Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-01-29
HISTORY OF THE VALLEY.
CHAPTER K
CONCLUDED.
JACOBS ACCOUNT OF DUNMoREs
WAR WITH THE INDIANS.

JACOBS ACCOUNT OF DUNMOREs S
WAR WITH THE INDIANS.
Rut to conclude this part Of our
subject, | think the reader cannot
but see from Dunmore's prOclama-
ton. the violent measures OF his
lieutenant CannOly and the Nir-
ginia officers, and from the com
plexion o. he times, and the sub
sequent Of lo,S Dunmore and Can
nolv. as W. slall see hereafter
that this unhappy state of things,
if not actually produced, was GER
tainly improved by Dunmore to
snbserve of the British court.
We now proceed to examine the
question, how far facts and circum-
stances Justify us in supposing the
carl of Dunmore himself instru-
mental in predicting the Indian war
of l774.
1t has been already remarked
that this Indian war was but the
precusor to our revolutionary was
of I775-that DunmOre, the then
governor of Virginia, was one OF
the most inveterate and determln-
ed enemies to the revolution-that
he was a man of high talents, es-
pecially for intrigue and diplomatic
skill-that occupying the station
of commander-in. chief Of the large
and respectable State Of Virginia,
he possessed means and power to
do much to serve the views of
Great Britain. And we have seen
from the preceding pages, how ef'
fectually he played his part among
the inhabitants of the western
country. was present myself
when a Pennsylvania magistrate,
of the name of Scott, was taken IN
to custody, and brought before
Dunmore, at PrestOne old fort; he
was severely threatened and dis
missed, perhaps on bail, but l do not
rccollect how another Pennsylya'
MIA magistrate was sent to Staun-
ton iail. And | have already
shewn in the preceding pages, that
there was sufficient preparation
of materials for this war IN the
predisposition and hostile attitude
of our affairs with the Indians
that it was consequently no diff
cult matter with a Virginia Cover
nor to direct the incipient state OF
things to any point most condu-
Give to the grand end he had in
view, namely, weakening our ma
tional strength in some of its best
and most efficient parts. If, then,
a war with the Indians might have
a tendency to produce this result,
it appears perfectly natural and rea-
sonable to suppose that Dunmore
would make use of all his power
and influence to promote it t; and
although the var of 1774 was
brought to conclusion before the
year was out, yet we know that
this fire was scarcely extinguished
before It burst out into a flame with
tcnfold fury, and two or three ar.
mics of the whites we're sacrificed
before we could get the Indians
subdued ; and this unhappy state
of our affairs with the Indians hap
pening during the severe conflict
of our revolutionary war, had the
very effect, | suppose, Dunmore
had in view, namely, dividing our
forces and enfeebling our aggre'
gate strength and that the seeds
of shese subsequent wars with the
Indians were sOwn in IVA and l77j,
appears almost certain.
Yet still, however, we admit that
we are not in possession of ma,eri
ais to substantiate this charge
against the earl and all we can
do is to produce some facts and
circumstances that deserve notice,
and haye a strong bearing OH the
case.
And the first we shall mentiOn(a)
is a circular letter sent by Maj.
Connoly, his proxy, early in the
spring of the year l774,warning the
inhabitants to be on their guard
that the Indians were very angry,
and manifested so much hostility.
that he was apprehensive they
would strike somewhere as soon as
the seGsOH icOuid permit, and en-
joining the inhabitants to prepare
and retire into forts, &c. 1t might
be useful to collate and compare
this letter with one he wrote TO
Capt. Cresap on the 14th July fol
lowing see hereafter. In this let
ter he declares there is war or
danger of war, before the war is
properly begun in that to Capt.
Cresap he says the Indians deport
themselves peaceably, when Dun.
more and Lewis aud COrDstalk are
all on their march for battle.
This letter was sent by express
in every direction Of the country.
Unhappily we have lost or mislaid
it, and consequently are deficient
! in a most material point in its date.
But from one expression in the
letter, namely, that the Indians
will strike when the season per-
mits, and this season is generally
understood to mean when the leaves