HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY - 75 on a level with good citizens. It may be mentioned as a proof both of the lenity of our own government and the unanimity of its inhabitants that though this war has now raged near seven years not a single execution for treason has taken. place." This was a correct definition, doubtless, as applied to some localities, but not so as to all for instance in the upper Ohio valley, where there were a few who were very actively engaged in carrying out their designs and purposes. One of these was an Englishman by the name of Jackson, who had so exasperated the feelings of the settlers as to cause them to proceed to extreme measures in his case, and his life paid the forfeit of his temerity. A conspiracy at this time existed which had gathered considerable headway among those who were inclined to British domination, which was obviated by the relenting of one of those engaged in it. The object of the conspirators seems to have been to awe the settlers into submission by the unexpected introduction of a large army composed of Indians and British to awe the patriots into submission by destroying the property and taking the lives of the more prominent among them if they should persist in refusing allegiance to the British. This was one of the objects had in view by the army which attacked and attempted to reduce Fort Henry in September, 1777, but which was so signally foiled in its endeavors by the brave defenders of that fort. These malcontents kept up a regular and constant communication with Gov. Hamilton, the representative of the British authority stationed at Detroit. Upon the discovery of the plot tire excitement occasioned by its revelation threatened for a time to burst forth in vengeful ire; but the wise counsel of cooler-heads succeeded in calming the turbulent passions and awakened prejudices which had been aroused. When we consider the infuriated state into which the feelings of the settlers had been wrought, and the little restraint which at the time was imposed upon the conduct and actions of individuals, it is really a matter of admiration that they did not requite upon the heads of these traitorous wretches the full measure of condign punishment in view of their premeditated wrongs. However, it was determined that they should answer before a military court the charges preferred against them. For this purpose a court was convened by the authorities of the upper Ohio valley, and the county adjacent, which met at Fort Redstone, where three or four of the principal participants in the conspiracy were arraigned to answer for their offenses. Here they experienced a fair and impartial trial, and, after mature deliberation, the court concluded that as their object in great measure had been defeated by its timely discovery, and as no serious consequences had, or were likely to ensue, that they should go acquit, requiring them, however, before they were discharged, to take the oath of allegiance to the continental congress, and the cause of the colonies, which was readily complied with on their part. In the exercise of the same spirit of fairness which characterized the arrest and trial of the conspirators, those also who were suspicioned as having aided or abetted in the killing of the chief conspirator, Jackson, were likewise 76 - HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY. arraigned and tried for the crime of murder, but the evidence of their guilt proving to be insufficient, they also were acquitted and discharged. About this period there was an individual living on Short creek, in Ohio county, who had made a clearing and erected a cabin on the banks of that stream, who was an open and pronounced tory. He was among the earliest settlers on this stream, having appeared about the year 1770. He planted and raised the first crop of corn in what is now Ohio county When the news of the outbreak of hostilities, between the mother country and the colonies, reached him, his surroundings became too warm for him, and he was compelled to abandon his cabin and leave the country and betake himself to a more hospitable region, and continued absent during the entire continuance of the war, returning to his old haunts only after the proclamation of peace between the two countries. Upon his return his convictions, as to the policy of Great Britain toward the colonies and her policy of coercion toward them, were just as strong as they were before he left, and to his dying day he gloried in' the name of tory, and on all suitable occasions he did not hesitate, in any company nor under any circumstances, to advocate his views concerning the rights of the mother country which had been so successfully defied by the colonies in the wager of battle. He lived in the same place where he first settled, during the remaining years of his life which were prolonged to the extreme age of one hundred and fifteen years. He died in the early part of the sixties. He was always spoken of as a good neighbor — a firm and faithful friend, and a man of kindly and generous impulses. He died as he had lived— true to his sentiments — an implacable tory. Numerous inducements were held out and unavailing pursuasions were employed to induce him to satisfy public curiosity as to where he had spent his time and in what he was employed during the continuance of hostilities, but he invariably refused to gratify his questioners by making any revelation which would throw light upon the enigma, and his secret died with him. In the interval between the years 1777 and 1780 the Indians had committed many depredations along the frontier as well as in the country more remote, but in the early part of the year 1780, on the first appearance of spring, they became still more active and bold, and commenced anew their hostilities against the whites, pursuing their work of murder, rapine and destruction with renewed energies and in the most merciless and unrelenting spirit. Notwithstanding repeated efforts accompanied with the most flattering promises and urgent pursuasions upon the part of the British to secure the alliance of the Delaware tribe of Indians, up to the year 178o, they had failed to induce this tribe to unite with them, but in this last named year they succumbed at length to the influences brought to bear upon them and declared for war. The British commandant at Detroit had made arrangements to organize an attack upon northwestern Virginia, and had planned a campaign in which the Delawares as a tribe were to co-operate. It had been concerted that a combined force of British and Indians were to HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY - 77 carry out the plans adopted. This army was to consist of two divisions of about 15o men each; .one division of which was to cross the Ohio in the vicinity of Wheeling, and the other at a point some fifty or sixty miles further up that stream. The ultimate destination of each was Catfish Camp, where the town of Washington, Penn., now stands. The vigilant scouts which were scattered over the country, immediately discovered the approach of the party which had crossed in the vicinity of Wheeling, and gave timely alarm to the settlers who at once fled for shelter and protection to the fort at this last named place, they supposing that it would be the object of attack. But in this they were mistaken, as the Indians proceeded on their march in the direction of Catfish, picking up prisoners as they advanced, from whom they learned that the force of the settlements was concentrated at Wheeling, who were well provisioned and fully armed and ready for an encounter. This information had a depressing effect upon them, and apprehensive that a force from Wheeling might intercept them and prevent their escape across the Ohio, a council was called to deliberate on their movements, whether they should advance or retreat. The council concluded that it was advisable for them to retrace their steps and cross the river. Having reached this conclusion, the question arose as to what disposition should be made of their prisoners, of whom they had taken quite a number since entering the country. This they speedily settled by determining to murder them in cold blood. In carrying out this resolution they spared neither sex nor age, perpetrating upon them the most horrid and cruel tortures which the refinement of malignant hearts and savage dispositions could invent. The perpetration of this wanton cruelty served to arouse to the utmost pitch the anger and indignation of the inhabitants, and preparations were made for at once taking the offensive against them. Hence, at the instance of Cols. Zane and Shepherd, Col. Brodhead, commander at Fort Pitt, was induced to make preparations for an expedition against the Indian towns on the Muskingum. The different counties were called upon to furnish their respective quota of troops, who were to rendezvous at Fort Henry. The quota of Ohio county consisted of seventy odd men. The date fixed upon for the rendezvous was the 9th day of June, but by reason of a failure to obtain necessary supplies, the expedition was posponed from month to month, and it was not until April, 1781, that they were in a condition to move. leaving Wheeling in this last-named month, by a rapid march by the nearest route, the army, consisting of about 300 men, reached a village of the Delawares on the Muskingum on the evening of April 19, and completely surprised the Indians. The river not being fordable, such of the Indians as were on the west side of the river escaped, but those on the east side were captured without a shot being fired. A number of the warriors captured were scalped by direction of a council of war held on the spot. The next morning an Indian communicated from the opposite side of the river saying that 78 - HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY. he wanted peace. Col. Brodhead, who was in