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NARHATIVES

KNIGHT AND SLOVER

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M«i>i(3t« mm(uu$.

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NAKRATIVES

or THE

PERILS ANr> SUFFEBINGS

DR. KNIGHT AND JOHN SLOVER,

AMONG THE INDIANS,

SVRIMa TBB

REVOLUTIONARY WAR,

WITH SHORT UEM0IS8 QT

COL. CRAWFORD & JOHN SLOYER.

AND A LETTBE FROM H. BKACKINEIDGE, ON THB niQHTS OF
THE INDIANS, ETC.

CINCINNATI :

[Reprinted /roin the NaihviUe edition »/ IMS,]

1867.

l'/«rj;'r-3-.airt- ^t-e'^'^

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PUBLISHER'S NOTICE.

^ <

The first edition of these Narratives was printed
in Pittsburgh, in 1782, in pamphlet form : a copy
can hardly be procured now at any price. Another
small edition was printed in Nashville in 1843, which
has become exceedingly scarce. It is hoped this
reprint may prove acceptable to all interested in tho
early history of our country, and struggles of the
Pioneers with the Indiana. '

* ¥:■

m^'

Five hundred copies only, (letter press) are printed
of this edition.

U. P. JAMES,

Cincinnati, O., 1867.

G^ LSO

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^^^ ^r ^^^^^^^^ mii^L^^%

TO THE PUBLIC.

The two following Narratives were transmitted for
publication in September last, but shortly afterwards
the letters from Sir Guy Carlton, to his Excellency,
General Washington, informing that the Savages
had receired orders to desist from their incursions,
gave reason to hope that there would be an end
to their barbarities. For this reason it was not
thought necessary to hold up to view what they
had heretofore done. But as they still continue
their murders on our frontier, these Narratives may
be serviceable to induce our government to take
some effectual steps to chastise and suppress them ;
as from hence they will see that the nature of an

8 TO TBS PUBLIC.

Indian is fierce .nd eruel, and tbat an extirpation of
hem would be useful to the world, and honorable
to those who can effect it.

^uguzt 3, 1782.

■ I

T-

■«-■

LETTER.

Mr. Baily :

Enclosed are two Narratives, one of Dr. Knight,
who acted as Surgeon in the expedition under
Col. Crawford, the other of John Slover. That of
Dr. Knight was written by himself at my request ;
that of Slover was taken by myself from his mouth
as he related it.

This man, from his ohildhood, lived amongst
the Indians ; though perfectly sensible and intel-
ligent, yet he cannot write. The character of
Dr. Knight is well known to be that of a good
man, of strict veracity, of a calm and deliberate
mind, and using no exaggeration in hiu account of
any matter.

1 1

' I

i :

LETTER.

As a testimony in favor of the veracity of Slover,
I thought proper to procure a certiHcate from the'
Clergyman to whose church he belongs, and which
I give below.

H. BKACKINRIDGE.

" I do hereby certify that John Slover has been
for many years a regular member of the church un-
der my care, and is worthy of the highest credit.

WILLIAM RENO."

Pitulurg, August 3, 1782.

THE

NARRATIVE OF DR. KNIGHT.

BOUT the latter end of the
month of March or the begin-
ning of April, of the present
year, (1781) the western Indiana
began to make incursions upon
the frontiers of Ohigan and
Washington, Youghugany and Westmorleaa
counties, which has been their constant practice
ever since the commencement of the present war
between the United States and Great Britain.
In consequence of these predatory invasions,
the principal officers of the above mentioned
counties, namely : Colonels Williamson and
Marshall, tried every method in their power to
2

»j ST.

NARRATIVE OF

set on foot an expedition against the Wyandot
towns, which they could effect no other way
than by giving all possible encouragement to
volunteers. The plan proposed was as follows :
Every man furnishing himself with a horse, a
gun, and one month's provisions, should be
exempt from two tours of mihtia duty. Like-
wise, that every one who had been plundered
by the Indians, should, if the plunder could be
found at their towns, have it again, proving it
to be his property, and all horses lost on
the expedition by unavoidable accident were
to be replaced by horses taken in the enemy's
country.

