Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-03-29
Interesting Extract.

make the following extract:
At length we reached Augusta county
celebrated for the daring courage and IN
domitable patriotism of her citizens from
an early period of her history. Many o.
her sons bled on the banks of the Great
Kanawha as early as October 10, l774
when s'from the rising of the sun 10 the 60
ing down of the same" the In1ians, led BY
the great Cornstalk and the eloquent Logan
nearly overcame our troops, although com.
manded by General Andrew Lewis, one oI
the most intrepid and skilful officers who
ever entered field Of battle. 10y.
Eight miles this side of Staunton. on the
right Of the road my attention was arrested
by tho venerable appearances OF large
stone church, densely surrounded by for.
est trees, on whose "serc and yellow
leaves the setting sun shea bis mos. gor.
geous rays. The Presbyterian congrega,
ton first worshipping here was organized
in 1740: the house was originally built o.
logs: the present edi6cs was begun N
1747, at which time there was not one
wheel carriage in the settlement 1.-THE
stone was hauled on sledges-the sand
transported on pack.horses. and the glass
and nails brought from Williamsburg. AZ
the time of Braddock's defeat this part ol
the Valley was in state of universal a.
larm: some of the people wished to fly be.
yond the Blue Ridge into the present coun-
ty of Albemarle, but the pastor, the Rev
Mr.. Craig, vebemsDtly opposed it, and on
his suggestion the people built stone stock
ade around their church, the lines ofwhlch
are still visible. Here on each Sabbath
they worshipped-the preacher taking his
rifle into the pulpit, and every male hearer
being armed in the same manner. They
acted on the direction of Oliver Cromwell,
who always charged his soldiers to "trust
in God and keep their powder dry" 1t is
most remarkable that the present incum-
bent is only the fourth minister in the space
of 143 years. Among these was Conrad
Specie, man of extraordinary learning
and eloquence who, had he flourshed du-
ring the Reformation, would have been a.
mong the ablest coadjutors of the illustrious
and intrepid Luther. The clergyman who
now serves this people, is a son ofthe Rev.
Samuel Brown and Mary his wife, lady
known to fame alike for her unparalleled
sulFerings in early life, and her ardent pie
ty during heI pilgrimage on earth. She
was the daughter of James and Mary Moore.
who resided in Botetourt county until 1875,
when. they removed to Abb's Valley on
Blue Stone Creek, in the new county Of
Tazewell. 1t was
'"A wild and lonely region, where retired
From little scenes of art great Nature dwelt
In awful solitude"
Here, retired from the world, he built his
cabin, and worshipped the God of his faith
ers, with his household, contented and hap
py. In 1871 he was summoned from this
secluded spot to the American camp aud
fought in the well-contested field of Gull
ford. Who remained to protect his family,
while he was absent in the army IS not
known but it is certain, that at this time,
and for many years prior and subsequent to
this period, numerous hostile tribes OF In
dians extending from the Northern lakes
and the Western rivers, down the Valley
of Virginia, were committing frequent and
wanton murders on the helpless inhabitants,
and carrying terror TO every bosom. Still
he remained in his perlous location. On
the 7th of September, 1884, his second son
was captured by the savages, within few
miles of his fathers house, and carried a.
way to the forests of the West. How many
anxious days and nights the distressed pa
rents spent on account Of lost soE none
can tell. There were then no telegraps
railroads, or public stages, and not single
post office beyond the Allegheny by which
intelligence of his fate could be obtained
and to have gone IN search Of the unfortu.
nate boy, would have been to court certain
death.
Notwithstanding this premonitory event
Mr.. Moore still continued in this dreary
and almost uEfrequented region until July
IA, 1856. And now an awful scene o
blood began. Thirty armed Indians. will
heart-rending yells, rushed on this unof
Tending family. Mr.. Moore was first slair
in the yard and his ashes now repose or
the very spot which then smoked with hi
blood. Three of his children soon fell
next the house was broken open, plunderet
and burnt. Mrs. Moore and her four sur
viving children, (of whom Mary then in
her eighth year was one, together with
Martha Ivins, domestic, were IN the same
day bound fast and hurried of by their cap
tives to the Shawanee towns on the margin
of the Scioto.
Thus in one short hour their peaceful
home is destroyed, the dead bodies OF it:
inmates are exposed to burning sun 81.
lence and desolation reign where so lately
Joy and happiness filled every bosom. The
captives must have cast ''a longing, linger-
ing look behind" them as they babe adieu
to the lifeIess bodies Of their murdered re-
lations-to the green fields where the chill
dren had played and sported in innocent
mIrth--and now they were going they knew
not where,-doomed to toll, privation, and
exposure in traversing mountains, wading
through streams, anG crossing deep rivers,
destitute of the necessaries of life, lying
down at night with no hope of mitigation
of their sorrows, and rising from the hard
earth with no refreshment from sleep On
their march two other children of Mrs.
Moore were killed by their savage captors.
And now on the spot where Chllicothe
stands, in council held by the chief, it IS
determined that Mrs. Moore and her daugh.
ter Jane shall be burnt at the stake. Mar
tha Wins and little Mary We're the only
white persons who witnessed the awful and
horrld scene. The shrieks and cries of
the child must have re-echoed through
the surrounding woods, mingling with the
savage yells of their tormenters. Not SO
with her mother. She was calm and Sc
with Mary and the faith
full Martha. and earnestly prayed in the
midst of the surrounding flames for the mo-
ment when her spirit should take its flight
10 those blest mansions in heaven, "where
n 4 Ill ho.