Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-08-14

"Ihrir hr'-. &c separate distance. burns:
''Bv 'uuis they eat-kcep guard 10y turns;
''ror evil was he ~foeinan's eye:
ssDatk and -6e,e. a., shy"

a''TTNI TIs .TClIW anu Il1an WNTs, WIIFCH NsVVU'
with bat few IntermissiouS from I5,i 10 1908; the
i.ontiors of Pennsylvania aud Virginia, presented a
theatre of border warfare, extending from the Blue
Riige to Lake Erie; carried on by the French of
Canada, and the Indians ~: Ohio, against the British
colonies--It was uIsrkcd by every savage atrocity,
which mutual retaliation could excite, amongst taw-
hey savagcs. and whites, some of them but little less
savage. This flamenco frontier, was almost unsus-
cepIbic OF dc ence, froui the continual and detached
incurSIons OF Indian warfare. The means of defence
chiefy were: list, occasional excursions of volunteer
militia, under the LteUtenanis Of counties: m >. Co.
iohiol minute "ssn," ordered out by Tie Governors,
itom time to t;tir; being militia previously enrolled,
To 90 at a minutes warning: 81, And Il line Uf forts
euu oiock.honses, dispersed along that immopse from
Yer; mostly occupied by ,etachIGeLts of British reg
"lars. anu stationary colonial troops. Those forts
constituted u line of flying guards" whose business
~ was, 10 Keep moving from place To place as dagger
requircd-to make hostile iucurSioDs into the Indian
territuries-tV destroy their TOWNSHIP rescue their
cipuNes--io revenge the murders OF white settlers
TO defend new settlements Ito establish forts -andi III
fine, to endure all the tolls aud dangers of n savage
border warfare, offensive aud defensive; over u terri
tory or many hundred miles IN extent; consisting OF
mountainous wilds, winch civilized feet had seldom
tFod; aud dark forests, w.dct Christian eyes had sell
I.m pierced.
1t was an excursion OF TIL. kind, which took Col.
George Washington, with Il regiment OF Virginia
troops anu a few regulars, To fort Duquesnc, tnow
Iitsourg) IL 1885. ~ They found Ii evacuatcd,
and stationed i guard there. Several other forts
were established 0n the M0u0ncah ell,d during that anu
the following year: several ot tue most important,
SHOoSltfs4S CdisIpAGnilS OF EiGt country. nave tnCpu.p
llltter OF hiStory:--lj) some OF them. However, only
remain IN tradition. In the Spring OF 1859. u runner
came to Fo:t Redstonc, tnow Brownsville, Pa with
lniOruIatini that Va-inJs Decker, aud several others.
WHO mad been making a settlement ut tue mouth of
lcc1or's creek, (nIorgGntoWn. Va lad been killed
by a party ct Deil wares and Minrocs. and the settle
linen. broken up:--C0pt. Paul, The cOuina.icr at
fcISLonc, not having sufficient force. To snare a d.
lacament fr pursuit, sent n messenger to Cant. J,bn
Gibson, Gate General Gibson, of Pa then stationed
at bHlnc.ne' GibSo! lett the fott IN the care OF
Lieut.. W hllaInsOn, and set cut With a party OF thirty
iicu, to intercept the Indians OH their return home:
but. owing To the great distance, near a hundred
mics, anu 10 thor expeditions retreat, he never met
with them. While he was OH tins pursuit, he acli-
dentally met with Il party of six or seven Minroes. ON
the head Of Cross creek OF Ohio. tnear now Stcu-
oenville:) they had been prowliug about the river,
below buqdesiic, seeking opportunities of depreciation
One of them was d Minru chief, called ktsknriIa
the Little Engie: (4) As Gibson passed round the
point OF a small knoll, just at day break, hc suddenly
came upon them-some were lying, and others sitting
around 4 small fire. making thongs Of green hides.