The time appointed for the rendezvous, or
general meeting of the volunteers, was fixed
to be on the 20th of May, and the place, the
old Mingo town, on the west side of the
river Ohio, about forty miles below Fort Pitt,
by land; and I think about seventy-five by
water.

Col. Crawford was solicited by the general
voice of these western counties and districts
to command the expedition. He accordingly
set out as a volunteer, and came to Fort Pitt
two days before the time appointed for the
assembUng of the men. As there was no

DR, KNIQHT.

Surgeon yet appointed to go ^ith the ex-
pedition, Col. Crawford begged the favor of
Gen. Irvin to permit me to accompany him,
(my consent having been previously asked,) to
which the General agreed, provided Col. Gibsou
did not object.

Having obtained permission of the Col., I
left Fort Pitt on Tuesday, May 1st, and the
next day about one in the afternoon, arrived at
the Mingo bottom.

The volunteers had not all crossed the river
until Friday morning, the 24th, they then dis-
tributed themselves into eighteen companies,
choosing their captains by vote. There were
chosen also, one Col. Commandant, four field
and one brigadier Major. There were four
hundred and sixty-five that voted.

We began our march on Saturday, May
25th, making almost a due West course, and
on the fourth day reach the old Moravian town,
upon the river Muskingum, about 60 miies
from the river Ohio. Some of the men having
lost their horses on the night preceding, re-
turned home.

Thursday the 28th in the evening, Major
Brenton and Captain Bean, went some distance
liom camp to reconnoitre j having gone about

•J

NARRATIVE OF

iil'

lie

I'j

one quarter of a mile thoy saw two Indians,
upon whom they fired, and then retreated to
camp. This was the first place in which we were
discovered, as we understood afterwards.

On Thursday the 4th of June, which was
the eleventh day of our march, about one
o'clock we came to the spot where the town
of Sandusky formerly stood ; the inhabitants
had moved 18 miles lower down the creek
nearer the lower Sandusky ; bat as neither our
guides or any who were with us had known any
thing of their removal, we began to conjecture,
there were no Indian towns nearer than the
lower Sandusky, which was at least forty miles
distant.

However, after refreshing our horses we ad-
vanced on S( arch of some of their settlements,
but had scarcely got the distance of three or
four miles from the old town when a number of
our men expressed their desire to return, some
of them alleging that they had only five days
provisions ; upon which the field Officers and
Captains, determined in council, to proceed
that afternoon and no longer. Previous to the
calUng of this council, a small party of light
horse had been sent forward to reconnoitre.

I shall here remark by the way, that there

I i

■SStSSJ~

DR. KNIGHT.

are a "^ent many extensive y)l.'iins in that coun-
try. The woods in general giov very thin, and
free from brush and underwood ; so that light
horsemen may advance a considtrable distance
before an army without being much exposed
to the enemy.

Just as the council decided, an express re-
turned from the above mentioned party of light
horse with intelligence that they had been
aVout three miles in front, and had seen a
la.ge body of Indians running towards them.
In a short time we saw the rest of the light
horse, who joined us, and having gone one mile
further, met a number of Indians who had
partly got possession of a piece of woods be-
fore us, whilst we were in the plains ; but our
men alighting from their horses and rushing
into the woods, soon obliged them to abandon
that place.

The enemy being by this time reinforced,
flanked to the right, and part of them coming
in nearer, quickly made the action more
serious. The firing continued very warm on
both sides from four o'clock until the dusk of
the evening, each party maintaining their
ground. Next morning, about six o'clock,
their guns were discharged, at the distance

1p:

NARRATIVE OF

of two or three. hiindrod vards, which continned
till day, doing little or no execution on either
side.

The field officers then assembled and agreed,
as the enemy were every moment increasing,
and we had already a number of wounded, to
retreat that night. The whole body was to
form into three lines, keeping the wounded in
the centre. We had four killed and twenty-
three wounded, of the latter, seven very dan-
gerously, on which account as many biers were
got ready to carry them ; most of the rest were
slightly wounded and none so bad but they
could ride on horseback. After dark the offi-
cers went on the out-posts and brought in all
the men as expeditiously as they could. Just
as the troops were about to form, several guns
were fired by the enemy, upon which some of
our men spoke out and said, our intention* was
discovered by the Indians who were firing
alarm guns. Upon which some in front hurried
off and the rest immediately followed, leavinj;
the seven men that were dangerously wounded,
some of whom however got off on horseback,
by means of some good friends, who waited
for, and assisted them.

