Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1855-12-19

her to the savage. but leaving her hands
still tied together. In this situation, and
surrounded by the midnight darkness,
she succeeded in finding canoe and
loosing it from its fastenings, in which
she reached the opposite bank, and final
ly found her way back to the smoking
ruins of her recent home, where she gave
way to the most violent lamentations
Though her cries were distinctly heard
at the encampment, she was not pursued
until morning, when she was retaken.-
The Indians then commenced their jour
ney through the woods, carrying their
cartives on horseback. After pursuing
their route three days, in a westernly di-
rection, they haulted and sent back a
war party of about one hundred. Af-
ter five or six days, the party returned
with several scalps and the horror of
the captives can scarcely be imagined,
when they discovered among the num-
Der those of Mr.. Carter and Mr.. Duncan.
These men. on returning from their Ia
bors and seeing the desolation which the
Indians had made, repaired to the near
est white settlement. and procured the
aid of forty men, with whom they re-
turned for the cattle, and with the faint
hope of recovering the captives. Just as
they gained the vicinity Of their recent
home, they were suddenly surprised by
the yell of these savages, and by the
flight of their arrows. About half of
Carriers men, most of whom were
Dutch instantly deserted, and left their
companions tofight out the battle as they
best could Yet, though struggling
against such fearful odds, these brave
men stood their ground, till Carter found
himself alone-all beside having been
killed or disabled.
He stationed himself behind rock,
and still kept up the fire until struck
down by the tomahawks of the enemy.
Some four rive of those wounded in the
early part Of the engagement, succeeded
in crawling so far in the forest as TO
elude the subsequent search of their
willy foes, and at length reached their
homes.
On the return of the Indian warriors
to the encampment, (as was afterwards
stated by the caPtives,) } there was great
lamenation and mourning among the
savages over those of their number who
had fallen in the battle-more than hall
of the one hundred being among the
slain.
The Indians then recommended their
march through the woods to the residence
of their nation. As nearly as the cap
tives could recollect they travelled sever
al days diligently in northwesierly di'
rection, at length arrived at their pi ace
of destination. Here in dark and filthy
huts, ornamented with The scalps oftheir
parents and friends, separated from each
other, did these lonely capdves spend
the long and tedious months of winter,
in state of almost perfect starvation
The Indians would never go abroad to
obtain new supplies of food as long as
one mOrsel remained and then some.
times returned with little success. Ma
thaniel, the youngest of the captives,)
having from the first been a general ia
vorite with the Indians, was treated by
them with great comparative kindness
and attention aud with so much sue
cess, that the little white stranger soon
ceased 10 mourn his bereavements, and
Joined heartily in the amusements and
pastimes which they devised for the pur-
pose of diveriing him and making sport
for themselves.
Early in the Spring, they deserted
their winter quarters, and journeyed to-
wards The lakes and after tour of sew
eral weeks they arrived in the vicinity of
Fort Niagara, where Elizabeth and Sar-
ah were ransomed through the negotia-
tons of Sir William johnson. Bu, all
efforts to obtain Nathaniel were unavail-
ing. No consideration would tempt the
Indians to part with him; and strange
as 1t may appear, he had become 50
much attached TO them that he would
not consent to leave them. His sisters,
after biding him an atfeciionate and f.
nal farewell, were conveyed to Albany,
where their Connecticut friends, being
apprised of their ransom. met them
and they soon had the unspeakable graf
ifcation of once more visiting the homes
of their nativity, and of finding them
selves surrounded by sympathizing
friends and relatives. Yet ii WAS long
before they ceased TO mourn over the
dreadful scenes through which they had
passed. and their sad bereavements.
TIE reader who has followed thus far
our narrative, may feel an interest TO
know something of tie subsequent histo-
ry of the capuves. Sarah Garter, fry.n
her i'll treatment and mental sufferin,s
never fully recovered. Though she
lived to old age, her intellect was perra.
nently impaired; she died fea years
since in Goshen. Elizabeth was mar
ried 10 Mr.. Benjamin Oviatt, of Goshen,
and died in that town in the autumn OF