command of the expedition, ordered him to send over his chief, assuring him at the time that his safety should not be imperilled. But in the face of this promise it is said that the chief was tomahawked by Lewis Wetzel, the terror of the savages. After the destruction of another village a short distance from the former, the army commenced its march homeward, carrying with them some fifteen or twenty prisoners, who were permitted to go but a short distance before they were killed by the soldiers. A few women and children who were taken to Fort Pitt, were afterward exchanged for an equal number prisoners held by the Indians. On his return Brodhead communicated with the Movarian missionaries and Christian Indians and endeavored to persuade them by reason of their liability to attack from the Indians on one side and the whites on the other, to abandon their villages in the Tuscarawas country and return with him to Fort Pit. But this they declined to do. Thus ended what was called the Coshocton campaign. The following is the report of the expedition made by Col. Brodhead to Pres. Reed of the executive council of Pennsylvania: " PHILADELPHIA, May 22, 1781. " SIR: In the last letter I had the honor to address to your excellency, I mentioned my intention to carry on an expedition against the revolted Delaware towns. I have now the pleasure to inform you, that with about 300 men (nearly half the number volunteers from the country) , I surprised the towns of Cooshasking and Indoachaie, killed fifteen warriors and took upwards of twenty old men, women and children. About four miles above the town I detached a party to cross the river Muskingum and destroy a party of about forty warriors, who had just before (as I learned by an Indian whom the advance guard took prisoner), crossed over with some prisoners and scalps, and were drunk, but excessive hard rains having swelled the river bank high, it was found impracticable. " After destroying the towns, with great quantities of poultry and other stores, and killing about forty head of cattle, I marched up the river about seven miles, with a view to send for some craft from the Moravian towns, and cross the river to pursue the Indians; but when I proposed my plan to the volunteers I found they conceived they had done enough, and were determined to return, wherefore I marched to Newcomerstown, where a few Indians who remain in our interest, had withdrawn themselves, not exceeding thirty men. The troops experienced great kindness from the Moravian Indians, and those at Newcomerstown, and obtained a sufficient supply of meat and corn to subsist the men and horses to the Ohio river. Capt. Kill-buck and Capt. Luzerne, upon hearing of our troops being on the Muskingum, immediately pursued the warriors, killed one of their greatest villains and brought his scalp to me. The plunder brought in by the troops sold for about £8o at Fort Henry. I had upon this expedition Capts. Mantour and Wilson, and three other faithful Indians who contributed greatly to the success. The troops behaved HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY - 79 with great spirit, and although there was considerable firing between them and the Indians I had not a man killed or wounded, and only one horse shot. " I have the honor to be with great respect and attachment, your excellency's most obedient, most humble servant." " DANIEL BRODHEAD, Col. 1st P. R. " Directed His Excellency Joseph Reed, Esq." * In the latter part of the summer of 1781 intelligence was received by the commander at Fort Pitt that a large force of Indians were on the march to attack the border with the expectation that Wheeling in particular was the object of their efforts. He at once sounded the note of warning and dispatched an express to Fort Henry with the information and urged upon them to guard against stratagem and defend the post to the last extremity, and assuring them that he would do all in his power to aid them. The warning was acted upon at once and the preparations to stand a siege were all made. Upon the appearance of the Indians in September all things were in readiness to receive them. They had expected to surprise the inhabitants, capture the fort and secure an easy victory, but instead they were the surprised. Finding themselves baffled, they contented themselves with burning some of the vacated cabins and running off such stock as had been left exposed. The first intimation those within the fort had of the presence of savages was through a boy named George Reikart, who reached the fort in a state of exhaustion from the efforts made by him to elude his pursuers. He stated that a large force of Indians were at the spring (at the base of the hill east of the fort) and that they had killed a boy who was his companion and had taken one David Glenn prisoner. So sudden and cautious had been the approach of the Indians, that the boy companion of Reikart was shot down and Glenn taken prisoner. Reikart was separated from the others at some distance and was engaged in nutting at the time. As soon as he heard the firing, he started to run towards the fort for shelter, but he did not escape wholly unhurt for just as he was entering the gate of the fort a leaden messenger overtook him, striking him upon the wrist. The savages tarried a brief period taking their departure after demanding a surrender of the fort and bidding adieu to its inmates by indulging in the most insulting gestures and motions.. One of the saddest tragedies which has left an imperishable stain upon the pages of American history is that of the unprovoked and heartless murder and unheard of tortures visited upon the Moravians in March, 1782, by an expedition under the command of Col. David Williamson, a brave, energetic and successful soldier of the Indian wars of the revolution. These Indians, called the " praying Indians," had removed from the Delaware river as early as the year 1769, and had settled on three different places on the Muskingum river, called by them respectively, * Penn. Archives, Vol. IX., p. 161. 80 - HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY. Gnadenhutten, Schoenbrunn and Salem, where they cultivated the arts of peace and civilization, seeking their mental and spiritual improvement under the ministerial teaching and influence of such worthy men as Rev. John Heckewelder, Michael Jung and David Zeisberger. Their towns were situated in the southern part of Tuscarawas county and had become places of some importance. Their possessions were considerable, as they had several hundred acres of corn on the river lowlands, 200 cattle, 400 hogs and a large number of poultry. The British officers in the preceding year had attempted to secure their removal through the action of the Six Nations, who, although they considered the request in council, never took measures looking to a compliance. The fact is, the Christian Indians were really friendly to the whites, and frequently gave them intelligence of the approach of roving bands inimical to them. By reason of their geographical position they were objects of suspicion to the British, the British Indians and the Americans, and these suspicions were kept in lively exercise, occasioned either by the neutrality or friendship they manifested. Their very virtues were made the excuse for their punishment. During February, 1782, several murders had been perpetrated on the frontier in the vicinity of Wheeling, which were probably the work of the Wyandots, but were charged upon the Moravians. The people along the border were wrought up to a state of fierce frenzy. Early in March, some ninety or 100 men rendezvoused at Mingo, and appointed Col. David Williamson to the command. Their pretended object was the capture and removal of the Christian Indians, and the destruction of their fields and houses. Although the villages had been uninhabited during the-winter, just at this time, about 150 Moravians were there. These had been permitted to temporarily return from Sandusky where they had been carried as prisoners by their Indian enemies during the preceding year, for the purpose of gathering corn, large quantities of which remained in their old fields. They were so engaged when the expedition under Williamson arrived at the place of their former peaceful and happy homes. The victims apprehended no danger at the hands of the Americans, believing them to be their steadfast friends. The men professed to have come on a peaceful erratic', and with expressions of good will informed them that they had come to remove them to Fort Pitt for their greater safety. The Indians unhesitatingly believed these declarations, and immediately delivered up their weapons of defense. The soldiers then went to Salem and induced the Indians there to accompany them to Gnadenhutten, the inhabitants of which latter place had in the meantime been bound without resistance. When those brought from Salem arrived they were treated in a similar manner. A council of war was now held to decide upon their fate, and the question was referred to the whole of those who composed the expedition for decision. The question was then put— "Whether they should be taken as prisoners to Fort Pitt, or be put to death ?" When HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY - 81 Col. Williamson requested those in favor of preserving their lives to step to the front, only sixteen advanced from the ranks and the doom of the unfortunate Moravians was fixed. They were ordered to prepare for death. They at once knelt in prayer and engaged in religious exercises. While they were thus engaged the blood-thirsty majority rushed upon them and began the sanguinary work of death and continued until one by one the wretched prisoners fell beneath the blows of the tomahawk and the cruel stroke of the scalping knife. Those who had protested against the decree of death, while their colleagues were engaged in this murderous