Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-03-19


der of the MOravians are now to be !
detailed.
The pressure of the Indian war
along the whole of the western
frontier, for several years preceding
tho event under consideration, had
been dreadfully severe. From early
in the spring until the commence
ment Of winter from day to day
murders were committed in every
direction by the Indians. Thepeo-
pie lived in forts which were in the
highest degree uncomfortable. The
men were harrass0d continually
with the duties Of going on scouts
and campaigns. There was scarcely
family of the first settlers who
did not, at some time or other, lose
more or less Of their number by the
merciless Indians. Their cattle
were killed, their cabins burned,
and their horses carried of. These
losses were severely felt by peo
pie so poor as we were at that time.
Thus circumstanced our people
were exasperated to madness by
the e1teRt and severity of the war.
The unavalling endeayors Of the
| American congress to prevent the
Indians from taking up the hatchet
against either side in the RevOlu-
tionary contest contributed much
to increase the general Indignation
against them, at the same time
those pacific cndeayors of our gov
ernmeDt divided the Indians among
themselves on the question of war
or peace with the whites. The Mo-
ravians, part of the Delawares, and
some others, faithfully endeavored
to preserve peace, but in vain. The
Indian maxim was, che that is not
for us is against u.s. Hence the
Morayian missionaries aud their
followers were several times on the
point of being murdered By the
warriors. This would have been
done had it not been for the pru-
dent conduct of some of the war
chiefs.
On the other hand, the local sit
uation of the Morayian villages ex-
cited the jealousy of the white peo.
pie. II they took no direct agency
in the war, yet they we're, as they
were then called, "half.way houses"
between us and the warriors, at
which the latter could stop, rest,
refresh themselves, and traffic off
their plumber. Whether these aids,
thus given to our enemies, were
contrary to the laws OF neutrality
between belligerents, is question
which willingly leave to the de-
cision of civilians. On the part of
the Moravians they were unavOid-
able. 1t they did not give or sell
provisions to the warriors, they
would take them by force. The
fault was IN their situation, not in
themselves.
The longer the war continued,
the more our people complained OF
the situation of these Moravian
villages. 1t was said that it was
owing to their being so near us that
the warriors commenced their
depredations so early in the spring
and continued them until so late in
the fall.
In the latter end Of the year
1871 the militia of the frontier came
to a determination to break up the
MOravian villages on the Muskin-
gum. For this purpose detach.
ment OF our mon went out under
the command of Col. David WI.
Hanson, for the purpose of inducing
the Indians with their teachers to
move farther of, or bring them
prisoners to Fort Pitt. When they
arrived at the villages they found
but few Indians, the greater num-
Der of them having removed to
Sandusky. These few were well
treated, taken to Fort Pitt, and de-
llvered to the commandant of that
station, who, after a short deten-
ton, sent them home again.
This procedure give great ollense
to the people of the country, who
thought the Indians ought to have
been killed. Col. Williamson, who,
before this little campaign, had
been a very popular man, on ac-
count of his activity and bravery
r in war, now became the subject OF
severe animadversiOn on account
, Of his leniency to the Moravian ln-
, dians. In justice to his memory |
have to say that, although at that
: time very young, | was personally
, acquainted with him, and from my
r recollection of his conversation ]
say with confidence that he was a
r brave man, but not cruel. lie would
meet an enemy in battle and night
like a soldier, but not murder a
, prisoner. Had he possessed the
t authority of a superior officer in g
regular army, 1 do not believe that
a a single Moravian Indian would
have lost his life; but he possessed