Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1906-10-26
Fort Seybert,

The following Intei
Gle is copied from the Pocahonta
ri Times. The authors n, name is n, no
known to us. the headlines, which
we suppose threw some light upol
that feature, being illegible. |
will be read with interest oy gu
people, many of whom are decsn
dants Of the victim OF this horriol
massacre.
On the south fork of the Soutl
Branch of the Potomac in Pendle
ton county. West virginia stoo'
Fort Seybert, the scene OF tn
bloodiest Indian massacre that eve
occurred on the soil Of West Vir
GINA. One hundred and forty
eight years have passed since then
and not outstanding the fact thai
the savages burned the fort, ant
made the destruction as complete
as possible, it is surprising that Sc
much remains to this time to throw
light on the happenings OF that ia
tai day when Killbuck through the
basest treachery, obtained posses
sion of the block house and MUIR
dered men. woman and children
who had taken shelter there.
Tt was one Of the most meIar.
choly eveEts in our history, and
important in many ways; yet no
historian who has ever written OF
it took the pains to make a person
al investigation. Lerchevel wrote
brief story in his day, but he was
evidently never Oh the scene; and
other writer's have copied him. One
writer, whose history is used in
some of the counties Of West Vir.
GINA, gives picture of old fort
Sey bert. The picture is pure tic
ton and gives no idea Of the shape
and size of the fort, or the ground
on which it stood.
Having desire to see the place
of the massacre, and collect all the
historical data possible at this late
day, | left Crabbottom, in High
land county, Virginia, in the after
noon of Adjust ri. South Branch
there, only creek of tolerable size
breaks through massive tilted stra-
ia which originally walled in the
valley of Crabl,ottom, and through
a picturesque gorge the little river
then plunges and roars oyer the
lodges as it takes it's way among
the Mountains. Three miles below
the gorge We passed into Pendleton
county, and six miles farther we
went into camp in rain storm,
having walked II miles that day.
The next day we left the South
Branch and crossed the mountains
toward the South Fork. The day
was stormy, and after a walk OF
five miles we made our camp and
remained until the next day. Six
miles farther we reached the South
Fork, beautiful little river, flow
ing oyer smooth bed Of gravel, at
the base of the Shenandoah noun
tains.
1t was a fine dap, and we walked
IA miles down the picturesque val
ley Of the South Fork, and camp
ed that night on the river bank
Two miles above fort Seybert. At
s o'clock the next morning we
reached our destination.
In the third year Of the French
and Indian war an Indian chief
named Killbuck, who lived near
tina site Of Pittsburg, appeared be-
fore fort Sey bert with large band
of followers The settlers, to the
number of about so men, women
and children. had gathered in the
fort for safety. The place was not
garrisoned by troops, but depended
for defense on those who took shell
ter there. Captain Seybert was in
command, The presence of the
Indians in the vicinity was quickly
discovered and a messenger was
sent across the Shenandoah noun.
tains for held. ~
The Indians meanwhile recon-
noirted the fort, and one of their
spies crawled within 80 feet Of the
stockade and was mortally wound
ed by Captain Seybert's son, who
was stationed in the, top OF the
block.house. The Indian was
peeping over rock when shot.
Il