Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1837-01-05
Respectfully. yours,
JOHN w. Ii. THOMPSON.

On the 81 OF July last, about p. NJ. =, as
] was going from the kitchen 10 the dwell
ing-house, discovered large body of Ia
slans within twenty yards OF me, back of the
kitchen. ran for the light house. and call
81! Out to the old negro man who was with
me To run, far the Indians were near. Al
that moment they discharged vol!ey Of rifle
halls, which Cut my clothes and hat, and
perforated the door in many places We
go, in, and as I was turning the key, the
savagcs had hold of the door. I stationed The
negro al The door, with orders TO LEI me know
il they attempted to break in then tool;
my three muskeis, which were loaded with
ball and buck shot, and went TO The second
window; seing large body OF them opro>
site the dwelling house, | discharged my
musk cts in succession amongst them, which
put them in some confusion they then, for
the second time, began their horrid Wells,
and in Il minute sash or glass was left in
that W indow, for they vented their rage at
the spot. ] fred at them from some Of the
other windows, and from the top Of the
house in fact, fired henever could get
an Indian for mark. | kept them from
the house until dark.
They then poured in a heavy fire a! all The
windows and lantern. That was the time
they set fire 10 the door and window even
with the ground. The Window was boarded
up with plank, and filled up with stones in
side !; but the flames spread fast, being !ed
with yellow pine wood Their balls had
perforated the lin tanks of oil, consisting of
S25 gallons my bedding, clothing, and in
fact every thing had, was soak cd in OIL
stopped at the door until driven away by
The flames. ! then took "a key of gunpnw>
Ter, my balls, and ore musket, and ascend
cd 10 the top Of the house then went below
and began to cut away the stairs about half
way up from The bottom: had difficulty in
getting the old negro man up the space
had already cut: but the flames now drove
me from my labor, and retrea,cd TO the toy
OF The house. covered over the scuIile
thai leads TO the lantern, which kept the fire
from me for some time. AT last the aw full
moment arrived the cracking flames burst
around me, the savages al the same time be,
gan their hellish yelis my poor old negro
looked up TO me with tears in his ewes, bu,
could not speak we went out of The Ian
tern and laid down on The edge Of the plat
form two lee: wide the lantern was now
full OF flame, the lamps and glasses bursting
and flying in all directions, my clothes on
fire, and to move from the place where
was would be instant death from their rifles
MY hesh was roasting, and to put On end 10
~ "0'''"'S 'ohe' iHH Sbt up, anu Threw
the keg OF gunpowder down the scut,le-in.
sian,ly it exploded, and shook the tower
from the top TO the bottom i, had not the
desired effect Of blowing me 10 eternity, but
il threw down the stairs, and all the wooden
work near the top OF The house it dumped
The fire for moment, but it soon blaze6 as
fierce as ever: the negro man said he was
wounded, which was the last wcrd he spoke.
by this time had received some wounds
myself, and finding no chance for my lie, for
was roasting alive, took the determine
lion 10 jump of. 1got NJ, went outside The
IRON railing, recommending my soul 10 God
and was on the point Of going headforemost on
the rocks below, when something dictated TO
me to return and lay down again +; did so,
bnd IN two minutes the fire fell TO The bottom
oithe house. II is a remarka able circumstance
that not one ball struck me when stood up
outside OF the railing, although they were
flying all around me like hail stones.
found the old negro man dead, being sho, in
several places, and literally roasted A few
minutes after the fire fell, stiff breeze
sprung up from the southwark, which was
great blessing to me. had 10 Law where
was, for could not walk, having received