The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1870-10-14

Correspondence
LETTERS FROM VIRGINIA.
THE INDIAN MASSACRE OF ABB'S
VALLEY.
No. 3S.

MEssRs. EDITORS: tried to give you
some time ago, what imagined to be a
fair and succinct description of Abb's Val
ley, together with narration of the fearful
Indian massacre that stained its virgin
soil with blood in 178G-one of the last, as
it was one of the most terrible, of the many
murlerous incursions of the Indians upon
the first settlements oftransmontanc Virgin
in. Ircgret to learn from you that the letter
never came to hand, and can only account
for its failure upon the hypothesis that,
being composed of several sheets, some
one of our blessed scalawag route agents
or postmasters took it into his head that
it contained greenbacks, and appropriated
it to his own "use and behoof." | am not
content that one of the most beautiful val
lcys in all this mountain country, and one
that hasa thrillingly interesting history con
nectcd with it, should be ignored, particu-
larry rs the series | am writing would
be incomplete without it, and shall there
fore attempt to re-write it as best can
from memory, being so remiss as never to
have retained a copy of anything | have
written for your paper.
Ahhs Valley is situated in the northeast
corner of Tazcwell county, some IA miles
from Jacksonville and about the same
from Burk's Garden in the southern cor
ner, the three points forming triangle.
1t is ii very rich and picturesque valley, IL
miles long and less than quarter wide,
hemmed in between two ridges. A very
remarkable feature in it is, that whilst
there are numerous springs, there is no
stream upon the surface. These springs
break out from the htll-sides, run a few
PAGES and disappear all combining to make
considerable subterranean creek which
has been discovered in various places not
far below the surface, and which eventu-
ally finds its way out and constitutes one
of the principal sources of Blue Stone,
tributary of New River, the latter
the principal tributary of the Kanawha,
which cmpties into the Ohio at Point
Pleasant. Another singular feature is, that
in the ridges surrounding Abb's Valley
are found the sources of four of our principal
rivers Kanawha to the east, Big Sandy
and Guyandotte to the north, and Clinch to
the west the latter tributary of the
Tennessee. All rising within mile or two
of each other, they flow away in different
directions, and finally unite in the Ohio
at points hundreds of miles apart. The
mountains from this point also form singu.
lar features. Standing on top of Sandy
Ridge, 1.-THE northern boundary of the val
ley,) YOU see Clinch, Point Lick, Rich and
other great ranges running parallel from
east tn west, and then number of high
anti rugged ranges, each with its local name,
all running transvcrsely, or from south to
north, and terminating at or near the Ohio
river. The war-paths of the Indians were
on the SUBMITS of the latter ranges
These pcculiaritcs may seem of minor
importance to the casual observer, but to
the man of thought they are of absorbing
interest, aftordng pleasure in their contem-
plation, illustrating, as they do, the won
derful and magniIicently arranged topo-
graphy of our unrivalled country.
,,"Bui," imagine hear a reader say, II
don't care anything about your ridges
and water-courses- us hear something
about the early settlement of Ahb's Valley
and the Indian massacre you have promis-
ed" Very well, you shall be gratitied-