Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1855-10-12
5it&CNhF.tnE .


! \ little story | am going to tell is a true
story OF pioneer life in America II /, known
! to many DESCENDANTS Of the carly settlers
/ among whom it happened, and | write 1t in
/ that country
One Of the darkest pages in American his
| tory is that relating to the suff,rings OF the
inhabitants OF Tryon county, New York, du-
ring the war Of the revolution, from the at
Ia Ks of the Indians and Royalists under the
| Mohawk chief Brant and the more savage
| Gar tain Walter Butler. Early in the war,
| Cherry Valley was selected ms place of re-
| fugc and defence for the inhabitants of the
smaller and more exposed settlements.
! Blockhouscs were built, fortifcations were
thrown up, and finally. fort was erected,
under the direction Of General La Fayette.
| The inhabitants of the surrounding settle
mcnts came in and lived for several months
as in garrison, submitting to strict military
regulations.
Among the families which took temporary
refuge in this fort, was that Of Captain Ro-
bert Lindsay, formerly a British officer, brave
! and adventurous, who, only at the entrcaty
| OF his wife. had left his farm which stood in
a lonely, unprotected situation, several miles
from any settlement. This Captain Lindsay
was reserved, melancholy man, about
whom the simple and honest pioneers Won
! dered and speculuted not little. Ills Ian
guage aud manner bespoke ut once the man
Of education and breeding. His wife, though
quiet heroic woman, WAS evidently Lady
| by nature and association.
Captain Lindsay had II native love OF soil
tude and adyenture-the first requisites for u
pioneer; and for several years no other rca-
son was known for his seeking the wllds, and
exposing hls tender family to all the perlls
and priyatiOns of u frontier life. But at
| | ppt an mi INF ma tINp
place, in the Highlands of Scotland, brought
the story of his exile, which was briefly this :
| Captain Lindsay, when u somewhat dissi-
| pated young man, proud and passionate, had
| quarrelled with n brother officer, an old
friend, at mess dinner. Both officers had
drunk freely, and their difference was aggra-
waited by hot-brained hali-drunkcn pnrti-
sans. Insulting words were exchanged, and
u duel on the spot was the consequence.
| Lindsay escaped with a slight wound. but
his sword pierced the heart Of his friend.
place. but not before he had learned that III
the first matter of dispute he had been in the
wrong.
Lindsay made all the rcparation in his
power, by transferring his patcrnal estate,
| for the term of his own lifetime, to the home
less widow and yuung daughter OF bio iriend
Then, with his wic's small property, and
| the price Ot his commission, he secretly emf
grated to America. lie left his family III
New York. while he went up the Hudson,
purchased Il small farm, and built II house
ior their reception. lie was accompanied in
this expedition by an old fam ly scryitOr,
who with true Highland fidelity, clung to
his unfortunate master with exeml liary dcvo-
tion.
Mrs Lindsay's heart sunk within her
when she found that her new home WAS sl
far from any settlement literally in the
Wilderness but she understood l.cr husband >,
misanthruric gloom, almost amounting /,
melancholy madness, and did not murmur
Yet her forest home was very Lcautilul-u
small valley farm, surrounded by densely
wooded hills, dark gorges and messy deli,
The house was rough, rrimitiy c-lookin.
structure, containing but three small apart
ncnts and low chamber, or rather lott
But it was comfortably and securely built
and overhung bv noble trees and uyerrun by
wild vines, was not unpicturcsque Undci
the tasteful care of Mrs. Lindsay, a littl,
garden soon spranr IN around it. where
amosg many strange plants, bloomed few
familiar flowers, whose fragrance seemed t,
breathe of home like the .i,hs of AN exile,
heart
The family at the period of their takint
refuge in the fort mt Cherry Valley consisted
I OF three sons and an infant ,iauphtpr (th,
last born in AmericnN. the man ID t2ic. and ,
muid-servant Douglas the cider son. Il la,
of twelve or thirteen. was brave hirh
spirited, somewhat selEwilled how. tall an,
handsome, and tho especinl rride of hi
mother-not alone because he was her frs
born, but because he most yiyidly recnlIcd I,
her heart her husband IN his happy days
Angus, the second son, was a slight, delicate
iair-haired boy, possessing IL highly sensitiv
and poetic nature. Cnconsciously display
, ing at times singular and startling intuitinu
dreaming uncomprehended dreams, whic
were sometimes strangely verified and utter
ing involuntary prophecies. which time olte
fuliilled-he was always spoken of as
strange child, and, for all his tender year
and sweet rensiyc face. was regarded with
secret, shrinking awe, even hy those neares
to him. In truth. the child seemed to u
gifted with that weird, mysterious iacult
= known as second-sirht.
Archie, the youngest son, his father ow
darling, was u sturdy, rosy y-checked, curl,
headed boy Of five. Ellie was yet at Ii
mothers breast, u little rosy bud ol beaut
IA fair promise Of infinite joy and c1miul
to her mothers saddcned heart.
As have stated, this family took rriug
'. in the fort, in the spring of seventeen hun
dred and seyenty-eight, somewhat against II
ID will OF Captain lindsay-who, as he r.
= maincd neutral, had little fear Of the Indian
> and also OF lis eldest son, who iancied thcI
was something cowlrdly in dying from the
iprcst-homc bclurc.it had been attacked T!
latter however, was soon rcconcilcd by Il
opportunity afforded him, for the first tin
for several years, OF hssociating with lads
his own age, Of whom there was n good
:. number nt the fort and settlement. II
sports and exercises ,f tAc men and ycui
were entirely oi military character al
" D,u1l,s Who IpI inhcritCt martial IA Ct