The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-01-30


asue!iy murdered simos. very Viii
person in the fort; some few, whom
caprice or some other cause induced
them to spare, were carried into cap,
tirity. Snch articles as could be we'll
carried away were taken Of by the
Indians, and the remainder vas
consumed, VIA lie saT.. by ere.
TIE course parsrsd BY Captain
Sitert, has bcensapposhd,ahayebeen.
dictated by timidity aud anil founded
IaFpgrhefsioh Of danger from the at
I,taekrs' It is csrtain that strong
opposition vas made tot. By many;
Andit has been said that his own son.
raised hia .siaesto, shootIhimi when he
orderedthe gatesto be thrown open !;
and was only prevented from executing
his purpose BY the interference Of some
Lear tohim. Captain Sivcrt was also
supported by many in the plan which
. he proposed to rid the fort Of its as.
sailants: it was known TO be weak and
incapable of withstauding vigorous
onset; and its garrison was lily
supplied with the munitions Of war.
Experience might have taught them,
however the futility Of any measure of
security, founded in reliance on
Indian faith in time Of hostility, and
in deep and bitter anguish were they
made to feel lis realization in the
present instance.
In the summer of1761, about sixty
Shawance warriors penetrated the
settlements on J mes river. To
avoid the fort at the mouth of Lconey's
creek, on this river, they passed
through Bowen's gap, in Pnrgatory
mountain, in the night: and ascending
Pargatory creek, killed Thomas Perry.
JOSEPH Dennis ard his child, ndmads
3 prisoner his wife, Hannah Dennis.
They then proceeded to the house Of
! Robert Renix, where they captured
Mrs. Renix, q daughter of Samuel
Archer.ahd herfve children, William,
E Robert, Thomas, 'Joshus and Betsy
Mr., Renix not being at home. They
thea went to the house of Thomas
. Smith, where Renix was, and shot and
/, scalped him and Smith, and took with
: them Mrs, Smith and Sally Jew, .
: q white servant girl. nsiat
William and Audley Maxwell and
George Matth, We, afterwards Cover,
nor OF Georgia., were then going to
Smiths house, and hearing the report
Of the guns, supposed there was a
shooting match. But when they rode
to the front ofthe house and saw the
dead bodies Of Smith and Renix lying
+ in the yard, discovered their mistake,
and contemplating for moment the
. awful spectacle, wheeled to ride back.
AT this instant several guns were fred
at them, fortunately withou, doing
any harm, except the cutting of the
club ofMr. Matthew cue. The door
of the house was then suddenly
opened; the Indians rushed out
and raising the war cry, several Of
them fred-Audlcy Maxwell was
slightly wounded in the arm.
1t appeared afterwards that the In.
4 dians had seen Matthews and the Max.
wells coming, and that some of them
had crowded into the house, while the
Others with the prisoners went to the
north side of it, and concealed them
selves behind some fallen timber.
Mrs. Renix, after she was restored to
her friends in 1866, stated that she
was sitting tied, in the midst Of four
Indians, who laying their guns on a
log, took deliberate aim at Matthews,
the others firing at the Maxwells.
The sudden wheeling Of their horses
no doubt saved the lives Of ali three.
The Indians then divided. and TWEEN
ty of them taking the prisoners,
plumber and SINE horses which they had
stolen, set offby The way of Jackson's
river, for the Ohio; the remainder
started towards cedar creek. with the
ostensible view Of committing further
depredations. But Matthews and the
| Maxwclls had sounded the alarm, and