butchery, stood apart and in loud and vehement tones indignantly condemned the atrocities of which they were unwilling witnesses. It is said that forty men, twenty-two women and thirty-two children were destroyed in the limits of a few minutes. Two boys alone escaped, one of whom fell into a cellar, and the other, after being tomahawked and scalped, secreted himself. All the property which could not be removed was deliberately destroyed. The houses containing the mutilated bodies of the slain were fired, and by the light of this burning hecatomb of human victims the expedition set out on its return through the forest which echoed with the rude sounds of their ill-timed jests and their songs of victory. Doddridge, in vindication of the character of Williamson, writes of him as follows: " In justice to the memory of Col. Williamson, I have to say, that although at that time very young, I was personally acquainted with him, and from my recollection of his conversation, I say with confidence that he was a brave man, but not cruel. He would meet an enemy in battle, and fight like a soldier, but not murder a prisoner. Had he possessed the authority of a superior officer in a regular army, I do not believe that a single Moravian Indian would have lost his life; but he possessed no such authority. He was only a militia officer who could advise but not command. His only fault was that of too easy a compliance with popular opinion and popular prejudice. On this account his memory has been loaded with unmerited. reproach." On the return of the expedition to the settlements, a number of the whites expressed their horror and disapproval of the act. Encouraged by the success which had attended the expedition against the innocent and unoffending Moravians, some of those who had been engaged in that enterprise, desired to inaugurate a larger undertaking of more extended operations, with a view of attacking the Indian towns on the Sandusky. The proposition met with the approval of the general commanding the western military department, who, on the 21st of May, 1782, wrote to Gen. Washington, informing him of the movement as follows: " Sir:— A number of the principal people of this country made application to me, about two weeks since, for my consent to their collecting a body of volunteers to go against Sandusky, which I agreed to on these express conditions: that they did not mean to extend their settlements, nor had anything in view but to harrass the enemy, with an intention to protect the frontiers, and that any conquests they might make should be in behalf and for the United States; 6—A. 82 - HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY. that they would be governed by military laws as militia; that they must collect such numbers as might probably be successful themselves and that they would equip themselves' and victual at their own expense. They are accordingly assemblying this day at the Mingo Bottom all on horseback, with thirty days' provisions. They have asked of me only a few flints and a small supply of powder. As they will elect their officers, I have taken some pains to get Col. [William] Crawford appointed to command, and hope he will be. He does not wish to go with a smaller number than four hundred; whether this number will assemble I cannot say. He pressed me for some officers, I have sent with him Lieut. Rose, my aid de camp, a very vigilant, active, brave young gentleman well acquainted with service; and a surgeon. These two are all I could venture to spare," etc. Four hundred and eighty men assembled at the place of rendezvous and took up their line of march for the Sandusky on the 25th day of May. The men who had volunteered for the expedition were from Washington, Westmoreland and Ohio counties, and were all mounted. The names of those who accompanied them as scouts were Jonathan Zane, Thomas Nicholson and John Slover. On the 4th of June the enemy were encountered, numbering over 300, consisting of about 200 savages and a company of rangers from Detroit, under command of Captain William Caldwell. A battle ensued with the advantage on the side of the Americans. The next day the enemy being reinforced by a large force of Shawnees and a small body of rangers, a council of war was called by Crawford which decided to retreat. Soon after dark of the same day the retreat commenced in a considerable degree of confusion. After meeting with many difficulties and trials they succeeded in reaching the Mingo Bottom on their return, and re-crossed the Ohio on the 13th of June. The entire loss was fifty men. Among those retained as prisoners were Col. Crawford, Dr. Knight, Maj. McClelland and John Slover. Only two of. the number taken prisoners by the enemy escaped, viz.: Dr. Knight and John Slover. Col. Crawford, his son-in-law (William Harrison), and a few others were burnt at the stake. The expedition to which we have referred seemed to exasperate and arouse the savages to greater acts of cruelty and a more determined spirit of retaliation. During this .year the Indians had taken the field earlier than was customary, and their attacks upon the border were more numerous and unceasing than in any former year.. And these raids were not confined by them to the more exposed parts of the border, but they penetrated into the interior and with the venom of savage ferocity prosecuted an unrelenting warfare. Home after -home was desolated — family after family was destroyed, and the whole country was excited and aroused by the temerity they exhibited and the wholesale depredations committed by them. Their revengeful manifestations were particularly apparent in and among the settlements on the upper Monongahela. The attention of the authorities of Virginia having been called to the deplorable condition of affairs in the western portion of the state, William Davies, incum- HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY - 83 bent of the military department-- under the state government, at the instance of the executive addressed the following communication to Brig.-Gen. Irvine, then in command of the western military department at Fort Pitt: " WAR OFFICE, Virginia, April 12, 1782. " SIR:—The incursions of the Indians into the county of Monongalia and the number of the inhabitants they have killed, have induced government to order a company from Hampshire to march to their relief, to be under the immediate command of Col. Evans, of Monongalia.* The defense of these people being a continental as well as a state object, I have desired Col. Evans to maintain a correspondence with you, not doubting of your readiness to co-operate in repelling the common enemy as far as may be consistent with the more particular duties of your command at Fort Pitt. From the knowledge I have of your character, and the small acquaintance I had the honor to have with you in the army, I have taken this liberty more explicitly to address you as I hope the people will meet with a more speedy and efficacious assistance from you in their present distress, than the urgency of their circumstances can admit from a dependence upon government who are so far removed from them; and in this application I have a firmer confidence in your ready attention to it, from the reflection that one Virginia regiment composes a part of your command. The people of Monongalia are distressed for ammunition as well as fire arms, both of which, in the low state of our finances, we find it extremely difficult to forward to them. If, therefore, you have any to spare, particularly ammunition, it will be serving them essentially, and shall be replaced as soon as it can be forwarded; and as two or three hundred weight will be sufficient, or indeed half that quantity, I am in hopes it can be spared by you without inconvenience, etc." Your very obedient servant, " Brig.-Gen. Irvine, Fort Pitt." " WILLIAM DAVIES." The terrible state of affairs prevailing along the border, and particularly along the upper Monongahela, was made the subject of earnest complaint to the Virginia authorities, and the distress and troubles of the people in the western portion of the state continued to be pressed upon the attention of the executive. But neither in a financial nor military point of view was the state in a condition just then to meet these urgent demands. In both of these respects she had put forth every effort to further the cause of the revolution. But she did what she could as will be perceived from the tenor of the following letter addressed to Brig.-Gen. Irvine: " WAR OFFICE, May 22, '82. "SIR: Agreeable to the direction of his excellency in council, I have the honor to inform you of the steps taken for the defense of the frontiers. Several orders have from time to time been issued according to the various circumstances of our affairs in that quarter. Upon a representation of their distresses orders were issued for one com- * County lieutenant. 84 - HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY. pany of militia from Hampshire to march to Monongalia; and be disposed of as Col. Evans should direct, and an officer and twenty privates from Augusta were ordered to be stationed at Tyger's Valley. The Hampshire men were to be relieved by a company formed from Rockingham and Augusta, and the ensign and twenty were to return without relief at the end of two months. In addition to these detachments it was afterwards found necessary to order a reinforcement of thirty-one rank and file from Augusta, including the ensign and twenty before mentioned, and nineteen rank and file from Rockingham to rendezvous at Tyger's Valley, under the immediate orders of Lieut.