The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-08-19
BEDFORD COUNTY.
Correspondence of the Richmond Dispa'ch.l
~ A e. 1870

' BUFoRD's, August IA, 1879.
After a long and weary tramp am resi-
ing on a moss-covered root. just in front OF
Mount-Zion church. The little picture be-
fore me is full OF interest. A beautiful noun.
tain, partially cultivated, limits the view in
front. Not more than twenty feet below my
seat, Just at the base OF the knoll. the "buI'
falo trail" of olden time passed along,
crossing one prong Of Goose creek. a hun.
dred yards to my right. Through that gate
yonder, perhaps fifty yards from here, /
detect the remains Of an Indian wigWam.
A short distance beyond this, right over
there in the bottom, Henry HoIston was
captured by Indians, and bis brother, whose
name I could not learn, was shot and killed
In the mulberry-tree which more than a
hundred years ago grew in this little bot
tom near the junction ct the two forks oil
Goose creek. .... ,...
In the "cut" Just across the railroad
bridge the skeletons of eleven Indians were
cxhumed by the hands who made the cut.
I am told that on the left arm Of one OF
these Indians the skeleton OF dog, and
on the right the skeleton OF child, were
found. Several implements and some brads
also were found buried with them.
On the top OF this little eminence through
which the cut was made, there stood, when
the whites first penetrated this section, an
old, rude Indian fort, not more than seventy
yards from the bridge. This hill was place
OF residence alao as well as fort and work.
shop. found arrow-points, fragments Of
pottery, pieces OF mussel.shells, and several
other relics among them small triangle
shaped piece OF polished slate, notched on
one edge and with hole in the sharp cor
ner; evidently neck ornament
About halfway down the slope OF this
hill. in small depression, slight eXcava-
ton, possibly you see the foundation OF the
when they made their way into these wilds,
and hadto protect themselves from the In
dianS. .f.. ...... ...
Between this and the top of the hill, Just
where the turnpike crosses, and where the
ancient buffalo trail crossed the bulge Of
the slope, Jacobus Early, in former times,
had his "tavern.' In this house, not a
vestige OF which now remans,-th traveller
stopped for the night, or TO drink from the
fine mineral springs in the swamp just In
the rear OF the house, perhaps a hundred
yards distant. These springs, famous in
their day, now totally "gone down." no
doubt have history in themselves. In this
tavern General Andrew Lewis, on his way
from Richmond, died and in the extensive
graveyard, now scarcely distineuishabe,
bis remains were deposited, and, according
to statements made to me, rest here still, by
the side of old Billy SCOTS bones.
Old fort. old block-house, old tavern, old
"springs." old Indian burying- place, mo-
dern graveyard, scene OF the capture of
one pioneer and death OF another, forks OF
Goose creek, railroad bridge and church.
all in the area OF twenty acres. Where will
we find another such bit of history? 2. !
The eye can take in the whole scene
at glance. Historic ground, every foot Of
it. But however much we may feel dis.
posed to push aside the dust OF years that
hides the "border warfare" or conceals
the warriors OF that day, to speculate per-
haps in part through tradition, again TO re-
store heroic deeds, we must desist, fold our
paper, close our ink-horn. and tramp on to
some other field. Respectfully.
"''5.' "' VENTURE.