Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-08-14
E,,om me tmca.tic .u.,.or.
NO. HI.
''Trcir igr>, at separate distance, hvrns:
10y turns ;lI'y cat-hcep guard by turh,,
.'Or evil Was he fUe,nau's eye:
Nst1... fis.,r,,i,,t. h. ~
IN and designing fierce, yet shy
ti.yYL f he Isles, Ca

with but few iuterussio, from 1874 to l763 the
frontiers OF Pennsylvania ANA Virginia, presented u
theatre of border warfare, extending from the Blue
Ridge to Lake Eric; carried on by the French of
Canada and the Indians ot Ohio against the British
colonies.--it marked by every savage utrocity,
which m'I,ua! retaliation could excite, amongst
Hey savag"s ana whites, of them but little less
savage. imS i"imcucc frontier almost uiisus-
ceptDie at dccucc, from the continual and detached
nc"rS'ois OF Indian warfare. The means of defence
Chiefly were: LIST, occasional excursions OF volunteer
militia, undcr the Liotenuats Of counties; (i) :, Co
luIIal ''miaute mon." ordered out by the Governors
from time TO tinie being militia previously enrolled
to 90 at inmates warning: I'D, And Il line OF forts
and block houses, dispersed along that immense from
tiers mostly occupied by attachments of British reg
uiars, and stationary colonial troops. Those forts
constituted line of '.fy,g guards" whose business
1t was, 20 keep moving frun place to place danger
rcIuiredto make ,os,i'r incJrsOns into tire Indian
territoriesto destroy their townsto resci,2 their
capWes--to revenge The murders Of white settlers
TO defend new settlements to establish forts and i'll
fine, To endure all the tolls and dangers of savage
border wartarc, offensive aud afansVc over terri
tory OF many hundred miles in extent; consisting of
mountainous wiids, winch cIyt.scd feet had sedou,
frod and dark forests, which CHRISTIAN eyes had sci
,!om pierced.
Ii WAS excursion Of tl.5 kind, which took Col.
George Washington, with Il regiment of Virginia
troops, and few regulars, to fort Duqucsnc, tuow
Plttsburg) i'll 1856. (2) They found 1t evacuated.
aud stationed guard there. Several other forts
were established On the A!Unongaela during that and
the following year: scveTai "i the most important,
subsequent campaigns uf that country, iIye become
matter of hi>!ory:(3) some OF them, however, only
remain IN tradition In tic Spring OF 1853, runner
came To Fort &ed>tonc, now Brownsville, Pa with
information That Th-llaa Decker and several others,
who had been making settlement at the mouth of
EeCAers ere TX, (MOrgantown, Vd.) had been killed
hv party Of DetaWarcs and rOes and the set To-
Inent broken up:--Capt. Paul, the commander at
Rclstone not having sufficient force, spare ii de-
taChment for pursuit, sent messenger Capt. John
Gibson, (late General Gibson, of Pa) then stationed
at Dnquesnc. Gibson left tile fort in the care OF
Lieut.. Williamson, and set out with party OF thirty
lIeu. TO intercept the Indians on their return homc
hut, owing 10 the great distance, near Il hundred
nlcs, and To hcir expeditions retreat, he never me,
with them While he was on this pursuit. he ncci-
dCntay met with party Of six seven Aiinyoes on
tho head OF Gross creek of Ohio incar now Stcu-
bcnville:) they had been prowiing about the river,
below Dupucsle seeking opportunities OF depreciation
ono of them was d Min@o chief, called Nskepila,
the Lite Eagte: (i) As Gibson passed round the
point OF small knoll just at day break. he suddenly
came upon tliG!n-sOme were lying and others lifting
around a small fire. making thongs of green hides
The Little Earle instantly rase! the wur-hoop with
sienoric vociierntion. and fred his rifle Gibson; the
ball passed through Gibson hunting shirt collar and
wounded solder just behind him. Gibson spraner at
the Little la9e, and giving his long sword vaviur
swing with the strength OF ijaxs arm his first blow
cut the Little Eagles head quite OF, willie he was
Just III the very act oi yelling.
Gone instant snatch't his Trembling sor:l to he'll
Tie head yet Speaking "at'ered as ELL
HOmsr's Iiod Book L.
e,,bsoas men shot two Of the olhers-the balance
escaped 10 heir towns t!iu head Of ATuskinpu,,
aud Gibson returned to fort Duquesnc.
Four years afterwards, when fort Drcuos,, v,os
closely invested by Indians, and Capt. Eciaver who
;hcn commanded it, and lis men were ON the n,u
"fperisiing, large force was marched to their re-
efby CO... Boguet. npauet succeeded in drnbbinc
the.n completely at iurt!e creek. Isl While Roousi
proceeding to destroy their towns he yns
ovcraHen by the news of peace between ENGLAND
and France. (G) Boquct then made treaty OF
peace with the Indians, by Write OF which, all the
white captves wore to be broue lit in and restored
elatin Fb, ito :
by the Mrgocs on This occasion, stated that the three
Indians wio'tI fed from Gibson wien the Little
Eagle was killed, four years previously, had return
ed To their towns with woctul tale to tell to Wit
that the whit warrior Gibson lat cut OF The Little
Eagles head, with great long Gnift" IA sSorT
This was followed by general mournjpr of the
triJe-seVcral white prisoners were sacrificed to his
departed sh2dc; which ceremony concluded with Il
great war-dancc, accompanied with terrific yclnrs
and gestures, Il declaration OF intended TcyerET.
upon the Big haVe Warrior," as they always af:
forwards called Glbson.-I!Iis name soon after he
came generally applied to the Virginia militia: C(
And, until this very day amongst nearly all the North
w estern Indians, the FirginianS are Still called the
"GrcGi hHives," or Biz Knife .YlfioD" y f,cf
known To every man acquainted with them f9)
Tins aPpelatIon was properly applied at first to
J T3mMt's, Tor Gibson was hcH 4 Firginan in the
service or Virginia, AM nearly the whole Mononra-
heia country, including Duquesne, (Pntsburpl was
then Pnrt Oi Virginia. Virginia Tin extended from
hc north branch of Potomac and the meridian of its
source, to the Pacific ocean; and from Latitude
'i"fty 81" ana nan degrees North, to the upper
canada bordcrs;-Shc vas curtaiIe to the hlssissip
vi, by the treaty Of Pprs, Feb. IOth I763-she has
sllce been shurn Of her strength, BY GIVING away
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois; and erecting Kentucky in.
10 q State.
When the boundaries o Pennsylvania and VIRGINIA
were settled, tl5) the allotment OF Pittsburr with
~ iaiaensc aud lDurshng country surrounding it, to
Pennsylvania cad Of Virginia, excited much sur
Prise AID regret, as is well known to the old nllab
tH0'5 0f Lat country. Virginia has expended more
5ood and treasure, IN the acquisition and defence of
Fit shurE an lis vicinity, than OF any other spot of
Garth size ever claimed in the Yest-not excepting
Point Pleasant, Or Grecnville, Yncenncs vaS
theatre other VA fire, with but little utcrmisson
.om l73l to i775 GD The battles she fought on
!"f ground and s vicinity, have rendered it truly
cLNtll atllAnd :I.IaI sacrcd soil has boon ,ainri