-Col. Wilson, but subject to the general direction of Col. Evans, and to be relieved after performing a tour of two months by the counties Shenandoah, Frederick and Berkeley, and the company first ordered from Hampshire will therefore return without relief at the expiration of their tour. There have likewise been subsequent orders to the county lieutenants of Augusta and Rockingham for twenty-two rank and file to be furnished by the first, and thirteen rank and file from the latter, to be stationed at such places as the commanding officer of Augusta should think best for the defense of his county, and to be returned after performing a tour of two months by the militia of Rockbridge. I have informed Col. Evans of the order of his excellency that the defense of the frontier should be subject to your directions in future, and have requested him to furnish- such portion of his militia as you may think necessary to call for. " I have the honor to be with great respect, " Your most obedient servant, " WILLIAM DAVIES." " Addressed: " The Honorable " BRIGADIER GENERAL IRVINE, " War Office} " Fort Pitt." Immediately on the receipt of the letter of April 12th heretofore given, General Irvine, under date of April 20th, replied, addressing his letter to the executive of Virginia (Benjamin Harrison), suggesting that " it would be generally better to place the whole defense of that country under one commander," and also proposing a plan by which the forces might be shifted from the territory of one state to that of the other in case of necessity, etc. In reply to this the governor of Virginia wrote as follows: " In Council May 22, 1782. " Sir: Your favor of the 20th ult., by Lt. Thomas came safe to hand. Orders have been long since sent from hence, to the counties of Augusta and Hampshire to send to Monongahela seventy men to assist in guarding the frontiers of that county. These troops, I expect, will probably be stationed at or near Tyger's Valley and the West Fork. . As these posts are not too great a distance for you, I suppose it would be improper to remove the men from them, though I perfectly agree in opinion with you, that it would be generally better to place the whole defense of that country under one commander, for which rea- HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY - 85 sons orders are now sent to the commanding officers of Monongahela and Ohio, to furnish so many men as they can spare to assist you, though there is one great obstruction to your plan, which is, that as our law now stands the militia of this state cannot be removed out of it. The assembly may probably make some alteration in the law. If they do I shall advise you of it. Measures are taking for running the boundary line between the two states and I expect commissioners will meet for that purpose on the extremity of the Maryland line on the Toth day of July next, which I hope will quiet the people and reconcile them to the present governments. " I am your most obedient and humble servant, " BENJ. HARRISON." "GEN. IRVINE," Endorsed (" Public Service.") " Brigadier General Irvine, Fort Pitt." " BENJ. HARRISON." The year 1782 was one of marked hostility and activity against the whites upon the part of the Indians, which rendered it one of the most fearful and trying to the former. The news of the surrender of Lord Cornwallis to the American army in the preceding year having come to the knowledge of the Indians within a few weeks after it occurred, they became apprehensive that peace would soon be declared between the mother country and the colonies, when the whole power of the whites would be concentrated against them, and they would be overwhelmed by the force of a disciplined soldiery. Accordingly a call was issued for a council of the confederated tribes with instructions to meet in the following month of August, at the Chillicothe, to determine as to their future course of action, and to adopt such measures as in their judgment the emergency demanded. Before proceeding to give an account of the resolutions arrived at by this council we ask the attention of the reader to the sad fate of that brave and fearless Indian fighter and scout, Maj.Sam McColloch, whose almost miraculous escape from the hands of the savages at the siege of Fort Henry in the year 1777 we have already referred to. Fort Vanmetre was located on the waters of Short creek about four miles south of the town of West Liberty. It was a square building, built of rough hewn logs and occupied the center of a space which was enclosed with pickets about twelve feet in length, and was ample in its accommodations to shelter all who might be expected to avail themselves of its protection, On the morning of the 30th of July, in the year 1782, Maj. Sam McColloch set out on the last scout he ever made. Indications of prowling savages having been discovered in the vicinity, he, together with his brother John, was ordered out on a scout to ascertain the correctness of the fact. In company the two set out and cautiously and carefully made their way toward the river without discovering any signs of Indians in the neighborhood. They had reached a point on the river about two miles above Wheeling and then took their course up the banks of the stream to the mouth of, Short creek, where they again changed their course in the direction 86 - HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY. of the fort, mounting a hill known as " Girty's point." Their scout, it appears, had satisfied them of the absence of Indians in the neighborhood, and resting under this belief they relaxed in a degree their watchfulness and caution, and were riding along and conversing pleasantly when suddenly the silence of the surrounding forest was broken by the sharp crack of rifles and Maj. McColloch fell dead from his horse, and at the same moment the horse bestrode by John sank to the ground in death. Instantly springing to the major's horse which was unhurt, he mounted him and dashed off at full speed, and thus succeeded in eluding his enemies. During this time no enemy was to be seen, but he had not ridden far before turning in his saddle he beheld a large crowd of Indians gathered around the body of his deceased brother and one Indian engaged in the act of taking the. scalp lock. Quick as thought he raised his rifle and taking a fatal aim, the savage with scalping knife in hand fell dead before the unerring missile. With the exception of a slight gunshot wound John escaped unhurt to the fort and communicated the sad tidings of his brother's death. The next day a party of men from Vanmetre's Fort went out and gathered up the remains of this heoric pioneer. The Indians had taken out his entrails which were found hanging upon a tree near by, having secured and eaten his heart under the belief that it would make them bold and brave like the great captain they had slain. The tree upon which the entrails of McColloch were suspended is still standing and is well known to those residing in the vicinity. That was a sad and sorrowful party that bore back his remains to the fort. The scene when they arrived at the fort is described as most pathetic. The eyes of those stalwart men, unused to weeping were suffused with tears and as they entered the fort bearing his remains, heartbroken sobs and groans were heard on every side. Mourned and honored they laid him to rest, beneath the greensward under the overhanging branches of the forest trees, and then with aching hearts turned away to meet and discharge the stern duties of the present hour. It was but a few months preceding this that he had been married to a most estimable lady and worthy companion, .Miss Mitchell, who was subsequently married to Mr. Andrew Woods. The tract of land lying on Short creek which he owned at the time of his death, was a portion of the tract taken up by John Wilson and himself in the year 1772. John Wilson emigrated to this section from the state of New Jersey. His first visit was made about the year 1771, and in about two years thereafter he returned to his native state and brought with him to his western home his wife, Rebecca. Before going east he had erected a small log cabin. On his return with his wife, as they arrived in sight of it he pointed it out to her and at the same time remarked: " There, Becky, is your future home." It was with a mighty effort that she restrained her struggling tears. She made no reply, but cheerfully acquiesced in the lot which had been assigned to her. Her life of wifely-devotion and heroic fortitude has embalmed her memory and kept it green through all the generations HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY - 87 of her offspring. In this year (1772), Mr. Wilson planted a pear tree on his farm which has grown and flourished, and for more than a century has brought forth fruit year by year. It still stands, and its lower branches are still thrifty and productive, as within a year past I have conversed with a person — Dr. Wilson, of this city — who ate pears plucked from its boughs within the period indicated. The tract of land thus taken up by Maj. McColloch and John Wilson, as well as the land taken up by the brothers Abraham McColloch and John McColloch, are still owned and occupied by the descendants of these respective families, whose farms are among the most fertile and productive in the county. We now resume the consideration of the results arrived at by the Indians in the council held by them at Chillicothe concerning their future course of action. After much deliberation they resolved to raise two armies with which to penetrate the frontier. The one numbering some boo warriors which was destined to operate against the infant settlements in Kentucky— the other consisting of 35o warriors which was to operate against the settlements in the upper portion of the Ohio valley. This latter force was accompanied by a detachment of British soldiers, fifty in number, belonging to the Queen's rangers under the command of Capt. Pratt. In the beginning of September, 1782, the celebrated Indian spy and scout — John Linn— the same individual who was present at the time of the fatal attack and ambuscade at the " Narrows," below Wheeling, where Col. Foreman