Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1841-03-25
From The Nep York Knicherboeker-
THE ROMANCE or WESTERN HISTORY.
BY rHr AUTHOR OF soRDEa TALss.'
TIE SINGLE COMBAT.

Der OF the inhabitants We're required 10 DC
continually under arps. The middle and
lSouihern States were particularly exposed,
and the beautiful valley the Olio, which
lis now the mos. fruitful part Of civilized
| America, and is rapidly becoming the GEN.
ire Of a vast nation Of freemen, was then
tenanted only by hordes of hostile saw
lagos, animated by common sentiment
lof hatred to the white man. The obser-
want ln6ian had become aware of the en-
lergy and enterprise ofthe American char
ucter; he had seen the axe and the plough,
Iquetly bu, with undaunied perseverance,
urging their conquests westwardly, until
the greater part Of the forests east OF the
Allegheny mountains had been subdued /:
land now the hardy Pioneers seemed ready
to pass those barriers, which had been sup
posed to be impregnable defences against
the footsteps Of civilization.
The Indians had vainly hoped to find
lin the valley of the Ohio refuge which
the European invader would not covet.--
They little dreamed of the wonderful en-.
erges. or ofthe rapid growth ofthat peo-
pie; and attributlng their success thus far
to wan. of union and energy among them
selves, were not prepared for more vlgo-
rous resistance. Extensive alliances were
formed among the tribes, and active efforts
were used to stir up in the savage mind
the feelings Of revenge and hatred
The Pioneers soon became awakened
to the necessity of corresponding efforts ;
and they were people whose genius and
habits rendered them little averse TO a
state Of war. Every man residing on the
frontiers was necessarily soldier, pre-
pared at all times to defend his own fire.
side, or to hasten with alacrity to the as
sistance Of his neghbors. The crueltes
practised by the Indians, the shocking
scenes Of midnight violence, the burning
lof houses, and the indiscriminate slaughter
of individuals, however young, beautiful,
or helpless, enlisted in this warfare the
noblest sympathies Of the heart; and It
was high and generous impulse that
armed those gallant men for the fight
They we're not mercenary soldiers, nor
we're they called TO the field by the lust OF
conquest or Of plumber but were patriots,
united in the defence of their homes, and
rallying around their 6resides and family
affairs, for the protection of all they held
most dear and sacred. True, they often
carried the war into the enemy's country,
striking him with violence as ruthless as
his own; but i, was to reclaim their pro-
perty, TO redeem their friends from cap
tivity worse than death, or to revenge the
atrocities of the marauder.
The revolving scenes of desolation incl.
dent TO savage warfare were calculated 10
engendcr deep and lasting hatred against
the red man, which has proved fatal to
that race, by involving oil in the punish
ment due to the misdeeds of a part. But
these wars were also productive of noble
fruits f.; uniting scattered population by a
sense of common danger in the bonds of
friendship !; intoxicating generous hospi.
tality, by throwing open every door 10 the
houseless and calling out the valor Of the
strong, for the protection of the widowed
and defenceless. From this stock sprang
the Pioneers, who peopled the western for
ests, and whose intrepdity in meeting the
varied dangers that besrt their path, was
not more conspicuous than the simplicity
of their lives, and the kindness of their
hearts. They were rough, but brave and
honest; impetuous, but kind-hearted and
charitable.
In the eventlu enterprises growing out
OF these border wars, a martial spirit was
inculcated, and a military experience
gained, which enabled the American peo-
pie, aftcrward, in the struggle for inde.
pendence, to contend successfully against
the veteran troops of Europe. The colo
nists were an industrious, pacific, and 10y
al people but they had always been nc.
customed 10 defend themselves from ag-
erosion, without asking aid from the
Sovereign; and when he became the ag.
gressor, they were ready to turn against
him the arms they had welded honorably
against his and their own enemies. Such
was particularly the character Of the popu.
lntion of the frontier district. The reyo-
LUTON found them soldiers, with arms in
their hands and military habits ready form.
ed and this school furnished MANY Of the
most accomplished officers Of that war, as
we'll as numerous bodies o! the best light
troops in the world.
We cannot fix exactly the date of the
adventure we are about to relate we only
know that it occurred during one Of the
military expeditions of the stormy period
mentioned al the beginning Of this article.
A company OF volunteers were marching
from the Virginia border toward the In.
dian country, under the command of Cap.
tan Crawford, the same gallant but I'M
fortunate individual whose tragcal end
few years alterward has given his name
melancholy celebrity in the legends ofthe
border. He was, like those under his
command, farmer, with no pretensions
to any military knowlege gained from
books, or from the drill sergeant, nor in.
deed any training, except such as had
been obtained in repeling or pursuing the
savages, according to the desultory war
fare of the times. He was a brave and
enterprising man; the fact that no was
placed on several occasions at the head of
parties Of this description, by the choice
of his neghbors, shows that he was popu-
lar; and this is no small evidence of merit,
for the country was not then distracted BY
| that miserable spirit Of party, whose ey.