Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1826-11-09


close, that many of them were at the
bolts as soon Us the whites, and sew
eraI whites were tomIhawked in the
artmp to get on board Before the
lndiaDs got So close as 10 prevent it,
one of the boats with five men on
board, cut loose and pushed of INTO the
river, and soon Hoaled out Of reach of
he Indians, twho were busiIy enga-
ged with the other and thereby csca.
ped Rodgers was himself killed, and
The whole of his party, consisting of
60 or 20, eilher killed or taken, except
seven. Among those who were taken
prisoners were Col John Campbell
and NJ ior Abr Chaplin
The following most singular cir
eum,tance attended this defeat. A
man whose Gdme was Robert Ben
ham was wounded through the hips, in
such manner Us TO render him unable
TO walk; be craw,ed into the brush of
a fdIien tree; taking his rifle with him
and SO secreted himself thai the lodi
ans passed him urnoticeG He lay
concealed I'VE days without mouth
ful of sustenance, when raco0n came
near him, and he shot il: immediate
ly after his gun fred he heard some.
body call, rot suspected It was Indi
ans, re loaded his gul, determined TO
sell his Gie dear; by the time his gun
was charged he heard the voice agaia
very near, and calling, ia plain Eng
l>h. Whoever yoa are, 4 beg you
will answer me, for am in the utmost
distress" Upon which Benham ara
swered him. and immediately appear
ed John Watson, one of his nnforu
nate companions, with both his arms
broken, mniual congratulations were
exchanged, wheu Benham p inted TO
the rac0on where it lay, and directed
Watson to kick il TO him with his feet,
which he accordingly did Having
good use oil both his hands, Bpnham
was able to skin and prepare the ra
coaD for the spit, as we'll as TO pro
care fire, whilst John Watson, having
thu tuIl use Of his feet, could with them
Kirk and drag pieces Of broken wood
10 BeUh1a; who could make the fire
and cook the meat. Before the IA
coon was eaten up, flock of Wild
Turkeys came in view; Benham di.
decied John Watson TO go round them
and induce them TO come near him.
which was done, by which means hp
Killed large turkey. Happily, the
weather was mild, and the man with
broken arms onId wade into Licking
river, (near where they lay j so deep
into the water as TO sioep down and
drink; hui B@nham, enable to move
from the spot where he lay, was like
ly 20 die OF thirst. when this project
occurred 10 John Watson: he desired
Benham to put his hat into his mout h in
s0ch manner as that the hollow part of
the crown should be upwards; which
was done, and he went into the water
and filed it by STOPPING down, and by
tina, means furnished his tri' nd with
water Bepham dressed and splinter
ed up the broken arms Of John Wat
son. as we'll is dressed his ON nwounds.
to enable him 10 do which he tore M
both their shirts. They remained in
this situation fifteen days, whilst their
wounds healed very fast, insomuch.
that with the use OF a crotch Benhsm
began 10 he able to move little. du
ring which time he killed plenty of
game to support them, whilst John
Watson was able to bring wood with
his feet, and water with the aid of the
ha, About four weeks after they
were wounded, Benh5m and his com
panion went TO the Ohio river at the
mouth OF Licking, aud about a mile
from where they were wounded, and
from whence, they were taken by
boat descending the river which they
hailed, and were taken on board.
Virginia having passed law open
Ing a land Office iOrthe sale of land and
wfrrants, to be located on any waste
and unappropriated lands within the
state, {muh few exceptions. J togeth
er with the success ofGeneral Clarke's
expedition in reducing the military
pots Nor,h West of the Chic river,
q on thew aters Of the Mississippi river,
induced very great number of fImi
hes TO remove to Kcn'u, ky, and espe.
claily from the state OF North Carroll
ma and Virginia They had to pass
Ihrouoh an nninba hita1 ,,;ldaro,cn "A.