and twenty-one of his men were so mercilessly massacred by the savages, being out on a scout on the west side of the Ohio river discovered a large force of Indians, accompanied with British soldiers, marching with all speed in the direction of Wheeling. With all promptitude he hastened to inform the inhabitants at that place. Swimming the river he reached the fort a few hours in advance of the enemy and gave the alarm. But the time being limited, no general alarm could be given, hence, only those present and in the immediate vicinity of the fort had the opportunity of seeking its shelter and protection, and of such there were not more than twenty effective men, all told, who were capable of doing active service. Col. Shepherd, the county commandant, and by virtue of his office the superior officer, was at the time absent on military business, and the command of the fort devolved on Capt. Silas Zane. East of, and but a short distance from, the fort, stood the log dwelling of Col. Ebenezer Zane, attached to which was a small magazine containing the military supplies which had been furnished by the government of Virginia, and also a kitchen or outbuilding occupied by " Daddy Sam," so called (a negro slave owned by Col. Zane, and to whom he was much attached), and his wife, familiarly known by the name of " Kate." On the occasion of the attack upon the fort by the Indians in the year 1777, Col. Zane and his family had abandoned his cabin and sought shelter in the fort, at which time it was reduced to ashes by the besiegers. He then declared that if the Indians again made their 88 - HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY. appearance he would not abandon his dwelling, but would defend it to the last extremity. As an outpost for the protection of the fort, and as an annoyance to an hostile force, it could not be excelled. Hence, on the appearance of the Indians at this time he made all necessary preparations possible for its defense. Had he retired from it all the military stores and ammunition stored there would have fallen into the hands of the enemy and have been destroyed or appropriated by them. The names of those who remained with him in his cabin were Andrew Scott, George Green, Elizabeth Zane, his wife; Molly Scott, Miss McColloch, a sister of Maj. Sam and John McColloch, from Short creek, who at that time was on a visit to her sister, Mrs. Zane; and " Daddy Sam," the negro we have already mentioned, and his wife " Kate." The savages approached under cover of the British flag which was unfurled to the breeze and waved in proud defiance by the color bearer in the face of the little band of heroic defenders. Before commencing their attack they demanded the immediate surrender of the fort in the name of His Britanic Majesty, to which no other reply was given than by the firing of a shot by some one in the fort at the offensive colors which were flaunted before them. Thereupon the assault commenced in dreadful earnest, the frenzied savages rushing forward like madmen, and in their wild attempt striving to destroy the pickets so as to effect an entrance to the fort and take it by storm. Col. Zane had arranged and posted his limited force within his house to the best advantage, and where it would do the most execution. As the Indians sounded their war-whoop and made their desperate rush, he opened upon them with a well-directed and brisk fire simultaneously with the one from the fort, so as to cause them to fall back in great disorder and to seek cover where their persons would be less exposed. But others again seeing the discomfiture of their comrades, promptly, with loud and deafening yells rushed forward to take the places of those who had retired, only to be repulsed again. And although these charges were repeated again and again, yet, in every instance they suffered a recoil. These unsuccessful efforts upon their part were continued until night threw her mantle over the earth and a brief cessation of conflict and a temporary rest was secured. Yet it was but for a brief time this respite was granted. Their assailants were engaged in holding a consultation and deliberating among themselves how best to obtain possession of, or destroy, the cabin of Col. Zane, which had proven so offensive to them in their repeated assaults on the fort and thus balked their efforts at its reduction. The conclusion arrived at was to make an attempt under the cover of darkness to destroy it by firing it and reducing it to ashes. After an interval of an hour or two, when silence had settled down upon the scene and the campfires of the savages had been put out, and it was presumed that the whites had relaxed, in some degree, their caution and vigilance, a savage, with a half-burned brand in his hand, crawled in the direction of the kitchen of the house, upon nearing which, he slowly rose from the ground and waving the brand to HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY - 89 and fro and blowing upon it to enliven and re-kindle it, was about to stealthily apply it to the building when, of a sudden, the quiet was disturbed by the sharp crack of a rifle which rang out in the stillness of the night, which, a moment later, was accompanied by a sharp yell of pain and rage ere the echoes of the shot had ceased to resound in the mazes of the forest. The vigilant and quick eye of " Daddy Sam " had detected the savage in time to foil him in his designs and spoil his calculations, thereby saving his master's property from destruction. Other similar attempts were made on the same night, but in every instance " Daddy Sam was on the alert and always frustrated them. And here we will be pardoned if, in passing; we say a word or two concerning this individual. He was an original importation from Guinea and had all the characteristics of a native of that country, believing in charms, incantations and signs, and was a bundle of strange superstitions and beliefs, and these he retained until the day of his death. He and his wife were assiduously cared and provided for by Col. Zane and his family until their decease. This gentleman erected for them a cosy cabin on the upper portion of the island known as Zane's Island, immediately opposite the city of Wheeling. " Daddy Sam " died in peace and contentment, honored and respected by the whole community, worn out with age and its attendant infirmities. At his death he left strict injunctions to have his rifle and his accoutrements, tomahawk, knife and silver snuff box, buried with him, that they might bear him company to the happy hunting grounds of the African. So greatly was he esteemed, that he was buried with military honors, and he was followed to the grave by an immense concourse of citizens, composed of the most prominent as well as the humblest members of society. In stature he was small and of light frame, with arms of unusual length, and a complexion as black as coal. But to resume our narrative. At daylight on the following morning the lines of the enemy showed that they were tightly drawn and in compact order, but they were laggard in renewing the assault. However they were not idle, but were actively employed in making preparations evidently for some important event. Shortly after dark of the preceding day a canoe loaded with cannon balls from Fort Pitt and destined for the falls of the Ohio, had put ashore under the cover of the fort. It was discovered by the Indians, but its occupants succeeded in effecting an entrance for themselves into the fort, in their efforts to do which, however, one of them—Daniel Sullivan—was wounded in the foot. The savages secured the canoe and took possession of its contents. A new idea now dawned upon them—why not utilize these missiles and make them play a part in the reduction of the fort? The idea was approved and the suggestion was at once put into execution. Securing a hollow log, which they deemed adapted for the purpose, they proceeded to bind it with iron chains, which they found in the blacksmith shop of the village. Filling it with a heavy charge of powder, they rammed home as many of the captured balls as it could conveniently hold, and with as much accur- 90 - HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY. acy as possible under the circumstances, aimed it against one of the bastions. All was now ready as soon as it was primed, for which purpose a big Indian stepped forward emptying from his powder horn a sufficient quantity around the vent. A crowd of Indians collected around to witness this new engine of destruction and the effect produced upon the fort by its discharge, not doubting in the least that it would prove more or less destructive in its effects. In this supposition they were not deceived, but were sorely disappointed in the nature of the result which ensued. All things being ready an Indian advanced with a lighted brand which he applied to the vent hole and thereby stamped "finis" on the last page of his own and the life history of his curious companions who were near by him at the time. Several were killed, many were seriously, and some slightly wounded, and all were terror stricken by the unexpected result. The unlooked for and unexpected havoc caused among their number by the explosion of their wooden artillery, which burst into fragments, led them to become wild and furious under their disappointment and the loss and wounding of so many of their number, and wild with rage in their excitement they redoubled their exertions, renewing the assault with heedless desperation and exposing themselves in the most careless manner to the shots from the house and the fort. At times it appeared that the Indians would succeed, but then the fortunes of the day would change and the fortunes of the inmates of the fort appeared to be in the ascendant. Thus the conflict wavered until noon when the forces of the Indians were drawn off temporarily. It was exceedingly fortunate for