Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-01-08

grown, were carried of prisoners.
Lieutenant Samuel Fry raised n
force of between thirty and forty
men, pursued, and came in sight OF
them, unobserved, at the Short
mountain. near the Allegany. Fry's
party prepared to fire; but untor-
tunately one of the white girls step
ping accidentally before their guns,
the intention was frustrated, and
Fry being discovered the next mo-
ment, he ordered his men to charge.
This was no soOnor done than the
Indians broke and ran off, leaving
their guns, prisoners and plundcr :
the two young females were thus
rescued and brought safely home.
Another family in the same
neigh borhood, by the name of Day,
were attacked, several killed, and
two of the daughters taken of. \
party of eighteen or twenty whites
pursued them. The girls, as they
travelled through the mountains,
expecting pursuit, took the precau-
tion (unobserved by their captors)
to tear off and frequently drop small
scraps Of white linen, as well as
pluck off branches Of bushes, and
drop them as trail, by which
means their friends could readily
discover their rOnte. \ brother to
the girls, young man, was one of
the pursuing party. The Indians
were Overtaken on the South Branch
mountain; aud as soon as seen,
preparations were made to give
them n deadly fire. But the young
Day, in his eagerness to avenge the
death of bis father and family, pre-
maturely fired, killing the object Of
his aim, when the others preclpi-
lately fed, leaving everything be-
hind them. They had cut off the
| girls petticoats at the knees, in or
der thatthey should be able to make
more speed in travelling. The girls
were brought safe home.
There were several instances of
the Indians committing murders on
the whites about the Potomac and
South Branch several years before
Braddock's defeat. About the year
1852, n man by the name Of James
Davis was killed, pretty high up
the Potomac; and in the succeed
ing year, William Zane and sever
al Of his family were taken prison
crs on the South Branch, in the
now county Of Hardy. Isaac Zane,
one Of his sons, remained during
his life with tho Indians. The au-
thor saw this man at ChillicO'he in
the autumn Of l797, and had some
conversation with him upon the
subject of his captivity. He stated
that he was captured when about
nine years old was four years
without seeing a whitcpcrson had
learned the Indian tongue quite
well, but never lost a knowledge Of
English, having learned to spell in
two syllables, which he could still
do, although pretty well advanced
IN years. He also said that a trader
came to the Indian village four
years after his captivity, and spoke
to him in English, of which he un-
derstood every word ; that when
he grew up to manhood, he mar
ried a sister of the Wyandott king,
and raised a family Of seven or
eight children. His sons were all
Indians in their habits and DISPOSE
tions; his daughters, four Of them,
all married white men, became civ
| ilized, and were remarkably fine
women, considering the opportuni-
lies they had had for Improvement.
This man possessed great inhu-
ence with the tribes he was ac-
ouainted with and as he retained
regard for hisnative cOuntrymen,
was several times instrumental III
bringing about treaties of peace
The government Of the United
J States granted him 4 patent for ten
thousand acres of land, which he
| claimed as his private property
, and when the authOr saw him he
was on his way to Philadelphia tC
apply for confirmation Of his title
J lie was a near relation to the late
: Gen. Isaac Zane, Of Frederick coun
ty, Virginia.
j About the same time that Mr.
4 Zane's family were taken prisoners
0 as just related, an Indian killed {
l. white man near Oldtown, in Mary
i land, but was, in return, killed b.
y the late Capt. Michael Cresap, thel
;, a boy, with a pistol, while he wa
d in the act of scalping the whit
= man. (a)
J. About the year 1888 there wer
h two white men who disguised them
10 selves in the habit OF Indians, an
y appeared in the neighbOrhOOd {
v the present site of Martlnsburg.-
r. They were pursued and killed, suI
IT posing them to be Indians. (b)
h was no uncommon thing for III
)f principled scoundrels to act in tn
manner. Their object was to frigh
IS en- people to leave their homes, /
r. order that they might rob an
m plunder them of their most val
J, able articles. (c) The Indians wei
m frequently charged with on
RACES they never committed.