Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1830-04-02
MISCELLANEOUS.
From Knapps Lectures OH Am. Literature. /
HEROINE

A HEROINE.
There was not village which did not stuff.
by the attacks of tho ludans and many of then
extremely. The ossailants would often concea
themselves for whole weeks in ambush. an,
wait Tor the absence of the men aud then at
TACK deienceless women and children Man,
instances OF female heroism are on record
which occurred in that day, and should be care
fully preserved. Among the most conspicuous
was that of Mrs Hannah Dustor,, of HayerbiI
pleasant village si,uatcd on the left bank OF
the Merrimack On tho 18th of March, 1 COG
Mrs Duston was made prisoner by pm rty Of
Indians. She was on this day confined to hcr
bed by sickness, attended by her nurse, Mary
Milf. Seven children, besides female inlan,
six days old, were with her. As soon as the n.
larm was given, her husband sent away the Sc.
veral children towards the garrison house !; by
which time the Indians were so near, that des-
pairing ofsaving the others of his family, he
hastened after his children OIL horseback--This
course was advised by his wife-She thought il
was idle to attempt to escape. A party of In
dams followed him, but the father kept i'm the
rear OF the children, and often firing upon his
pursuers, he kept them back, and was CT tabled
to reach the garrison with his children in safety.
The Indians took Mrs. Dus,on from her bet,
and carried her off, with the nurse and infant ::
out hnding the little one becoming troublesome,
they took her from her mothers arms by force
and dashed her against tree, ending her means,
miserlcs, and life together. The mother had
followed the Indians until this moment with
taultering steps and bitter tears, thinking of the
fate of herself, her babe, and her children. AZ.
ter this horrid outrage she wept 10 more f; the
agony pfnature drank the tcar-drop ere it fell
She Looked to Heaven with silent PRAYER for
succour and vengeance, and followed the infer
nal group without word of complaint At this
instant the high resolve was formed in her mind
and swelled every pulse of her heart. They ira
yelled on some distance she thought, about
one hundred and fifty miles, from the course
they took, about seventy-fve. The river had
probably been broken up but short time. and
tho canoes of the Indians were above the upper
falls, on the Mefrimack, when they commen
their journey to attack Havcrhin Above these
falls, on an island in the river the Indians had
wigwam, and in getting canoes in order and ow-
ing ten miles up the stream became much ia.
tigued. When they reached the place of rest
they slept soundly. Mrs. Duston did not sleep.
The nurse and an English boy were apprised of
her design (; but were not of much use to her in
tile execution of it. In the stiffness of night
she arose and went out of the wigwam to test
the soundness and security Of savage sleep
They did not move they were to sleep until
the last day. She returned took one Of their
hatchets and dispatched ten Of them in mo
ment, each with single blow. An Indian
woman who was rising when she struck her,
fled with her probable death wound and an In
dian boy was designedly spared for the aven-
geT OF blood was woman, and could not deal
death blow upon u child She surveyed the
carnage ground by the light of the fire which
she stirred up after the deed was, done, and
catching few handruls of corn. she common
cd her journey but on rejecting moment she
thought tho people of Hayerhill would consl-
der her tale as tho rawlings of madness, when
she should get home, if ever that time might
come she therefore returned and scalped the
slain, then put her nurse and English boy into
the canoe, and with herself they foatcd down
to the falls, when she landed aud took to the
words, the river in sight, which she knew must
direct her on the way home--aftcr suffering in
credible hardships by hunger, cold and fatigue,
she reached home, to the surprise and JOY of her
husband, children and friends The General
Court of Massachusetts examined her story, and
being satisfied of the truth oft, took her tro.
plies and scalps, and gave her ESQ. The PEG.
pie Of Boston made her many presents. All
classes Were anxious to the heroine and as
one of the writers of that day says "she was
right modest woman" Has Anucharsis or Nit.
ford in their history of Greece any thing to sur.
pass this well authenticated story Her des.
pendants in right line and by the same name
arc now living where she was captured.