the little garrison that the savages desisted from their attack when they did, as the ammunition of the defenders of the fort was beginning to grow short. The alarm given by Linn of the approach of the enemy having, as we have stated, been so limited, and the fact that the fort was destitute to a great extent of any large supply of ammunition to enable it to withstand a protracted siege, it was discovered that the supply on hand was being rapidly exhausted, and some measures must be adopted to supply the need. As before stated, there was plenty of powder stored in the magazine at Col. Zane's house, but for all practical purposes it might as well have been a hundred miles away. The contingency which had now happened could not have been foreseen and the emergency now upon them was a grave one. But it was one which had to be met, and the question was, how could they best replenish their almost exhausted stock? An effort at least to obtain powder from Col. Zane's house it was absolutely necessary should be made, for should the enemy return to the assault in their then condition the danger of the inmates was not only imminent but their almost certain doom was sealed. Among the many propositions which were made and the one which seemed to obtain favor was, that one of the fleetest runners among the younger men should be selected for the perilous undertaking of obtaining a keg of powder from Col. Zane's house and hasten with it to the relief of the besieged. It was an undertaking full of daring, with HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY - 91 the prospect of almost certain death to the person who might essay the task. But undeterred by the magnitude of the feat and the peril . which attended it, at the call of Capt. Zane for a volunteer to risk, several brave men stepped forward, each one of whom insisted on being permitted to make the attempt. The loss of a single man at this juncture would be keenly felt by the entire company. While Capt. Zane was hesitating in arriving at a decision, and making his choice from among those chivalric spirits who had so promptly offered their services, there came bounding into his presence his own sister — Elizabeth Zane — in the elasticity of her youthful strength — and volunteered to attempt the accomplishment of the errand, regardless of what might befall her, if thereby she could be instrumental in saving the lives of others; when told that a man would encounter less danger by reason of his superior fleetness, she nobly replied,--" That the loss of a man under the circumstances would be more severely felt than her own — you have not one man to spare," she said —" woman will not be missed in the defense of the fort." All the arguments adduced by her brother and others to disuade her from making the attempt, together with the expostulations of the other females, had the effect of only confirming her in her resolution. Reluctantly they finally acquiesced in her purpose and her services were accepted. Divesting herself of all unnecessary clothing which might impede her in her progress, she appeared ready for the dangerous ordeal. The gate was swung open and the young heroine sprang out in the swelling buoyancy of hope, knowing no such word as fail, in the full confidence of success, and swift as a deer she sped away on her mission, arriving safely at the cabin of her brother — Col. Ebenezer Zane—who saw her coming and promptly opened the door to receive her. When the Indians saw her bounding along at the top of her speed, they were amazed at her temerity, but did not offer to fire at her but contented themselves with simply exclaiming with contemptuous sneers — "a squaw — a squaw." Upon reaching her destination she lost no time in stating her business. After a brief breathing spell she announced her readiness to return, whereupon, Col. Zane, taking a table-cloth and fastening it securely around her waist with two of its ends, while the other ends were held by her in her hands, emptied into it a keg of powder, when she again ventured forth on her return to the fort. Her black hair, like a banner, streamed out upon the air, as with swift feet she lessened the intervening distance. But she had not covered more than half the space between the cabin and the fort, when the savages, apprehending her purpose, showered a rain of bullets around her, none of which, however, did any execution, as she reached the fort in safety, and delivered the powder without losing any perceptible portion of it. Subsequently, in recounting her experience on this occasion, she would relate how the bullets whistled around her so thick and fast that the dust thrown up by them, as they struck the ground, blinded and confused her so that she could scarcely distinguish her way. As she neared the fort the gate was again thrown open for her entrance, when the Indians made an un- 92 - HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY. availing effort to reach it before it could be closed, by making a sudden rush. Finding themselves foiled, they quickly withdrew. This act of heroism, on the part of Elizabeth Zane, doubtless saved the . lives of the inmates of the fort; and enabled them successfully to withstand the siege. As night closed in the enemy renewed their efforts to reduce the fortress and continued them until daylight. Times almost without number during that trying and eventful night the enemy attempted to accomplish by the torch what they could not by superior numbers and vantage. Bundles of hemp and wood and rubbish were heaped by them against the pickets and set fire to at different places. The hemp fortunately being wet, after being ignited would not burn, and the dry wood and rubbish proved also to be in vain to accomplish their end. When the day dawned after that terrible and trying night, it was greeted by the besieged with a renewal of hope which had been well nigh banished from their hearts. The morning light was the harbinger indeed of joy and gladness and infused fresh life and energy into their despairing souls. When the intelligence reached Shepherd's Fort, located at the forks of Wheeling, of the investiture of Fort Henry by an army of Indians and British soldiers, a party left the former fort with a view of rendering assistance to the inmates of the latter, but on arriving in the vicinity they found that it would be impossible for them to gain admission and therefore reluctantly determined to return from whence they came. This conclusion was arrived at in opposition to the views of their leader-- Francis Duke —a relative of Col. Shepherd. He insisted that if no one else would, he alone would make the attempt to gain ingress at the fort, at the risk of his life. To all persuasions against the undertaking he turned a deaf ear. He recognized their force and complained not at the resolution of his men to return, but his chivalric character and determined spirit could not be curbed by argument nor persuasion. He did not regard the imminent danger attaching to the, bold undertaking, but subordinating this to the higher and nobler promptings of his nature, which enabled him only to see the peril of friends who needed every man for defense, he spurned all restraints, and taking his life in his hands and putting spurs to his horse he sped swift as his horse could carry him toward the gate of the fort calling aloud as he rode, "Open the gate! Open the gate!" He was recognized by those within the fort and the gate was swung open for his admission, but before reaching it he was pierced with bullets and this young and gallant chevalier fell a martyr to his reckless daring and noble disinterestedness. On the morning of the third day the enemy despairing of success, and abandoning all hope of the reduction of the fort they resolved on raising the siege. This resolution was announced to the inmates by a series of terrific yells and deafening whoops which was the means adopted by them to give expression to their disgust at their failure. Turning their backs upon the scene they took their departure and recrossed the river, except a party of about 100 chosen warriors who HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY - 93 remained on the Virginia side for the purpose of plundering and laying waste the adjacent country. The loss of the enemy during the siege must have been quite large, as those in the fort and in the dwelling of Col. Zane were not in the habit of throwing away their shots. It is a remarkable fact that none of the inmates of either were killed, and but one was slightly wounded — Daniel Sullivan. The chivalric Duke was the only white man slain on the part of the defenders. The persistent and determined courage displayed, both by men and women in the fort and in the cabin of Col. Zane, was simply grand and heroic. In the evening preceding the departure of the Indians from the fort, two white men who had been captured several years before by the Indians and held commands in the force, deserted from them. Early on the following morning they were taken prisoners by Col. Swearingen who, with a force of about 'co men, was hastening to aid in the defense of Wheeling fort and the chastisement of its assailants. From them he learned the intention of the Indians to withdraw from Wheeling-, but leave a portion of their army to operate in the surrounding country. One of these deserters was sent by James Marshall, lieutenant commandant of Washington county, Pennsylvania, to Gen. Irvine, commanding at Fort Pitt, to which latter person himself was the bearer of the following letter: " Dear Sir:— The bearer is one of the deserters from the enemy in time of the action at Wheeling. Some people say the other deserters report this fellow as a villain, however be that as it may, I think it best to send him to you that such order may be taken respecting him as you may think proper. " I am, sir, with attachment, your obedient and humble servant, "JAMES