The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-02-01
QUITS.
For the VALLEY VIRGINIAN.
Augusta County, Va, One Hundred an d
Thirty Years Ago.
NUMBER 4.

The unfortunate result of Braddock's CAM
paign of 1775, gave to the French a complete
ascendency over the Indians on the Ohio.
distress on the frontier settlements of Vir-
ginia. The incursions of the savages be-
came more frequent, and were extended so
far, that apprehensons existed of an erup-
ton into the country east of the Blue Ridge.
This state of things continued until the cap
ture of Fort du Quesne in 175S, by General
Forbes.
The citizen Of the present generation who
has not made the border warfare a study as
it existed one hundred and thirty years
ago, can have but a faint idea what the first
settlers of Northwestern Virginia suffered
by the frequent attacks of the Indians OIL the
small and almost helpless settlements. Fer
cool and desperate courage and activity on
the part of the whites, the jealousy, cunning
and barbarty on the part OF the savages were
never equaled in any age or country. Scarce
ly settlement was exempt from monthly
attacks of the blood-thirsty red-skin brutes.
It is said that Charles Lewis, the youngest
son of John Lewis, never spent one month
at time out Of active and arduous service.
Charles was the hero Of many gallant ex-
plot, which is still treasured in the memo
rises of the descendants OF the border rifle
men. There are few families among the Ale
ghanies where the name and deeds Of Chas.
Lewis are not familiar as household words.
On once occasion Charles was captured by
the Indians while on a hunting excursion,
and after having Travelled some two hundred
miles, ba, efooted, his arms pinioned behind
him, goaded on by the knives and toma-
hawks of his remorseless captors, he effect
ed his escape. While travelling along on the
banks of precipice some twenty feet in
height. he suddenly, by strong muscular
exertion, burst the cords which bound him,
and plunged down the steep precipice into
the bed OF mountain torrent. The sava-
ges hesitated not to follow. In a race Of
several hundred yards, Lewis had gained
some few yards upon his pursuers, when,
upon leapng fallen tree which lay across
his way, his strength suddenly failed, and he
fell PROSTATE among the weeds which had
grown up in great quantity around the body
Of the tree. Three of the indians sprang
over the tree within few feet where he lay
concealed but with feeling OF the most
devout thankfulness, he saw them one by
one disappear in the dark recess OF the for
est. He now bethought himself of rising
| from his uneasy bed, when 10! a new enc
my in the shape of an enormous rattlesnake,
which had thrown into the deadly coil SO
near his face his fangs were within = few
inches of his nose; and his enormous rattle as
it waved to and fro once, rested on his ear.
A single contraction of the eye-lid, convul-
sive shudder, the relaxation of single mus
Gle, the deadly serpent would have sprung
upon. In this situation he lay foc several
minutes, when the serpent, probably sup
posing him to be dead, crawled over his
body and moved slowly away. After much
risk, and nearly dying with hunger. he
reached his home.
short time after this narrow escape. ar
attack was made upon the scttlem O
Fl Lewis, at time when the whole force o
the settlement was out on duty. So grea: wa
the surprise, that many of the men and chill
dren were captured within sight of the fort
though far the greatest number escaped a,lt
concealed themselves in the woods. Th'
fort was occupied by John Lewis, then very
old and feeble, his wife and two young wo
men. John opened a port hole, where he
stationed himself, firing.at the savages, Will
Margaret, his wife, reloaded the guns. II
this manner he sustained siege of six hours
during which he killed upwards of score o.
savages, when he was relieved by the pres
ence of his friends.
i About the year 1854, an attempt was made
by Daniel Tygart and Mr.. Files to estah
: lisll themselves on an upper branch OF tin
Monongahela river. They had been TO
some time frontier men, and familiar witt
the scenes usually exhibited or remote an
unprotected borders, and nothing daunte
by the cruel murders and savage enormltle
which they had previously witnessed, Wer
induced by some cause, most probably tn
enioyme mt of the forest in pursuit q
game, We injured still further into the forest
The same year these two men with thei
families arrived at the east fork Of the Nc
nongailela, and after examining the country
selected a position for their future residence
Files selected a spot on the river at the mout
of creek which still bears his name, whe
Beverly, the county seat of Randolph ma
been established. Tygart settled few mile
further up on the same creek, the valley