The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-02-22
For the VALLEY VIRGINIAN.
Augusta County, Va, One Hundred and
Thirty Years Ago.
NUMBER


4 One hundred and thirty years ago there
| were few localities on the American conti-
! nent that suffered more from Indian lepre-
| datIons than this section Of country, extend
ing from the Blue Ridge to the Ohio river.
In taking vengeance on their enemies,
there was no cruelty which could be exc
cutea, no species OF torture which their in
gentity could devise too severe to be inflict-
ed. Death by the faggot, by splinters of the
| most combustibe wood stuck in the flesh
| and fired, and other fortunes which the soul
sickens to read and reflect upon, were often
practiced Oh the first and brave settlers of
Augusta county.
10 an enemy Of their own color and race,
it is said they were more cruel than to the
white settlers. In such a case, every con-
ceivable torture was put in requist.on 70
draw forth sigh or a groan, or cause the
victim to betray some symptom of human
sensbility. But in almost. every instance the
victim remained sullen and revengeful No
change of circumstance unfixed his purpose.
He neither shrank from the knife nor WINGED
from the stake; on the contrary, he seemed
to exult in his agony, and Knocked his tor
mentors for the lenicncy and mildness of
their tortures.
Trumbull, in his history of Indian warfare,
tells of an instance of Narragansett who
had been captured by Major Talcott in 1919.
The prisoner, knowing his fate. begged to be
delivered to the Mohegans, that he might be
put to death in their own diabolical way.
The New Englanders complying with his
request, preparations were made Cor the ira
gical event. The Mohegans formed circle,
and admitting within it as many OF the
whites as chose To witness their proceedings,
placed the prisoner In the centre. One Of
the Mohegans, who had lost a son in pre-
v;ous engagement, with knife cut of the
victims ears, then his nose then the fingers
off each hand, and, after q lapse OF few
moments his eyes were dug out and the
sockets filled with hot cmbers. Yet the pris-
oner, instead OF bewailing his fate, seemed to
surpass his tormcnters i'll expressions of joy.
At length, when exhausted with loss OF
blood and unable to stand, his executioner
closed the tragic scene by beating ont his
brains with tomahaWk.
Such were the kind of fiends the early set
tiers of New England and West Virginia had
to contend against. Fathers and sons, leav-
ing their homes to obtain food and the neces-
sites Of life for their families, were frequently
intercepted by the Indians. who were con-
stantly prowling along the border settle
der. Occurrences of this kind, and, indeed,
of many Of more important character, no
longer exist in the memory OF the ''oldest
inhabtant;'' but, on one occasion, however,
such was the extent OF savage duplicity, and
so full of horror the catastrophe, resulting
from misplaced confidence, that the e,ents
which marked it still live in the records Of
the descendants Of some OF those who suf-
fered by the act of treachery and blood.
On the South Fork of the South Branch OF
the Potomac, in what is nov the county of
Pendleton, was the fort of Capt. Sibert. In
this fort the inhabitants OF what was then
called the Upper Tract all sought shelter
from the tempest of savage ferocity, and, at
the time the Indians appeared before it, there
were contained within its walls between
thirty and forty persons of both sexes and
different ages. Among them was Mr. Dyer
and his family, the father of Col. Dyer, for
| many years a citizen of Pendleton county.
On the morning of the fatal day, young Dyer
and his sister left the fort for some object,
ane, although the Indians had not been seen
there for some time, yet they had not pro-
cecded far before they came in view of a
party of fol ty or fifty Shawnces going direct
| ly owards the fort. Alarmed for their own
safety, as well as for the safety of their
friends, the brother and sister endeavored by
hasty flight to reach the gate and gain ad-
mittance into the fort, but before they could
| effect this, were overtaken and made pris-
oners.
| The Indians rushed Immediately to the
4 fort and commenced furious assault on it..
i Capt. Sbert proposed, but not without much
i opposition, to negotiate with and buy off the
etierny. With this view, his suggestion pre-
vailed, and, under flag Of truce, he Went
otit and soon succeeded in making the wished
for arrangement. When he returned, the
gates were thrown open and the enemy adj
mtted. No sooner had the money and other
articles stipulated to be given been handed
over, when most bloody tragedy was begun.
rows, with space of about ten feet between
them, two Indians were selected, who, TAX
ing each station at the head Of row, with
their tomahawks murdered almost every per-
son in the fort. Some few, whom caprice
or some other cause induced them to spare,
were carried into captivity. Such articles as
could be we'll carried were taken away, the
remainder were consumed with the fort by
fire.
The course pursued by Capt. Sibert, it is
said, was dictated by timidty and an ILL
founded apprehension Of danger from the
attack. 1t is certain that strong opposition
was made to 1t by many, and his own sou
raised his rifle to shoot him when he ordered
the gates to be thrown open, and was only
prevented from executing his purpose by the
j. interference OF some one near mini. Inc
, fort was weak and incapable of withstanding
vigorous siege, and lily supplied with mu
nitions OF war. Experience should have
taught them, however, the futility Of any
measure Of security founded on IEdiar
I faith and mercy in time Of hostility; and il
deep aud bitter anguish were they made t.
feel its realization in this instance.
? In the summer OF 1861 about sixty Shaw
: nees penetrated the settlements on jaime
: river. 10 avoid the fort at the mouth o
e Looney's creek on this river, they passei
e through Bowen's Gap, on Purgato.y noun
/. tain, in the night. While ascending Purga
n tory creek, they killed Thomas Perry, Josep
+ Dennis and his child, and made prisoner Q
k his wife, Hannah. They then proceeded t
+ the house OF Robert ReniN, where they cap
d tured Mrs. ReniX, who was daughter c
h Sampson Archer, aud her five children, Wi
n liam, Robert, Thomas, Joshua aid Betsy
+ Mr.. Renix escaped only short time by nc
e being at home. They then went to til
o house of Thomas Smith, where Renix wa
o and shot and scalped him and Smith, an