Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1833-05-13

people consequently relisved from taxation. When
shall we be able 10 say the same Of Virginia}
LITERARY NOTICE
Indian Bios,apas !" &c. dc. by u. D. 7aaiea.
c., Esq.
1t has been remarked that the Indians have been
heretofore somewhat in the situation Of the Lion.
They have had no historian no friend TO detail
The wrongs they have suffered at the hands of the
white men, who, few in NUMBER +" crossed the
great waters and, landing on this Continent,
found the sway of the Aboriginos extending
from the rising to the setting sumo advocate 70
v'ndcase them from the aspersions of those, who.
having driven them from the Atlantic sca.board to
the far West aud still mnnfes,ing determine
ton to push them farther and farther, as wave af
ter wave Of civilization rolls onward, until they
shall reach the margin Of the Pacific oceau-hope
TO defend themselves and their cruel policy by ca.
Illuminating the victims Of their oupidity and am
biiIon. But this noble race OF mcn-noble in des.
p'te OF the vices which their civilized brethren
have introduced among thea,--havc at length found
spirited and talented champion in the author of
he interesting work before Us Although Mr.
1hAtcher makes etor, 70 ralliato the barbaritcs
So frequently inflicted by the savagcs upon our
exposed frontier settlements, and upon defencelcss
women and children, and to screen them from The
just reproach 10 which their alnos, universal love
of" strong ~aers," vuls.ry called whisNcy ,nalu.
r ally subjects them--yet no one can rise from the
| pcrusal of his book without high admiration Of
the wisdom, bravery, sagacity, for, ude and pat
riolism Of the un,u,ored sons Of the forest Many
| Of them. indced-such as Powhatun, Logan, Phil :
| ip, Pontiac, Red Jacket and Tecumseh--posscsscd
qualities and attributes. as statesmen, warriors
and orators, which would have elevated them to
high distinction in any country, in any age of the
world Their virtues and abilities, TOO were all
their own, unassis,ed by those artificial aids which
serve in civilized life to elevate to distinction men Of
inferior intellect and doubtful moral,y--while their
vices and infrmi,es the faults ofthcir destiny
which threw them frs, among burbarans, then
in constant contact and collision with hostile
race, which first corrupted, then conquered, g. then
plundcrsd them We do not intend, however, in
this brief notice of Mr. Thatcher interesting work,
TO enter into the discussion of the morality and JUS
,ce of the policy pursued by the whites towards the
indians, which has almost extcrminatcd tho
original owners OF this vast continent, and intro
duced, with new race Of men, all the arts and
sciences which dignity and aaorn our nature, and
render life worthy Of the gvcr and the recipient
1t is both unnecessary & inexpcdien, The decree
has gone forth which seals their doom--and no
discussion of its propric,y aione for the past
impede its future execution. An that we can do
in this way is to render justice TO the virtues Of the
rude bu, gallan, !" sons OF Aiknomok" and. in our
intercourse with the remnant who yet exist in their
primevul forests, to cultivate more friendly spir.
it, seeking to attain our ends by just dealing rather
than by that force and fraud which have hereto
fore too frequently characterized our negotiations
| with them.
We copy from MIR Thatchcrs work (Which, by
the way. we recommend TO all who feel any in
teres, in the history of the first sc,demcn, Of this
country, and who wish to learn the causes Of the
| frcqucn. and sangunary contests which attended
the infan, experiments,) the subjolned account Of
the battle fought on the 10th Of October, l774, at
Point Pleasant, at the mouth Of the Great Kanaw-
ha, IN Western Virginia, between the Indians
commanded by Logan, and the left wing Of an ar
my led by Gov. Dunrnore against the Indians OF
the North w est-not because il is the most stri-
king in the book but because its locality may
der it interesting 10 many Of our readers, some Of
whose ancestors, we suspect, are mentioned in the
extract:
Monday morning, 1.-THE l0ih, about halfan hour
before SUNRISE, two Of Capt. Russcli's company
discovered large party Of Indians abou, mile
from camp one Of which was shot down by the In
dams The other made his escape and brought In
the intelligence two three minutes after, two NJ
Capt Shclby's men came in and confirmed the &C,
count
Col. Andrew Lewis being informed thereof, i'm
mcdiately ordered out COL Charles Lewis to take
the command of one hundred and fifty men, of the
Augusta troops and with him went Capt. Dick.
inson, Capt Harrison, Capt. Wilson, Capt John
Lewis of Augusta, ard Capt Lockrdge, which
made the first division Col Fleming was ordered
to take command of one hundred and hfly more
consisting Of Boteteurt, Bedford and t'incastle
troops-yiz Capt, Buford Of Bedford, Capt. Love
Of Boteto,,r, and CAPT. Shelby and Capt Russell
Of Fincastc, which, made the second division Col
Charles Lewis division marched TO the right some
distance from the Ohio Col Fleming, with his
division up the bank of the Ohio, TO the !ett Col
Lewis's division had not marched quite halta mile
from camp, when about sdn-r,ac, an ettock was
made on the frun, ofhis DIVISION in most vigo-
rpus manner, by the united tribes Of Indians Shaw
ntts Driawares, Mihgucs, Jowdys, and 81 several