Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1873-06-10

we shudder at their brutal sport in maxim
their captives run the gauntlet we can bu
smile witbal over the story of young School
craft, who, on receiving the first blow as he en-
tered the gauntlet, turned Justify to fight tn
Indian who struck him, when all the Others G
once left the lines, crowded round the boy, an,
encouraged him 10 the contest, until he COZ
quered the Indian; and forthwith he was re
leased, to become privileged faTorite 10 tn
tribe. AT the bloody massacre on Carr
Greek, in Rock bridge county, an.lndian, while
scalplng Thomas Gilmore, was knocked dowI
by Mrs. Gilmore with an iron kettle another
Indian ran with uplifted tomahawk to kill her
and was only stopped by the one who lay bleed
ing from the blow she had given him, calling
quickly to him, don't kill her, she is gooC
warrior" and this magnauimity in savage
saved her life.
Tradition in the Trimble family of Augusts
tells that the beautiful farm yet In their pos
session was shown their ancestor by an Indian
10 return for some favor done him long before
10 the woods of Pennsylvania and that fol
many years afterwards, VIXEN the Indians ap
peared In this Deighborhood for murder anC
raploe, that family was always unmolested-
though visited, and draught of fresh milk
from the dairy and mess of hominy invariably
demanded and taken, as token of peace. The
families OF fBumgardner, Croft, and some others
obtained by treaty from the Indians, permis
sion to settle and hunt upon the Monongahela
river; but when the war Of IVA commenced
Governor Duamore sent message to war;
them that if they remained all would be killed
An Indian who happened to hear it delivered
replied most Indignantly to. the messenger,
tell your king he is damned liar; Indian nc
kill these men," And tho families in fact re-
rnained there unharmed throughout all the
horrors Of that bloody war.
80 comparatively silent is history concerning
this border warfare, that few appreciate how
formidable were the Indian warriors in battle.
Their personal daring, fareoty, and untiring
thirst for revenge may be known, bat they are
regarded still as ignorant saVages, unskilled to
conduct campaigns, and contend in associated
armies against the trained troops Of civilized
ilte. The failacy of this idea could be readily
shown, but it must suffice here TO glance only
at the characteristics Of the principle chieftains
that led them In these wars, and whose devo-
ton to the interests OF their people, wisdom In
council skill in strategy and chivalIic boldness
10 battle. have lett fame and "a name to
other times" that may we'll rival the glory of
the proudest heroes in the world.
The great Emperor Pontiac" the war chief
OF the Ottawas-the most Influential of the
Northern tribes was the first who appeared
n the hostile field against the settlers Of this
Valley. he Was described by one writer who
knew him, as "a person of remarkable appear
ance, OF singularly foe countsnanee aud of COM
mandlng appearance. Another says he ''ha-
bltpaily wore an air Of priacey grandeur"
and "the many acts CT magnanimity which il
lustrated his lie might have made him fit
comrade for the knights of the middle ages"
Another adds, that in point of native talent,
courage, magnanimity, and integrity, be will
compare, Without prejudice with the most re-
noWned OF clylll4eG potentates and conquerors.
he hrat appears IN history, IN TAG. as the
leader OF the Indian forces that successfully de-
tended the French IN Detroit against an attack
OF hostile tribes. In the Aeadian wars, 10 l747,
he fought with the French, as the leader OF the
Indian allies, against the Engiish, and he was
the most conspicuous caiettain In the defence
OF Fort Duquesne. And on that ever nemora-
bic morning of the 9;h of July, 1855, when the
crystal waters OF the Monongahela glittered
with the sheep OF FURNISHED arms and brilliant
Uniforms OF the British troops, Under the brave
but boaStful Braddock, ali UNCONSCIOUS that the
silent forests covered with It's shadows host of
hidden t0es-it was Pontiac who devised that
fatal ambuscade, and headed the allied bands
OF Indians and French that rushed down on
the devoted army, like the wolf on the fold"
lett eight hundred men hleless on that field
OF blood, and drove the survivors back in utter
alright to Fort Cumberland, ''the tarthest
light, says Smollet, that any army ever
made
The war Of lF63, known il history as "Pon-
TAG war, was one OF the most compreben-
siye ever conceived in all-the annals of Indian
warfare, and fell with it's greatest fury on tie
settlements OF the Valley, and throughout the
West. Pontiac visited in person most of the
Northern pations, aud his influence vas felt
from the Mlzpacs Of Nova Scotia to the Chero-
KEGS OF the South. More than twenty tribes
assembled at his call In the council of Niagara,
where his wonderful natural eloqueuce, through
winning appeals to the pride and even the su-
perstitions Of the Indian warriors, soon enlisted
all enthusiastically in his as a common cause.
Pontiac, himself, planned the entire cam
paign, assigning the time, the tribe, and the
war chief TO attack each one OF the English
posts on the extended frontier from Canada to
Carolina 1t was promptly put into execution
nlne British forts were surprised aud captured
IN rapid succession, the trading posts we're al
destroyed, and the captives murdered. Tbs
torts which wlthstood the assault were be-
eagaered for weary months by hostile savagec
without and gaunt famine within. Maraudiaa
parties pushed far into the panic-stricken set.
Elements, and committed the memorable mas.
sacres OF Muddy Creek and the Big Levels OF
the Greenbrier and Roanoke, in Virginia, and
In one merclless slaughter dep0pulated the
whole Valley of Wyoming, in Pennsylvania.
This daring and determined war of the rec
men of the wilderness called forth the utmost
strength OF the colonies, and the strongest sup
port Of the mother country to conquer it, III.
nally, General Broadstreet' S successful foray
quelied the savages of the North and in tht
South, the brave and skiiiful Colonel Boquet
IN command Of the provincial troops, among
whom were many companies from the county
OF Augusta, pushed far into the Indian coun
try7on the Musklngum and Ohio, aud com pellet
the savages to sue tor peace. But Pontiac
scornlDg to come to any terms, retired to th'
tribes of Illinois, and while engaged In rallyiua
another general movement, was assassinated BY
traitor Indian, whoss whole tribe was after
wards totally exterminated by the Ottawas, il
revenge for the death of their great cbieftain
A distinguished writer says that 'the memory
of the great Ottawa chief is yet held in rever
ence among the lodians of the West, and what
ever the fate which may await them, his name
and deeds will live in their traditionary nara
tives, increasing in interest as they increase il
years"
The peace which ensued the death of Ponti
ac was, to the frontier settlers, one In name
only. Too many bitter memories of the bloody
war, just closed, rankled in the savage breasts
to allow the fell spirit of revenge so suddenly
to submit at the command for peace. The
beautiful 'Indian.Summer, when the briian
hueS OF autumnal leaves roba the mountains a.
With the very banners of peace, was the leisur,
season OF the Indian, and the hereditary time
for his annual huntlnp carnival In these vaIiavs