We had not got a quarter of a mile from

I*-.

DR. KNIOHT.

the field of action when I hea 'd Col. Crawford
calling for his son, John Crawford, his son-in-
law, Major Harrison, Major Rose and Wm.
Crawford, his nephews, upon which I came up
and told him I believed they were on before us.
He asked was that the doctor ? I told him it
was. He then replied they were not in front,
and begged of me not to leave him. I promised
him I would not

We then waited and continued calling for
these men till the troops had passed us. The
Colonel told me his horse had almost given out,
that he could not keep up with the troops,
and wished some of his best friends to remain
with him. He then exclaimed against the
militia foi riding off in such an irregular man-
ner, and leaving some of the wounded behind,
contrary to his orders. Presently there came
two men riding after us, one of them an old
man, the other a lad. We enquired if they
had £.een any of the above persons ? They
answered they had not.

^y this time there was a very hot firing be-
fore us, and as we judged, near where our main
body must have been. Our course was then
.nearly Southwest, but changing it, we went
north about two miles, the two men remaining

' ^

f i

<\ i

1 «

NARRATIVE OF

in company with us. Judging ourselves to be
now out of the enemy's lines, we took a due
East course, taking care to keep at the distance
of fifteen or twenty yards apart, and directing
ourselves by the North star.

The old man often lagged behind, and when
this was the case, never failed to call for us to
halt for him. When we were near tho Sandusky
creek he fell one hundred yards behind, and
bawled out, as usual, for us to halt. While we
were preparing to reprimand him for making
a noise, I heard an Indian halloo, as I thought,
one hundred and fifty yards from the man,
and partly behind him. After this we did not
hear the man call again, neither did he ever
come up to us any more. It was now past
midnight, and about daybreak Col. Crawford's
and the young man's horses gave out, and they
left them. We pursued our journey East-
ward, and about two o'clock fell in with Capt.
Biggs, who had carried Lieut. Ashley from the
field of action, who had been dangerously
wounded. We then went on about the space
of an hour, when a heavy rain coming on, we
concluded it was best to encamp, as wo were
enc^umbered with the wounded officer. W^e then
barked four or five trees, made an encampment

DR. KNIGHT.

and a fire, and remained there all that night.
Next morning we again prosecuted our jour-
ney, and having gone about three miles found
a deer which had been recently killed. The
meat was sliced from the bones and bundled
up in the skin, with a tomahawk lying by it.
We carried all with us, and in advancing about
one mDe further, espied the smoke of a fire.
We then gave the wounded officer into the
charge of the young man, directing him to
stay behind whilst the Colonel, the Captain
and myself walked up as cautiously as we
could toward the fire. When we came to it,
we concluded, from several circumstances, some
of our people had encamped there the pre-
ceding night. We then went about roasting
the venison, and when just about to march,
observed one of our men coming upon our
tracks. He seemed at first very shy, but
having called to him, he came up and told us
he was the person who had killed the deer,
but upon hearing us come up, was afraid of
Indians, hid it in a thicket and nnade off. Upon
this we gave him some bread and roasted
venison, proceeded all together on our journey,
and about two o'clock came upon the paths by
which we had gone out. Capt. Biggs and

!•

NARRATIVE OF

!' I

myself did not think it safe to keep the road,
but the Colonel said the Indians would not
follow the troops farther than the plains, which
we were then considerably past. As the
wounded officer rode Capt. Biggs' horse, I lent
the Captain mine. The Colonel and myself
went about one hundred yards in front, the
Captain and the wounded officer in the centro*,
and the two young men behind. After we had
traveled about one mile and a half, several
Indians started up within fifteen or twenty
steps of the Colonel and me. As we at first
discovered only three, I immediately got be-
hind a large black oak, made ready my piece
and raised it up to take sight, when the
Colonel called to me twice not to fire, upon
that one of the Indians ran up to the Colonel
and took him by the hand.

