Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-08-12
From The United States Gazette.
s SAVAGE BARBARITY

Orleans. were lately barbaroasiy pundored
and murdered by sayages. They had taken
up their lodgings for the nightin solitary
house in the wilderness, remote from any o.
Their babitation. In this situation, ID the midst
of the night, the house was attacked by turl-
Gus gang of savage Indians, who were lnsu-
gated to this outrage, as was afterwards ascer-
tanned, by some European traders, believed
to be British, who had been known to DC tam
pering with these indians, and offering them
every kind of Involvement to commit acts OF
hostility against the unoffending whites IN
their neighbourhood. The gentlemen being,
unprovided with arms, had no other resource
but to seek safety in flight; and with dlthculty
escaped with their lives, leaving their horses
and baggage an easy prey to their baroarous
assailants, who manifested the malgnlty OF
their nature by wantonly destroying every Ear-
tce which they could not cary with them,
and convert to the uses of their own savage
mode Of life
The travellers thus plundered and left des-
titute of every thing but the scanty clothing
upon their back, made the best OF their way
through the wilderness to the nearest settle
menl, where, upon dehberatlon, they resolved
10 prosecute their Journey at all hazards. For
this purpose they procured fresh horses and
equipments, and likewise, to avoid second
discontinue, took the precautlon OF armlng
themselves, in the best manner they could,
and proceeded on their way. They arrived In
the evening at the very house from Which
they had before been dislodged, and finding
that the savages were still skulking about,
made theirarrangement for the night, expect
ino nothing else than fresh attack upon their
persons and property. The insugators of the
former outrage, perceiying what was passing
and finding that the barbarians had no mind
to encounter the resistance which they, saw
was prepared for them, on account sake OF a
nv booty which they were likely to obtain, be-
can to work upon their savage disposition by
representing to them that these travellers held
the power of Indians in contempt; and that
their appearing In armS, IN the very place
where they had lately been plundered was no
thing less than an insult--an aHront-a def
ance; and that they the savages were bound
in honour to resent it as such, by raiziDg the
garrison of the offenders to the ground and
putting the conspirators, every man of them,
to death.
This inAammatory exhortation had the de-
sired effect, and the savages, though coward
" and reluctant at first, being thus simulated,
and having, moreover, liberal distribution
of presents made among them, at last resolv-
ed upon the enterprise and about midnight,
having assembled to the number ofmany hun
dreds attacked the house with the utmost fury,
accompanied with the most hedious yells. The
scene was more awful and appalling than can
be described But the little band within, un-
daunted, met the shock and by the ylgour OF
their resistance completely repulsed their as
sailants, and held them at bay, notwithstanding
their fury and their numbers.
At this crisis commences the most dread
full part of the story. The landlord who was
bound by every consideration OF duty, OF no.
nor, of the laws of hospitality, to protect and
defend his guests to the utmost OF his power
was himself a yillian-a traitor. While pro-
Tossing himself the friend and guardian OF all
who came, in apeaceable and orderly manner,
under his roof, as every man in his situation
should, be, he was secretly a contrlYer & abet-
tor Of the foul murders which were that night
to be perpetrated in his house. When he
found that the savages were repulsed, and
that their success if finally achieved, would
be purchased at the expense of prodigious
slaughter, he called together the principal
persons of his household. and with their con-
currence treachcrously proposed to his guests
that they should spare the farther eHssion of
blood; surrender their arms and conhde in
him for protection: at the same time assuring
them, in the most plausible and winning man
ner, that he would answer for the pac fc dis
position and conduct of the savages, provided
he could assure them that his guests had laid
down their arms, and were no longer in con-
dition to annoy them. Sill further to evince
his sincerity, he proposed to conduct them
himself to the strongest and most inaccessible
apartment in his house, where, he said, they
would be perfectly secure from the assaults
of their enemies, even if he were to fail in
appe asing their rage and inducing them to
dispense, Persuaded by the entreaties of their
insidious and wicked host, the unwary travel
lers, in evil hour, laid down their arms and