MARSHALL, L. W. C., " 16th Sept., 1782, Endorsed: Public." " To the Hon'ble William Irvine, " Brigadier General, Fort Pitt." The following extract from a letter written by the author of the foregoing letter and addressed by him to Gen. Irvine, under date of September 12, 1872, will be of interest in this connection. " By an express, this moment, arrived from Wheeling, I have received the following intelligence, viz.: That a large trail was discovered yesterday about three o'clock near that place. Capt. Boggs, who brought the account, says that when he left the fort about one mile and a half he heard the swivel at Wheeling fired and one rifle. He further says that Ebenezer McColloch, from Vanmetre's fort, on his way to Wheeling, got within half a mile of the place shortly after Boggs left it, when he was alarmed by hearing a heavy and constant fire about the fort, and makes no doubt the fort was then attacked. Boggs is gone into the settlements to alarm the inhabitants, and I am afraid, will injure the expedition, * as we have had so many false alarms this summer. I can't think of making much of the present one until the truth of it is known with certainty, notwithstanding, I should be inexcusable in not giving you the account as I have received it." * A proposed expedition to act against Sandusky. HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY - 94 Two days after the foregoing letter was written, the following, written by Ebenezer Zane, was sent to Gen. Irvine by the hands of a Mr. Loyd. " WHEELING, 14th of September, 1782. " SIR:— On the evening of the 11th instant, a body of the enemy appeared in sight of our garrison. They immediately formed their lines round the garrison, paraded British colors and demanded the fort to be surrendered, which was refused. About 12 o'clock at night they rushed hard on the pickets in order to storm, but were repulsed. They made two other attempts to storm before day, but to no purpose. About 8 o'clock next morning there came a negro from them to us and informed us that their force consisted of a British captain and forty regular soldiers and 260 Indians. The enemy kept up a continual fire the whole day. Abo io10 o'clock at night they made a fourth attempt to storm, to no better purpose than the former. The enemy continued round the garrison till the morning of the 13th instant, when they disappeared. Our loss is none. Daniel Sullivan, who arrived here in the first of the action, is wounded in the foot. I believe they have driven the greatest part of our stock away, and might, I think, be soon overtaken. " I am with due respect, your obedient servant, " EBENEZER ZANE." Addressed, " William Irvine, " Brigadier General, commanding at Pittsburg." The names of some of the heroic little band who were in the fort on this occasion we give as follows, viz.: Silas Zane, Jonathan Zane, Andrew Zane, John Caldwell, Abraham Rogers, John Linn, John Salter, Joseph Biggs, Robert Lemmon, John Neiswanger, Daniel Sullivan, Elizabeth Zane, Lydia Boggs, Mary Burkitt and Betsey Wheat. De Hass, in his " History and Indian Wars in Western Virginia," gives additional names and includes the most of those herein mentioned, but the names mentioned were obtained many years ago from a person now deceased* who, at the time of the siege was an inmate of the fort, and who gave the names of those only which she was able to recollect. It is much to be regretted that a full list cannot be secured and inscribed upon a roll of honor where their names and memories might be preserved throughout all coming generations. We need to vitalize these epochs of our early history which have rendered our local annals so illustrious. They are the story of a romance woven not by the fertile fancy of poetic imagination, but of the plain and unvarnished truths of a stern reality. If anything is wanting to inspire our zeal or to awaken our dormant enthusiasm it should be found in the fact that the capstone of the temple of American independence was laid upon the soil of Western Virginia, and that it was upon the soil of upper Ohio valley that the flag of St. George was humbled in the dust and the last British gun was. fired during the war of the revolution. * Mrs. Mary Burkitt, who died about 1861, in the one hundred and fifth year of her age. HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY - 95 CHAPTER V. THE ATTACK ON RICE'S FORT - THE KILLING OF GEORGE HUMPHREY -THE KILLING OF WILLIAM COCHRAN - LEWIS WETZEL AND THOMAS MILLS - CAPTURE OF TWO BOYS - THE DEATH OF JOHN NEISWANGER -THE MURDER OF THE VAN METRE FAMILY - JOHN VAN METRE - CAPTURE OF JOHN WETZEL AND ANOTHER BOY. HAVING left the main body, after they had determined to raise the siege of the fort at Wheeling, as stated in the last chapter, a detachment of about 100 warriors remained on the Virginia side of the river for the purpose of plundering and laying waste the adjacent country. The following extract from a letter written by James Marshall, commandant of Washington county, Penn., addressed to the commandant of Fort Pitt, dated Sunday morning, September 15, 1782, gives an explanation of the movements of this detachment and their objects: " DEAR SIR:- You may depend upon it, as a matter of fact, that a large party of Indians are now in our country. Last night I saw two prisoners who made their escape from Wheeling in time of the action, who say the enemy consists of 238 Indians and forty rangers, the latter commanded by a British officer; that they attacked Wheeling fort on Wednesday night and continued the attack until Thursday night, at which time the above deserters left them; that fort, they say, was the principal object of the hurry, but it appears both from their account and the enemy's advancing into the country, that they have dispaired of taking it, the deserters say that shortly before they left the enemy, that they had determined to give up the matter at Wheeling and either scatter into small parties in order to distress and plunder the inhabitants or attack the first small fort they could come out, the latter, I'm this moment informed is actually the case, that they have attacked one Rice's block house on what is called the Dutch fork of Buffalo, and it is to be feared it will fall into their hands," etc., etc. One Jacob Miller, during his absence from home, having received intelligence that a body of Indians was on the war-path, and apprehending that this place where he resided would be the object of their attack, hastened to return to the block house and give the alarm. He succeeded in reaching it just as the Indians appeared before it, and at once, together with the small number of whites gathered there, at once commenced their preparations for its defense. This fort, or block house so called, was situated a few miles north of the present town of Bethany, in Brooke county, West Virginia. Including Miller there were but seven men in the fort, and the others, about twenty in num- 96 - HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY. ber, being absent on a scout. The fort was built in the form of a square and occupied about a half of an acre of ground. The Indians, who had thought to execute a surprise and to take the place by storm or by slight resistance, were greatly disappointed on discovering that the whites were not only aware of their vicinity, but were also prepared to receive them. Shouting their war whoop they rushed forward to the assault. They were promptly met and answered by the fire of the brave little band within and forced to take refuge behind the trees and fallen timber. Both sides continued their firing, while in the interval the savages who could speak English would call out to the whites —"give up —give up — Indians too many — Indians too big—give up — Indians no kill. But the whites were not to be deceived by any such vain assurances, as they had no faith in the promises of the red man. So, instead of complying with their demands, those in the fort replied in words calculated to exasperate them — cowards who skulked behind logs— and taunted them by daring them —" to leave their covers— to show their yellow hides and they would make holes in them." To reach the upper story of the block house from which the men fought, it was necessary to ascend by means of a ladder. In one of the houses in the enclosure lived a man by the name of " Deeds," who thought the quarters he occupied were not so safe as some of the others were. He therefore concluded to mount the ladder and pass over to another near by. He had ascended several rungs when one of the men called to him and told him he would have forty bullet holes in his person before he could succeed in accomplishing the undertaking. Upon hearing this he at once let go of the ladder, falling heavily to the ground, and crawled under a bed, where he remained during the whole action, and until the Indians had withdrawn. In one of the houses occupied by Mrs. Jacob Leffler, was a small window which she attempted to cover by placing a quilt over it, which was pierced by seven bullet holes before she succeeded in accomplishing her purpose. A continuous firing was kept up by the savages until night and was replied to promptly by those within the fort. In the evening the shots of the Indians were principally directed -against the stock as it came up to the station as it was accustomed to do, and the 'ground was strewn with its carcasses. About thirty or forty yards from the stockade stood a large barn of logs which the Indians set fire to, and the flames from which for a time seemed to threaten the destruction of the block house, but being situated on more elevated ground and the current of air changing to a contrary point of the compass, the fort escaped destruction. Before the burning of the barn, several of the Indians had taken advantage of it as a cover from which to fire upon the whites. In front of it extended a wide platform. One of the Indians