The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1877-09-28

words Of hope to her aged mother by her
side, resigned herself to her fate. But she
was not destined then 10 die. The position
which her husband held in the "reber'
ranks, and the eminent services which he
had rendered the cause of independence,
caused him to be peculiarly obnoxious to
the enemy. The Indians we'll knew that
Jane had constantly aided her father and
husband in their efforts against the English
government, and had been Of great service
to the friends Of liberty in Cherry Valley.
Both were marked for vengeance, and hence
Jane and her children were considered I'M
portant captives. While the other women
and children we've released in Gay OF two
after being ransomed by their frends, TO
such mercy was extended to the ,Campbells.
The Indians after a long consultation ap-
preached Jane, and told her that she aud
her children must accompany them to the
land of the Senecas. Her mother, the aged
and infirm wife of Captain Cannon: felt
conscious that she would never be able to
perform the journey. Jane enGeavored TO
tranquilize her mind and sustain her spirit
though she herself felt little hope. On the
second day OF their journey. her mother be-
came fatigue,l, and while Jane was endeav-
o,ing to aid her faltering steps and encour-
aging her to exert her utmost strength, an
Indian approached and struck her down
with his tomahawk. Her murdered parent
fell by her side, aud the same Indian with
his bloody weapon threatened the lie of
poor Jane if she for one moment stopped or
relaxed her speed. Without being allowed
to close her dying mothers eyes, or receive
her last sigh, she was hurried onward by
her savage foes. She carried i'll her arms
an infant eighteen months old, and for the
sake of her helpless little ones, dragged ON
her weary cps in spite of her failing
strength until the evening shadows covered
the forest and the savages rested for the
night. The journey was long, arduous,
and melancholy one. The captives were
takeu down the valley of the Susquehanna
20 its junction with the Tioga, aud thence
into the western part of New York, to the
Indian Castle, the capital OF the Seneca
nation, near the site OF the present town of
Geneva. Here it terminated. "The whole
region" says the author of The Women Of
tie -in.eltcan ReroLution, was lthen All
uubroken wilderness, with here and there
an Indian settlement, aud the journey was
performed by Mrs. Campbell on foot, with
her babe in her arms. Her other children
were separated from her ou the way, being
given To Indians of different tribes, aud On
her arrival al the village her infant also -
the last link that visibly bound her to home
aud family and civilIZatIon-waSt taken from
her. This To the mothers heart, was the
severest trial, and she often spoke of it i'll
after years rs the mosrccruel of all suffer
iugs. The helpless babe chung to her when
torn away by savage hands, and she could
hear its piercing cIies till they were lost in
the dis.aucc.'
A fierce aud dreaiy winter followed, and
in the long gloomy nights when sleep
brooded over the children of the forest,
and the chilly blast of The North swept
through the leafless trees, the lonely cap
live sat i'll her wigwam communiug With
her own thoughts, thinking of her lost
husband aud children, OF her father and
her friends, knowing not wheihar they
were dead ~ alive, Yet always trusting i'll
the mel cies of her Saviour, and hoping for
the best. At times, as she afterwards OBJ
served when restored to home and family.
her mind reverted back to the days aud
scenes Of her childhood, and she i'll fancy
would cunjure up befoie her the green
iieids and meadows where in infancy she
pIayed, the tbatched schoOlhouse which
she at tended, and the brown mountains
which bounded the Irish home. The Gi
ans Causeway, with all its weird aud
mys eriuus pillars. was present in her i'm
apination. aud she could fancy the break
ing of the angry surf against its rocky
sides THUS dreaming of home and friends
the tedious winter passed away.
Jane WAS placed i'll an Indian family,
composed of females with The exception OF
one aged man. With the tact which al
ways distinguished her, she made herself
useful aud agreeable to the Indian maideus
aud soon secured their confidence. One
day All Indian visited her, and observing
the cap sue wore, said he had one like it
and would give IL To her. He invited her
to his cabin, and pulled from behind
beau cap of Il smoky color and handed
1t to her, saving that he had taken ii from
a women in Cherry Valley. 1t had cut
III the crown made by Il tomaha"k, and
was spotted with blood. She recognized
it as having belonged to the unfortunate
Jane Wells. She shrank with horror from
the murderer of her friend.
In the meantime Colonel Campbell was
making every exeitio in his power to re-
cover his wife and children from the Seu
ecas. tic sent messengers to all the tribes
to ascertain their fate, and negotiate meas
ures for the release of those who might
still be alive. He proposed an exchange
of Mrs. Campbell and her children for The
wife and SONS of Colonel John Butler, the
noted partisan leader, which was agreed
upon by Governor Clinton and General
Schuyler. Early in the spring Colonel
Cam bell dispatched an Indian messenger
to Colonel Butler at Niagara. With some
difficulty, the exchange was agreed upon,
for Mis-. Campbell had SD endeared herself
20 the savages that they were loath to par.
with her At length, in June, 1873, an
Indian came to her cabin, aud told her
that she was free. She was sent To Fort
niagara where many persons took refuge,
preparations being made for an expected
attack by Geuerel Sullivan. Among them
came Katrine Montour, o" Queen Hes er,
as she was called by the savaSes, fury
who had figured in the horrors Of Wyom-
ing. This bloodthirsty female had mur-
dered with her own hand mole than do
zcn patriot prisoners, captured in the bat
tie One of her SONS having taken pr'so-
ner Captain Cannon in the night oi Cherry
Valley, aud brought him 10 the lndian
country. it may be conceived what were
the feelings of his daughter Jane, ou hear
ing her reproach the savage for not having
killed him at once, to avoid the incum-
brance of AN old aud feeble man.
For one year Mrs. Campbell remained at
the fort in company with her children, all
n Va