Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1830-10-13
From, the Boston Palladium.

From, the Boston Palladium.
Miss M'CRKA.-Ali our readers are
familiar with the melancholy story of
this young lady, as related ia the his
tory Of our revolution. To this dav,
her untimeiy and cruel fate is the sub.
!ect Of universal sympathy. Travel
'ers visit the scene Of her suffering.
and drop upon her grave, the memorials
of their tears. Her unhappy history
has not, however. been fully and truly
recorded. Ii is related Of her, IL our
memory serves Us, that she was be.
trothed to . British officer. at the time
when Burgoyne's force, to which he
was attached, had reached, in their
daring expedition, the neighborl,ood
OF Saratoga. The country was full OF
armed men, both of the British and
American armies, aud every day wit
messed scenes Of carnage and combat.
between their advanced posts and skir-
misheTs. The lover Of the lady. was
stationed at Fort Edward, and becom.
ing apprchensi,e Of her safety, sent .
party 81 Indians to her residence, San.
dy> Hill, only four miles distant, to
convey her safely to the fort, promis
ing TO them reward on their return.
Some hours having elapsed, he became
impatient and alarmed at the DELAY,
and despatched another party of In
dams, on the same errabd. with SINH
lar promise Of reward. The former
had succeeded in escorting her aud
her companion safely to a spring, un.
der pine tree, midway between San
dy Hill and the Fort, where they met
the second party. A contention &C
cording to the story, arose between the
two parties, for the honor and reward
OF conducting her to the Fort. and the
dispute becoming angry, was settled
by putting her TO death, each party
throwing their tomahawks at her he ad
as she stood near the pine tree. /,
has even been pretended that the marks
oil the tomahawks were still to be seen
in the tree. This account, as we learn
from q friend, who recently visited the
spot, 10 chiefly fabulous; and TO the
Indians is extremely unjust. But one
party of Indians was sent for the lady,
and they had conducted her OH horse
back, to the spring under the pine.
where they halted. Az this moment a
skirmish WAS going on, in the neigh.
bofhood, and Miss M'Crea received q
rifle ball in her side, fired at the party.
by some one Of the American troops.
She was MORALLY wounded, and the
Indians, being obliged to retreat hasti.
W. aud finding her an impediment "a
their progress, tomahawked her and
placed her under the tree. The A
mericans came up in few minutes.
and, among them, was Mr.. Baker, " ho
Is still living at Sandy Hill, aud Who
formerly knew Miss M'Crea. He
states that Miss M'Crea was breathing
when he came up, and the gun shot
wound, in her side, WAS mortal. She
Was buried under the tree, together
with a young American Lieutenant.
who was shot in the skirmish. Tic
female attendant Of Miss M'Crca is
also still living at Sandy Hill, and her
statements accord with this. Miss
janet M'Crea, is represented as having
been very beautiful, According to
MIR. Baker and the attendant referred
to. enc was about 10 wears Of age. tall
and well formed. with auburn hair,
blue eyes. and fresh complexion, slight
lly freekied. About three years ago,
her remains were disinterrcd and ear.
ried IN funeral procession by the mai
deus of the neighboring country, e
Fort Edward, where they we're buried
and a monument erected over the spot
The pine tree - still a striking object
! from is age aud immense size. but The
spring, which it formerly designated
is dried up.
The Albanv n,;Iv Ad...,;...; -.