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DEPLORABLE AMBUSCADE.

By far the most disastrous ambuscade in the settlement of
the west, was that at the head of Grave creek narrows, now
Marshall county, Virginia, September 27th, 1777.

Captain William Foreman, a brave and meritorious officer,
organized a volunteer company in Hampshire county, Virginia,
and marched to Wheeling in the fall of 1777. It was known
that Patrick Henry, Governor of Virginia, had determined
early in the spring of that year, to send an expedition against
the Indian towns at the head of the Scioto, and with this

view ordered three hundred men to be raised in the counties
of Youghioghany, Monongalia and Ohio. Some of the most
patriotic of the citizens east of the mountains, thinking the
west in this emergency might stand in need of aid, determined
to go to her assistance. Of this number was Capt.
Foreman, who soon raised a company, and by the middle of
September was at Wheeling. A gallant soldier, but wholly
unfamiliar with Indian warfare, he proved himself unfit for
the service, and in his very first expedition suffered the
deplorable ambuscade an account of which we will now give.

After the withdrawal of the Indians from Wheeling,
nothing more was seen of them, or heard of their movements
up to the time of which we now speak; and the impression
became general that they had retired to their towns.

On Sunday morning, September 26th, (1777,) a smoke was
noticed by some persons at Wheeling, in the direction of
Grave creek, which caused an apprehension that the Indians
might be burning the stockade and houses of Mr. Tomlinson.
In order to ascertain this fact, and afford protection if any
were necessary, Captain Foreman, with his company, and a
few experienced scouts, were despatched by Colonel Shepherd
for the purpose.

The party proceeded without interruption to Grave creek,
and found all safe. Remaining over night, they started early
on the following morning to return. When they had reached
the lower end of Grave creek narrows, some of the more
experienced frontiermen suggested the expediency of leaving
the river bottom, and returning by way of the ridge. The
commander, however, hooted at the idea of so much caution,
and ordered the party to proceed. The order was obeyed by
his own men, including several of the volunteer scouts; but
some declined to go with him, and of these was a man named
Lynn, whose great experience as a spy, added to his sagacity
and judgment, should at least have rendered his opinions
valuable, and entitled to weight. His apprehensions were,
that the Indians, if lurking about, had watched the movements

of the party, and would most likely attack them at
some point on the river. He said, that in all probability,
they had been on the opposite side of the river and noticed
the party go down; that they had crossed during the night
and most probably were at that time lying in ambush for their
return. How fearfully were his apprehensions realized.

During the interchange of opinions between Foreman and
Lynn, a man named Robert Harkness, a relative of Mr.
Tomlinson, sat on a log near the parties, and often said that
the controversy at times ran high. Foreman, who prided
himself on being a thoroughly disciplined officer, was not
disposed to yield to the suggestions of a rough backwoodman.
Lynn, on the other hand, convinced of the fatal error which
the other seemed determined to commit, could not but remonstrate
with all the power of persuasion at his command.
Finally, when the order to march was given, Lynn with some
six or eight others struck up the hill side, while Foreman with
his company pursued the path along the base.

Nothing of importance occurred until the party reached
the extreme upper end of the narrows. Just where the
bottom begins to widen, those in front had their attention
drawn to a display of Indian trinkets, beads, bands, &c.,
strewn in profusion along the path. With a natural curiosity,
but a great lack of perception, the entire party gathered
about those who picked up the articles of decoy, and whilst
thus standing in a compact group, looking at the beads, &c.,
two lines of Indians stretched across the path, one above, the
other below, and a large body of them simultaneously arose
from beneath the bank, and opened upon the devoted party a
most deadly and destructive fire. The river hill rises at this
point with great boldness, presenting an almost insurmountable
barrier. Still, those of the party who escaped the first discharge,
attempted to rush up the acclivity, and some with
success. But the savages pursued and killed several.

At the first fire, Captain Foreman and most of his
party, including his two sons, fell dead. The exact loss

cannot with certainty be ascertained, but is supposed to have
been about twenty, including the Captain. We give, (Note
C., end Chap. I.,) a list of losses, &c., sustained by members
of Captain Foreman's company, but there is nothing to indicate
who were killed. The presumption is, however, that most
of those whose names are mentioned suffered on the occasion
referred to.

When Lynn and his party heard the guns, they rushed
down the side of the hill, hallooing as though they were five
times as numerous. This had the effect of restraining the
savages in pursuit, and perhaps saved the lives of many.

