeding to the next house, killed John
Stewart, his wife and child, and took Miss Hamilton (sister-in-law
to Stewart) into captivity. They then immediately
changed their direction, and with great dispatch,
entered upon their journey home; with the captives and
plunder, taken at those two places.

In the course of the evening after these outrages were
committed, John Hadden passing by the House of Connoly
saw a tame elk belonging there, lying dead in the yard.
This, and the death-like silence which reigned around, excited
his fears that all was not right; and entering into
the house, he saw the awful desolation which had been
committed. Seeing that the work of blood had been but
recently done, he hastened to alarm the neighborhood, and
sent an express to Capt. Benjamin Wilson, living about
twenty miles lower in the Valley, with the melancholy intelligence.
With great promptitude, Capt. Wilson went
through the settlement, exerting himself to procure as
many volunteers, as would justify going in pursuit of the
aggressors; and so indefatigable was he in accomplishing
his purpose, that, on the day after the murders were perpetrated,

he appeared on the theatre of their exhibition
with thirty men, prepared to take the trail and push forward
in pursuit of the savages. For five days they followed
through cold and wet, without perceiving that they
had gained upon them. At this time many of the men
expressed a determination to return. They had suffered
much, travelled far, and yet saw no prospect of overtaking
the enemy. It is not wonderful that they became dispirited.
In order to expedite their progress, the numerous
water courses which lay across their path, swollen to an
unusual height and width, were passed without any preparation
to avoid getting wet; the consequence was that
after wading one of them, they would have to travel with
icicles hanging from their clothes the greater part of a day,
before an opportunity could be allowed of drying them.
They suffered much too for the want of provisions. The
short time afforded for preparation, had not admitted of
their taking with them as much as they expected would
be required, as they had already been on the chase longer
than was anticipated. Under these circumstances it was
with great difficulty, Captain Wilson could prevail [171]
on them to continue the pursuit one day longer; hoping
the Indians would have to halt, in order to hunt for food.
Not yet being sensible that they gained upon them, the
men positively refused going farther; and they returned
to their several homes.

This was the last outrage committed by the savages
on North Western Virginia, in this year. And although
there was not as much mischief effected by them in this
season, as had been in others, yet the year 1777, has become
memorable in the annals of Border Warfare. The
murder of Cornstalk and his companions,—the attack on
Wheeling Fort,—the loss of lives and destruction of property
which then took place, together with the fatal ambuscade
at Grave Creek Narrows, all conspired to render it a
period of much interest, and to impress its incidents deeply
on the minds of those who were actors in these scenes.