Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1885-12-04

hi liioSiNi =, "hN Noih'hN"N~
retreat homewards. When they
reached this place, they made u
halt, AID number Of them com
menced fishing. Their Catawba
enemies, close in pursuit, discover
ed them, and threw party of men
across the river, with another in
their front. Thus enclosed, with
the rock on one side, party on
the opposite side Of the river,
another in their front, and another
in their rear, a most furious and
bloody onset was made, and 1t is
believed that several hundred Of
the Delawares were slaughtered
Indeed, the signs now to be seen
at tins place exhibit striking evil
dences of the fact. There is a row
of Indian graves between the rock
and public road, along the margin
of the river, from sixty to seventy
yards in length. 1t is believed
that but very few of the Dclawares
escaped.
There are also signs of bloody
battle having been fought at the
forks OF the Wappatomaka; but Of
this battle, if it ever occurred, the
author could obtain no traditional
account.
Tradition also relates that the
Southern Indians exterminated q
tribe, called the SepedOs, on the
North fork of the Shenandoah river,
at present the residence Of William
Steenbergen, Esq, in the county of
Shenandoah. About the year 1884,
Benjamin Allen, Riley Moore, and
William White, settled in this
neighborhood. Benjamin Allen
settled on the beautiful estate call
ed Aliens bottom. An aged In
dian frequently visited him, and on
one occasion informed him that the
" Southern Indians killed his whole
nation with the exception OF him
self and one Other youth that this
bloody slaughter took place when
he, the Indian, was small boy" (a)
From this tradition, it is probable
this horrid affair took place some
time shortly after the middle Of the
seventeenth century. Maj. Andrew
Keyser also informed the author
that an Indian once called at his
grandfather's, in Lancaster county,
Pennsylvania, appeared to be much
agitated, and asked for something
to eat. After refreshing himself,
he was asked what disturbed him.
lie replied, "The Southern Indians
have killed my whole nation"
There are also evident signs of
the truth of this tradition yet to
be seen. On Mr.. Steenbergen's s
land are the remains of an Indian
mound, though it is now plowed
down. The ancient settlers in the
ncighborhood differ in their opinion
as to its original height. When
| they first saw it, some say il was
eighteen or twenty feet high, others
| that it did not exceed twelve or
fourteen, and that it was from
| fifty to sixty yards in circumfer-
ence Mt the base. This mound 1as
literally filed with human skclc-
tons and it is highly probably that
this was the depository of the dead
after the great massacre which
took place as just related.
This brief account of Indian bat
ties contains all the traditionary
information the author has been
able to collect, with one exception,
which will be noticed in the next
chapter. There is, however, a
tradition, that on one particular
occasion, a party Of thirty Della
ware Indians, having penetrated
far to the south, surprised a party
, of Catawbas, killed several, anC
; took a prisoner. The party ofDel
/ awares, on their return, called a
, Mr.. Joseph Perrill's near Winches
I ter, and exulted much at their sue
= cess. The next day a party of ter
T Catawbas called at Mr.. Perrill's il
pursuit. They enQuired when thei
q enemy had passed. Being informed
! they pushed of at brisk step
I overlook the thirty Delawares a
the COhougorutOn, (POtOmac,) killet
q every man, recovered their prisoner
, called at Mr.. Perril1s on their re
r. turn, and told what they hat
n done. (b) But it is probable TIN
q is the same affair which took plac
at the mouth OF the Antietam
. though it is possible that it ma.
be a different one. Mr.. TOmlinso
is under the impression that ther
was an Indian battle fought at th
y mouth of OpeQuon.
Is The author has seen and con
a yersed with several aged and rC
> spectable individuals, who we
/. fecOllect seeing numerous war pal
IT ties OF the Northern and SOuther
n indians passing and repassin
u through the Valley. Several warrio
" paths have been pointed ont
r. him. One of them led from tn
Of Cohongoruton, (Potomac,) aud pas
o. ed little west of WinchestC
d. southwardly. This path forked
few miles north of Winchestel
he and one branch of it diverge
more to the east, crossed tn
" Opequon, very near Mr. Carter
OF paper mill, on the creek, and lc