Of those who escaped up the hill were Robert Harkness and
John Collins. The former, in pulling himself up by a sapling,
had the bark knocked into his face with a ball from an Indian's
gun. Collins was shot through the left thigh, breaking the
bone, and completely disabling him. Lynn and his companions
carried him to a spring said to have been just over
the hill, and throwing together their supply of provisions, left
him in a sheltered position, promising to send a messenger
on the following day with a horse.

Those who were so fortunate as to escape this terrible affair,
made their way in safety to Wheeling.

On the second day, a party went down and buried the dead.
Col. Shepherd, Col. Zane, Andrew Poe, and Martin Wetzel
were of this number. They were thrown into one common
grave, and the place of their interment is still pointed out to
the passer-by.[13]

Collins, the wounded man, was taken off on horseback, the
second night. They carried him to Shepherd's Fort, and the
present Mrs. Cruger remembers to have seen him when

brought in. He suffered greatly with his wounded limb in
riding; but finally recovered, and lived for many years.

The number of Indians engaged in this affair was never
known. Some supposed it was the same body that attacked
the fort at Wheeling, three weeks previous; but this is all
conjecture.

About the last of September, two men (Leonard Petro and
William White), who were watching a path that led up the
Little Kanawha, killed an elk, and after a hearty supper laid
down to sleep. "About midnight, White awakening, discovered
by the light of the moon, that there were several Indians near,
who had doubtless been drawn by the report of their gun in the
evening. He saw at a glance, the impossibility of escape, 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 of 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 be ignorant of the fact, that he had
encountered 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 gaiety, calculated to
win upon their confidence, yet the woful countenance of Petro,

1 In 1835, a few gentlemen, chiefly members, we believe, of a Light-horse
company, raised a small fund, and had placed near the spot of their interment,
a plain stone, bearing in simple, but expressive language, this inscription,
"This humble stone is erected to the memory of Captain Foreman, and
twenty-one of his men, who were slain by a band of ruthless savages,—the
allies of a civilized nation of Europe—on the 26th of September, 1777.

convinced them that White's conduct was feigned, that he
might lull them into inattention, and thus be enabled to 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 their village,
the whoop of success brought several to meet them; and on
their arrival at it, they found every preparation made for
running the gauntlet. 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 his horse, made his way home.
Petro was never heard of afterwards. The painting of him
black, had indicated their intention to kill him; and the
escape of White probably hastened it."

The inhabitants of the Upper Monongahela continued to
observe their usual vigilance until toward the close of November,
when a fall of snow occurring, they relaxed somewhat their
watchfulness. As a general thing, the Indians withdrew from
the settlements on the commencement of winter, and did not
reappear until the coming spring. Instances were very rare,
in which they disturbed the settlements during winter. The
readiness by which they could be tracked, together with the
severity of the weather, compelled them to such a course.

The snow to which we have referred, lulled the inhabitants
into false security. About twenty Indians had penetrated
the settlement in Tygart Valley, and were waiting to make
an attack when the snow fell. Not liking to return without
some trophy of their valor, the savages concealed themselves
until the snow disappeared. On the 15th day of December
they came to the house of Darby Connoly, at the upper extremity
of the Valley, and killed his wife, himself, and several
of their children, taking three others prisoners. Proceeding

to the next house, they killed John Stewart, wife and child,
and took Miss Hamilton (sister of Mrs. Stewart) captive.
Then changing their direction, with great dispatch, they
entered upon their journey homeward, with the captives and
plunder.

In the course of the evening, after these outrages were
committed, John Hadden passing by the house of Connoly,
saw an elk which the family raised, lying dead in the yard,
and suspecting that all was not right, entered the house, and
with horror saw what had been done. Knowing that the
work of blood had been recently committed, he hastened to
alarm the neighborhood, and sent an express to Captain
Benjamin Wilson, who lived about twenty miles down the
Valley. With great promptitude, Capt. Wilson went through
the settlement, exerting himself to procure as many volunteers,
as would justify going in pursuit of the murderers; and so
indefatigable was he in accomplishing this purpose, that, on
the day after, he appeared 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, often wading
and swimming streams, and then traveling many miles before
the icicles could be thawed off. Still there was no appearance
of the enemy; and at length, the men positively refusing
to go farther, the party returned from its fruitless chase, and
the savages escaped with their prisoners and booty.

These were perhaps, the last murders committed in North-Western
Virginia, during this fatal and bloody year.