Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1885-12-25

wounded. The little remnant re-
treated to the fort, whittier the
wounded also arrived. Three In.
diams fell in this battle, and several
were wounded. The victOrS secured
the white mems horses, and took
them of. (a)
Just before the above action
commenced, Mr.. Vanmeter, an old
man, mounted his horse, rode upon
a high ridge, and witnessed the
battle. He returned with all speed
to the fort, and gave notice OF the
defeat. The old man was killed by
the Indians in l751.
After committing to writing the
foregoing account, the author re-
ceived from his friend DR.. Charles
A. Turley, of Fort Pleasant, a more
particular narrative of the battle,
!
which the author will subioin, in
the doctors own words:
"The memorable battle of The
Trough (says DR.. Turley) was pre-
ceded by the following circum-
stances. On the day previous, two
Indian strollers, from large party
of sixty or seventy warriors, under
the well known and ferocious chief
KilI.buck, made an attack upon the
dwelling Of Mrs. Brake, on the
| South fork of the South branch OF
the Potomac, about fifteen miles
above Mooreheld, and took Mrs
Brake and Mrs. Neti' prisoners
The former not being able TO travel
from her situation, was tomahawk'
ed and scalped, and the latter
brought down to the vicinity OF
Town fort, about one and a ball
miles below MOOrefeld. There ono
of the Indians, under the pretence
of hunting, retired, and the Other
laid himself down and pretended to
fall asleep, with a view, as was be
lieved, to let Mrs. Nef1 escape to the
fort, and give the alarm. Every
thing turned out agreeably to theiT
expectations for as soon as she
reached the fort, and related the
circumstances of her escape, Is men
from that and Buttermilk fort, five
miles above, went in pursuit. They
were men notorious for their valOr,
and who had been well tried on
many such occasions.
GAS soon as they came to the
place indicated by Mrs. Neff, they
found plain trace left by the In
dian, by occasionally breaking a
bush. Mr.. John Harness, who was
well acquainted with the manners
and mode of warfare of the Indians,
pronounced that the hunter Indian
I had not returned to his comrade, or
that they were IN great force some
where near and in ambush. They
however pursued the trace, without
discovering any signs Of a larger
party, until they arrived between
two mountains, forming what from
its resemblance is called The
Trough. Here, directly above a
fine spring about 200 PAGES from
the river, which at that time was
filled to an impassable stage by a
heavy fall of rain, these grim mon
sters of blood were cncamped, to
the number above stated. The
western face Of the ridge was very
PERCEPTIONS aud rough, and on the
north of the spring was a deep IA
vine, cutting directly up into the
ridge above. Our little band of
heroes, nothing daunted by the su'
perior number of the enemy, dis
mounted unObserved, and prepared
for battle, leaving their horses on
the ridge. But by one of those un-
foreseen and almost unaccountable
accidents which often thwart the
seemingly best planned enterprises,
a small dog which had followed
them just at this juncture started a
rabbit, and went yelping down the
ridge, giving the Indians timely
notice Of their reprOach. They i'm
mediately flew to arms, and filing
of up the ravine before described
passed directly into the rear of Oul
little band, placing them in th'
very situation they had hoped t.
find their enemies. between thu
mountain and the swollen river
Now came the "tug of war;" an'
both parties rushed to the onset
r dealing death and slaughter Il
. every fire. After an hour or two O
hard fighting, during which each @
/, our little band bad numbered hi
: man, and more than half their mum
Der had fallen TO rise no more, thos
Q that remained were compelled t
. retreat, which could only be effect
r ed by swimming the river. Som
who had been wounded, not bein
able to do this, determined to Sc
5 their lives as dearly as possible
= and deliberately loading their rifles
= and placing themselves behind som
s cover on the river bank, dealt Gel
\ tain death to the first adversar
who made his appearance, and the
f calmly yielded to the tomahawk.
= awe cannot herepass over with
r out mentioning one Of the man
j. despOtic acts exercised by the the
+ colonial government and its officer
d towards the uno6ending cOlonst
d At the time of which we are speal
ing, there were quartered in Fol