Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-07-02

across the mountain to a place OF
safety. lie was on visit to his
family, accompanied by Il young
man. Seven Indians approached
his house, and were IN the yard be
fore discovered. Armstrong told
the young man to jump into bed,
and he threw "A blanket over him.
The Indians pushed into the house
and Armstrong went to the bed,
raised the blanket, and asked the
man if he was better. lie replied
in the negative. An Indian lmme-
diately asked "man very sick|
ayes, small pox very bad They
cried "w0ughn and ran of, crying
as they ran, "small pOx! small
pox p as far as they could be heard.
1t is said the Indians are dreadful
/ ~ afraid of this disorder. Arm.
strong, by this stratagem saved
himself and property from being
touched by the enemy.
In the year l77l, in the month of
June. there were four white iami-
lies settled on the head waters of
Grcenbrier, and apprehensive of
danger, removed their families in
to the settlement where they were
safe. a man by the name of John
Johnston came in, and stated he
had seen fresh signs Of Indians
The late Col. John Dickinson, a
brave and active Indian fighter,
raised a party of twenty.seyen men,
and marched out but it WAS two
or three days before they found
any traces of Indians. They went
to Jacob Rifles house, found the
beds totally cut open, and the feath-
ers scattered to the wind. The In
dians had kept themselves 80 com
pletely concealed, that they could
not be discovered yet they con-
trived to kill one OF Dickinson's
men. named Malone, and wounded
Robert McClay. Col. Dickinson
was himself pretty severely wound
ed at the battle of the Point, in
the year 177l, under Col. Lewis
The ball penetrated high up his
shoulder and came out very near
his spine. Yet he soon recovered,
suffering but little from the wound.
The Indians, after few days lurk-
ing about, and discovering Dickin-
sons party to be too strong for
them, fled. 1t is said there were
only three Indians in the party.
The warrant of Mr.. Jos. Maye's
land was issued in 17i3, surveyed
in 174G,-patent or grant issued in
1861. Jos. Maye, Esq, at about
twelve years of age, was taken pris-
oner by a party of Indians; but was
rescued by his friends after five days
captivity, and brought safely home.
This venerable and intelligent man
was wounded at the battle at the
Point. He was at the time prepar-
inc 10 shoot the Indian that wound
ed him. who was standing behind
a tree that was rather small to pro-
tect him. It had a crook in the
body. below which Mr.. Mayc at
TEMPTED 20 fire at him-iOr which
purpose he bent his right knee and
stopped little; bit the fellow was
too quick for him, fred at him
and struck him very near the
can OF his knee. The ball rang
ed down the bones Of his leg,
shiyering them pretty much. lie
was not able to walk for three years
afterwards. lie however 80 far re-
covered as to be able to use his leg
about twenty years or upwards;
but it frequently would inhame and
break out, and he was finally COM
PEELED to have it amputated above
his knee. When the author saw
this highly respectable old gentle
man, he was eighty.fOur years Of
age, and appeared to enjoy fine
health.
A story was told to the writer, of
rather singular and extraordinary
character Seven Indians were
lurking about one of the forts. y
Young woman had walked out, per
haps i'm search of wild fruit. The
seven Indians seized her and took
her of. They proceeded a few
miles, and halted for the purpose
Of terrifying the unfortunate girl
; They stripped her, tied her hands
above her head to a sapllng, and
threw their tOmahawks at her, try
ing how near they could pass their
instruments by her body without
wounding her. A bold an enter
prising hunter happened to be with
in hearing Of her screams, and ran
, to see what produced the poor girls
ttrrors. As hr approached he dis
covered the Sc,Ir. and with his rifle
killed one Of the ldrty; the other
six fed. and the hunter ran TO the
relief Of the rrfortunate sufferer,
Instantly cut ;he taadage from her
hands, threw his hunting shirt
arould hrl, and directed her TO run
to the fort, and hc instantly re
loaded lis rifle aud followed heI.-
! The remaining Indians, discovering
there was but one man, gave chase,
The hunter discovering this, slack
ened his pace, and as they ap
preached pretty near him, brought
another down. He was master oI
the art of loading as he ran. The
remaining five continued the chase