Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1854-03-13
An ventfnl HistorY.

Mrs Elizabeth Hartman, eonsort OF Rev. John
IIurdman died in Lewis county On the lst OF
Febunrv af the age II She was the dangh-
ter of John Waggoner, "A revolutionary soldier
who was present at the surrender of tornwalhs,
and witnessed the closing scenes of the war-ai-
ter which he cmigrated with his family to North
western Virginia, where he lived unmolested for
"A while. but ere long was tackled by the mercl-
lrss ,ayappz. From an obituary notice IN the
Weston Herald we copy the following interest
ing statement
On the 9th day Of May, 1902 u purity Of Shaw
ancsc Indians with the since justly celebrated
Gen 1ecumsch at their head. approached the hi
lie mansion where Mr.. Waggoner's family were
quietly domiciled. Mr. Waggncr who was at
some distance from the house, was observed by
Tccumseh. who Immediately, discharged at him
the contents of his gun: but, fortunately, the
lcadcn messenger of denth facd of its errand
and left him lWaggoner) uninjured, who looking
in the direction of his house, bebed it already
surrounded by the residue of the Indians. Know
ing that resistance would be IN vain, aud only
tend 10 excite these savage fiends To greater acts
of cruelty. he made use of the only means left
him, whereby be might escape the hard fate of
hi. family, and fled from before his willy adverse
ry, who, finding himself outstripped by the swift
footed hunter, soon gave mp the pursuit and JON
ed the party at the house, who, after killing and
sealping child that they found in the yard, had
made prisoners of Mrs. Waggoner and her chill
drcn, among whom was Mrs. Ilardman, then n
bout ~ years old. They now departed with all
possible dispatch, but, finding that portion Of
their captiyes were not able to travel with much
spccdand wishing to hi. stripped OF every impedl-
ment to u swift retreat, they fell upon them with
their tomahawks and murdered them with every
aggravation OF savage cruelty, leaving their man
gled bodies strewcd promiscuously along the
way, wcltering in crimson gore.
Mrs lIardmun, who witnessed this horrid deed
by which she was robbed of an aiieetonntc moth
cr, dear little brother and lovely sister, was
now borne far away from her native land, to the
Indian towns on the Maumcc river, where, agree
ally to the custom of III, Indians, she was expos
ed to sale II I'd purchased by squaw, who exact
ed of her the hardest kind of seryltude.
The writer proceeds Mt length to describe the
sulcrings the prisoner, aud pays tribute to
the nagnanimity of recumsch, who. observing
one day Mrs, llurdman's mistress beating her in
n most shocking and cruel manner, Immediately,
inteposed, and with menucng gestures and
commanding voice. bade her to abandon not on
ly for the present, but in time to come, such de-
testable acts of bnrbarity. Wcaryngat length
Of savage life, Mrs. Ilardman conceived plan of
e>cnpc Taking advantage of the absence of
many of their enemies, who had left on an expe-
dltion To meet Cen Wayne, She aud another cup
tive (then Miss Sale ,Iohnson) sueee edcd in e.
lnding the vigilance Of the Indians, they set out
late in the evening, aud directed their steps to-
wards Detroit. After travelling many weary
miles and experiencing untold snferings, they
reached Detroit, aud Mrs. Ilardman was subse.
quontly restored to her father, whose Joy at meet
ing with his long lost child, may he better imag-
ned than described