Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1856-07-29
- =. Rh.rlinr 1n,e,llr.nexr.
SIMON GIRTY.


prominent part that Simon Girty acted on the
frontier settlement of Northwestern Virginia.
and the influence he exercised on the colony at
4 Wheeling, now ''no mean city" suggests this
1 reference to his history and character.
In the year ITO, Wheeling was settled by q
number Of men from the south branch Of the
/ Potomac, who came here to plant the standard
of civilization, and in obedience to the first
command of God to man, to multiply and
rcplenish the earth and subdue it !" Then there
was an unbroken wilderness, where now is the
great city of Western Virginia, with all the pro-
eress of the age and its fruitful sequence
The House Of Burgesses had resolved TO ar
rest and chastise the savage incursions on the
Virginia frontier Gov. Dnnmore in connection
With Cen Lewis, took command of the troops
When the troops under Gov, Dunmore ASSEM-
bled at Pittsburgh, Simon Girty enlisted in the
service andbeeame one of Gov. Dunmorc's prin-
| cipal guides and spies. He bore the orders to
Gen. Lewis to cross the Ohio and join Dunmore
near the Indian towns Gov. Dunmorc was a
Scottish earl, educated and nurtured in all the
sentiments Of the British Court When he ar
rived at Wheeling with his troops, ne learned
that tho Virginia colony had taken the first step
in the revolution, and the suspicion was excited
that his subsequent conduct was governed by
the design to propitiatc the Indians and secure
their allegiance in the event of war between
the Mother Country and the Colonies So strong
were the convictions of Gen. Lewis, as to what
was required of him, as an officer, that he DISC
bcved the orders of Gov. Dunmore and marched
4 ON to encounter the Indians, and only halted
when further resistance ceased to be a virtue. 1t
was subsequently disclosed that Connolly, the
man that engaged his confidence during the
Dunmore war, devised plan. tn overcome the
Virginia colony by the combined forces Of the
Tories, the Indians and the British troops. But
it was the good fortuue of the colony to have
the renowned revolutionary Gen. Lewis, to de-
feat the plan and rout their forces. Though
Dunmore's conduct was endorsed by the Con-
yention at Richmond, March %, 1T75, before
the close of that year he was rendered so obnoS-
Iious TO the people of Virginia, as follower OF
the King and his hostility to the interest and
liberty of Virgins, that he was expelled from
the colony. Whether during the Dunmore war
he excited feelings that aienated Girty from the
colony Of Virginia, or infused into his mind
sentiments that matured adversely to his fidelity
to the colony, history and tradition are silent,
and charity forbids that should more than
state the facts, that no was in the confidential
service of Dunmore, that Dunmorc continued
the subject of the King, and that Girty became
a renegade and confederate in the same cause.
When the British government at Detroit,
sought to organize band Of tories in conlunc-
ton with the Indians, to oppose with the cupid
litv of one and the ferocity of the other, the
frontier men of Virginia; when not only all thc
privations of the first settlement were to be
borne, but the treachery of the men that had
cnioyed the firesidc of homes, the repast and
beverage, the councils and the perils of these
pioneers. At this crisis on the frontier, and
this period of public danger, Simon Girty, who
had been spy and guide for the Angio-Anieri-
canrace, had been the interpreter for the Unit
ed States in all their treaties with the Six Ma
tons, during the year 1910 or the early part of
the year 177T, deserted, entered on the future
with the brand and passport of the renegade
and traitor, became the confederate of the lndi-
ans and the chief ally Of Governor Hamilton.
He not only attached himself to the Indians and
British, but James Girty, who at that time was
employed by the Commissioners on message
to the Shawnee Indians, was induced by him 10
desert and embark with him ii the same cause.
When these combined forces of the Indians aud
British were about to be precipitated on the Hir-
GINA frontier, and the whole extent Of country
from Fort Pitt to Wheeling was the threatened
st. NVEaal:,,,r n1fl,O,,Fri,
George Mason had said, was the most comrno-
dous site for military defence and fortilication
on the Virginia frontier, and though Fort Henry
had been built, near where the lot is, on which
lis now the residence of Charles D. Knox, Esq,
by the authority of the government, and was
supplied with arms and ammunition, still ii
was not garrisoned with any regular soldiers,
but was to be defended only by the settlement,
whose growth then could not claim the age OF
seven years. The small force and dctenceless
condition of the settlement, rendered it an invi
ting point for the Savage aud British agents to
commence their work Of plumber and murder
The Captain that led these InIian warriors to
this field of spoil and carnage, it was evident
knew the condition of the Fort, but he also
knew these men of Wheeling, knew they were
Virginians to the tacE bone, that on the south
bransh of the Potomac, amid the gorges of its
mountains, they had been schooIed in deeds Of
daring and love Of liberty, that made every
man equal to legion of Indian warriors. As
tute as he was, he knew well that it was better
to resort to stratagem, than the open field fight
At the hour of night, he disposed of his for
ccs on the ground, he concealed their number,
and in the morning with small force engaged
the vigilance of Agal and Mason, induced them
with few of their men TO the open field. Then
hundred warriors lsapel from their conceal.
mcnt aud done the work of slaughter. OF the
twenty-six that were in the engagement, only
three cacaped and survived. Transported with