was observed several times to jump out on it and cry out " booh!" to those in the fort and suddenly jump back to the inside. Capt. Miller, whose attention had been directed to the antics of this fellow, remarked to those standing by, " Let him try that once more and I will fix him." He had not long to wait, for in a short time he made his appearance as usual, but failed to jump back into the inside HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY - 97 that time, until his lifeless body was drawn in by his companions. Some of the Indians had gone into the milk house which was fashioned of split boards stood upon end. Those in the fort as soon as they saw them enter, directed their fire against it. After the Indians had withdrawn, on inspecting it, there was found a breech clout and splotches of blood on the walls, showing evidently that fatal execution had been done there. It is supposed that the return of the party to the fort who had been absent on a scout, alarmed the savages, and was the cause of their withdrawal after a siege of about five hours' continuance. The ascertained loss of the Indians was four—three of whom were killed at the first fire of the whites—the other about sundown. George Felebaum was the only one of the whites who was killed. Early in the fight he was shot in the forehead, the ball entering through a port hole near which he was standing, and he expired instantly. This left as the sole defenders of the place: Jacob Miller, George Leffler, Peter Fullenweider, Daniel Rice, Jacob Leffler, Jr., and the redoubtable " Deeds," whose resistance was eminently passive. On the day of the attack on Rice's block house, George Humphrey, having heard of the troubles there and being curious to learn all the particulars, set out for Buffalo to obtain them. In the afternoon of the same day, a man by the name of — Agar —visited at Humphrey's to learn the news from Humphrey, as he was aware of the latter's mission. But Humphrey did not return to his home until late, after dark, and Agar detained him until his arrival, when Humphrey communicated to him what details he had gathered concerning the fight which, with the comments of the men, took up so much time that it was quite late before Agar made any preparations for his departure for home. The family strongly opposed his leaving, and urged him to remain during the night and insisted that he should not leave before daylight, but their appeals to prevent him were in vain. Starting out into the darkness, he was not seen alive after leaving the house. It was presumed that a party of Indians had watched his movements when he came to Humphrey's house in the afternoon, and laid in ambush for him on his return, and in the darkness they suddenly came down on him before he had time to escape. The next morning he was found scalped, his dead body lying but a mile or two from the house he had left the preceding night. The following account of the killing of William Cochran by the Indians in this same year has been furnished to us by his great-grandson,* who received it from his grandfather, who died in the year 186o at the venerable age of ninety-six years. We relate it as nearly as we can in the words of the narrator. By way of preliminary remark we would state that William Cochran settled on lands near the town of West Liberty in the year 1773, being the same lands now owned by S. S. Jacob, Esq. * Hon. R. H. Cochran. 7 — A. 98 - HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY. "About the time of father's death there were great disturbances on the frontier, and this was particularly the case in the neighborhood of West Liberty. It was customary for us to keep our horses hobbled or belled. One morning failing to hear the sounds of the bells as usual, father sent me to the block house, at West Liberty, while he and my two older brothers started out in search of the horses. It was arranged between them after starting, that they should separate and pursue the object of their search in different directions, my father taking one direction and the boys in company another. The latter soon discovered signs which led them to believe that the horses had been captured or driven off by the Indians, and they at once started on the nearest way leading to the block house, upon reaching which they gave the alarm. " From ' Billy Boggs,' who was held by the Indians as a prisoner at the time, but who shortly afterwards escaped, we learned the particulars of father's death as told to him by the Indians while he was in captivity. Father was a very active and resolute man and the savages wanted to capture him. It appears that they had caught the horses and wrapping moss around the bell clappers, had led them away to a distance, placing six of their number in ambush to capture father or any one who might venture to search for them. Not finding the horses he started on his return, towards the block house, on the way passing in sight of his own house in expectation, as he hoped, of seeing the boys. The Indians meanwhile had gone into his cabin. Intending to enter he was prevented by having his suspicions aroused from certain appearances around and in the vicinity which only the keen eye of a disciplined woodsman would detect, and which caused him to change his purpose and start for the block house at the top of his speed. The Indians at once started in pursuit of him, but when they found that the gap between the pursued and pursuers was widening and that they could not overtake him, a half-breed, wearing the cognomen of Dolway Jim,' suddenly dropped on his knee and taking fatal aim, fired, and killed him just as he was crossing a piece of rising ground. His remains were afterwards found and buried by a party from the fort on the spot where he fell, which was about two miles south of. West Liberty. " His scalp had been taken by the Indians to their camp where it was flaunted in the face of Boggs, the prisoner, who recognized it. Boggs subsequently escaped, having run the gauntlet and these details of my father's death he repeated to me and my brothers as related to him by his captors." In the interval after Crawford's defeat, and before the attack on. Fort Henry in September of this year, occurred an incident of local interest which shows the dexterity and skill of the famous Indian scout, Lewis Wetzel. Thomas Mills, who lived on Wheeling creek, had accompanied Crawford on his campaign, and, on his return, had left his horse on the west side of the Ohio river, near the spot where St. Clairsville, Ohio, now stands and distant about twelve miles from Wheeling. One day, securing the services of Wetzel, Mills and his HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY - 99 companion left Fort Henry to get his horse and bring the animal home. When within a mile or two of St. Clairsville they were met by a band numbering some forty or fifty Indians, who were roaming around in search of stragglers on their return from the army of Crawford. The Indians and white men discovered each at about the same time. Wetzel fired first and killed one of the savages, which was promptly returned by one of the Indians. The Indian's fire had wounded Mills in the foot, which prevented him from eluding the savages, who soon succeeded in overtaking and killing him. Four of the Indians then dropped their guns and pursued after Wetzel, who at first succeeded in keeping a respectable distance between him and his pursuers, and loaded his rifle as he ran. But, after running some distance, .one of the Indians rapidly gained upon him until he approached within a few steps of him, when Wetzel wheeled around, shot him down and ran on, loading as he ran. After running some distance farther, a second Indian came so close to him that as he turned to fire, the Indian clenched the muzzle of the gun, and he and the Indian had quite a tussle for the possession of it. He, however, succeeded in killing the savage. The pursuit was continued by the two remaining Indians, who now exhibited signs of caution, for when Wetzel would wheel to fire on them they would seek cover behind. trees. After running some distance, Wetzel thought he would practice a little piece of strategy, and so made for a small piece of comparatively open ground. The Indians were not far behind him, and as he was passing over this he suddenly wheeled and stopped with a view of shooting the foremost one who as promptly jumped behind a small tree which failed to cover his body. Wetzel shot, and wounded him in the thigh, which put a stop to further pursuit on his part. The last of the Indians then gave a little yell, and exclaimed: " No catch dat man, gun always loaded," and gave up the chase. It was during the summer of this same year that two boys belonging to Wheeling were sent out for the purpose of finding and driving back some stray cows which had wandered away. For some reason or other they concluded that they had swam the river and crossed to the west side and jumping into a canoe they paddled across and commenced their search for them. While so engaged they were surprised by three Indians, who were watching them, and by them taken prisoners. At once the Indians set out on their journey compelling each of the boys to carry a large bag, of which they had several in their possession. They were so heavy that it was with difficulty that they could keep pace with their captors, who required them to do so and would suffer no lagging. From the weight of the bags the boys concluded that they must be filled with gold. Urged as they were to their utmost speed, one of them at every opportunity when he could do so unperceived, would break off twigs from the branches of the trees to mark the direction in which they had traveled, in case an opportunity should offer for their escape and thus be enabled to find their way back. When night came on the Indians selected a camping place and prepared to retire; before doing which,