Tales, Traditions and Romance of Border and Revolutionary TimesEllis, Edward Sylvester
History
Tales, Traditions and Romance of Border and Revolutionary Times
Ellis, Edward Sylvester
Frontier and pioneer life -- United States -- Anecdotes; United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783 -- Anecdotes
Of the whole family, consisting of eight persons when the attack
commenced, only three escaped. Four were killed on the spot, and one,
the second daughter, carried off prisoner.
The alarm was soon given, and by daylight thirty men were assembled
under Colonel Edwards, who pursued the Indian trail at a gallop,
tracking the footsteps of the savages in the snow. The trail led
directly into the mountainous country bordering upon Licking, and
afforded evidences of great precipitation on the part of the Indians.
Unfortunately, a hound had been permitted to accompany the whites, and,
as the trail became fresh, and the scent warm, she pursued it with
eagerness, baying loudly and giving alarm to the savages. The
consequence of this imprudence was soon displayed. The enemy, finding
the pursuit keen, and perceiving the strength of their prisoner
beginning to fail, instantly sank their tomahawks in her head, and left
her, still warm and bleeding, upon the snow. As the whites came up, she
retained strength enough to wave her hand in token of recognition, and
appeared desirous of giving them some information in regard to the
enemy; but her strength was too far gone. Her brother sprang from his
horse, and endeavored to stop the effusion of blood, but in vain. She
gave him her hand, muttered some inarticulate words, and expired within
two minutes after the arrival of the party.
The pursuit was renewed with additional ardor, and, in twenty minutes,
the enemy was within view. They had taken possession of a narrow ridge,
magnifying their numbers in the eyes of the whites, by running rapidly
from tree to tree, and maintaining a steady yell in their most appalling
tones.
The pursuers, however, were too experienced to be deceived by so common
an artifice. Being satisfied that the number of the enemy must be
inferior to their own, they dismounted, tied their horses, and flanking
out in such a manner as to enclose the savages, ascended as rapidly as
was consistent with a due regard to the shelter of their persons.
The firing commenced, and now they discovered, for the first time, that
only two Indians were opposed to them. They had voluntarily sacrificed
themselves for the safety of the main body, and had succeeded in
delaying pursuit until their friends could reach the mountains. One of
them was shot dead, and the other was badly wounded, as was evident from
the blood upon his blanket, as well as that which filled the snow for a
considerable distance. The pursuit was recommenced, and urged keenly
until night, when the trail entered a running stream, and was lost.
We know of nothing more powerfully illustrating the life led by the
women of those days, than the following statements, brief and simple as
they are, made in the record of General Samuel Dale:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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