Ahe Lutte EaCic instantly RAISED ;Nc war-lnup, with
stentoric vociteratiol, and fired his rifle at Gibson: the
ball passed through Gihsou's hunting shirt collar. and
wounded a ioidier just hchi:. him; Gibson Sprane ~
the Litle Eagle, and giving his long sword a wavIrq
swing with the ',reng'h CT AjaX's aro, his first blow
rUt the Little Eagles head cutie c., w,., =. y,os
;dst IN the very act Of yelling.
Zone instant suach'1 lis uoGblirc sou. IN ie.-
4Lc h-2ai yi stcdSlHs -UuucTei as il fell"
IHs"a5 Had, Eoyk r..
C..s9a's Non shot two of the o,hers-the balance
cstIped o their towns on the head Vi MusknrUln ,
.sl Gibson returned To font Duquesuc.
-Four years alter wards, when fort Dn1uesn- was
c.Jsely invested by Indians, and Capt. Eckavcr (who
tien commanded i) and his lien were ON the min, {
Of erishing, a large force was "arched % their re-
!'efb by CO.. BOquct. D1guUt s~uCcecdc- in druLLinr /
them completely at turtle creek. Isl Will, E,cIn9
was proceeding Oh 10 destroy their towns. he was
ovcrtdken by the news of peace between England
ana france ~ ,DofIet then made a treaty Of,
peace with the Indians, b. virtue Of which. ali The |
white captives we're to be Iroue 1t in, and restored
- their relations. ~ The white cap:iyes. resforoJ
tythc Ati1gocs on tins occasion, stated that tie tLreo
Indians who had fed from Gibson when tho IN,
Eagle was killed, four years prcyjorslr had ra,,,,
Ell to thelr towns with u wOcill tale TO tell. L, vt-
t1at tae WIN warrior Gibson chad cut off The Little
Iagte5 mead WIN a great long knife" IA sword.
TAls was ioAowed by i general mourning of tie
tTibe-sevcral white prisoners were sacri6.@d +, NJ
departed shadei which ceremony Concluded with a
great war-dance, accompanied with terrific yelinps.
and gestures, as a declaration OF intended reven9a
upon the Dig Knife Warrior," as they aivovs az /
tegwards called GibsOn.-This nsme, SOON afer. bc-
canc generally applied to the Virginia militia: m
And until tins very day, amongst nearly all the NORTH
w estern Inban5, tle NIrginIans are still called the
Gre1t htiCcs,' or Big KNIFE .Najom" a f,ct
known to every man acquainted with them. i9)
rms .appeiiatIon was properly applied, at first, to
I irs HtidnS, Tor Gibson was Aen a Virginian. in Inc
service Of Virginia, and nearly the whole MononUa-
he!a country. including Duqucsne. (Pittsburrl was
Nea II P4Ttof Virginia. VIRGINIA Men extended from
the north branch OF Potomac aud the meridian of H.
'N'Se ~ ]HS 4 1CiiiS Oscduf t!lu rom LufItUOe|
thirty SIX uad a half degrees North. TO the unncr
Canada borders; She was curtailed TO The Migsi5s,n
pi, by the treaty Of Paris. Feb. 10th I783-she has
SINCE been 5horn OF her strength, by GIVING away
ONO, Indiana, Illinois; and erecting Kentucky in
TO a State.
When the bounlariesoi Pemsyl, amin and Virrinia
were settled, (l5) The aot mcnt of Pitsburr, with
an imInense and Hourshing country surrounding it., to
Pennsylvania instead If Virginia, excited much sur.
prise and regret, as is well known 10 the old iuhab.
ltlnts oftbat country. Virginia has expended more
bOod and treasure, 10 the acquisition and defence Of.
Pt'sbnrg anl its vicinity, than Of any other spot of
earth she ever claimed il the West-not cxrepiing
Point Pleasant. or Grsenvtle, or Vinconncs.--.It was
n theatre other warfare, with but little intermissiou /
hon l15I 10 1873. (iD The battles she fought on
fint ground and its vicinity, huge rendered +, ri,
ciIsSi- r,lu1d -1Lai sacred soil has been stained
by the blood Of many of her first mi braves, sons. vLoI
have fhlcn and slept IN their tombs, Ivy the side of