They were Delaware Indians of the Winge-
nim tribe. Captain Biggs fired amongst them
but did no execution. They then told us to
call these people and make them come there,
else they would go and kill them, which the
Colonel did, but they forgot us and escaped
for that time. The Colonel and I were then
taken to the Indian camp, which was about
half a mile frum the place where we were

DR. KmOHT.

captured. On Sunday evening five Delawares
who had posted them -elves at some distance
further on the road brought back to the camp,
where we lay, Captain Biggs' and Lieutenant
Ashley's scalps, with an Indian scalp which
Captain Biggs had taken in the field of action ;
they also brought in Biggs' horse and mine,
they told us the other two men got away
from them.

Monday morning the tenth of June, we
were paraded to march to Sandusky, about
thirty-three miles distant ; they had eleven
prisoners of us and four scalps, the Indians
being seventeen in number.

Col. Crawford was very desirous to see a
certs in Simon Girty, who lived with the Indians,
and was on this account permitted to go to
town the same night, with two warriors to
guard him, having orders at the same time to
pass by the place where the Col. had turned
out his horse, that they might if possible,
find him. The rest of us were taken as far
as the old town which was within eight miles
of the new.

Tuesday morning, the eleventh. Col. Craw-
ford was brought out to us on purpose to be
marched in with the other prisoners. I asked

J ^

i
\

(II

■■' !.t

■1

: .-V

NARRATIVE OF

the Col. if he had seen Mr. Girty ? He told me
he had, and that Girty had promised to do
every thing in his power for him, but that the
Indians were very much enraged against the
prisoners; particularly Captain Pipe one of the
chiefs ; he likewise told me that Girty had in-
formed him that his son-in-law Col. Harrison
and his nephew William Crawford, were made
prisoners by the Shawanese, but had been
pardoned. This Captain Pipe had come from
the town about an hour before Col. Crawford,
and had painted all the prisoner's faces black.
As he was painting me he told me I should go
to th^ jhawanese towns and see my friends.
When the Col. arrived he painted him black
also, told him he was glad to see him and that
he would have him shaved when he came to
see his friends at the Wyandot town. When
we marched the Col. and I were kept back
between Pipe and Wyngenim, the two Delaware
chiefs, the other nine prisoners were sent for-
ward with another party of Indians. As we
went along we saw four of the prisoners lying
by the path tomahawked and scalped, some
of them were at the distance of half a mile
from each other. When we arrived within
half a mile of the place where the Col. was

DR. KNIGHT.

jcuted, we overtook the five

that

pnsoners

remained alive ; the Indians had caused them
to sit down on the ground, as they did also the
Col. and me at some distance from them. I was
there given in charge to an Indian fellow to
be taken to the Shawanese towns.

In the place where we were now made to sit
down there was a number of squaws and boys,
who fell on the five prisoners and tomahawked
them. There was a certain John McKinly
amongst the prisoners, formerly an officer in
the 13th Virginia regiment, whose head an
old squaw cat off, and the Indians kicked it
about upon the ground. The young Indian
fellows came often where the Col. and I were,
and dashed the scalps in our faces. We were
then conducted along toward the place where
the Col. was afterwards executed ; when we
came within about half a mile of it, Simon Girty
met us, with several Indians on horseback ; he
spoke to the Col., but as I was about one
hundred and fifty yards behind could not hear
what passed between them.

Almost every Indian we met struck us
either with sticks or their fists. Girty waited
till I was brought up and asked, was that the
doctor ?— I told him yes, and wont toward him

1 1

NARRATIVE OF

reaching out my hand, but he bid me begone
and called me a damned rascal, upon which
the fellows who had me in charge pulled me
along. Girty rode up after me and told me I
was to go to the Shawanese towns.

When we went to the fire the Col. was strip-
ped naked, ordered to sit down by the fire and
then they beat him with sticks and their fists.
Presently after I was treated in the same man-
ner. They then tied a rope to the foot of a
post about fifteen feet high, bound the Col's
hands behind his back and fastened the rope
to the ligature between his wrists. The rope
was long enough for him to sit down or walk
round the post once or twice and return the
same way. The Col. then called to Girty and
asked if they intended to burn him ? — Girty
answered, yes. The Col. said he would take
it all patiently. Upon this Captain Pipe, a
Delaware chief, made a speech to the Indians,
viz.: about thirty or forty men, sixty or seventy
squaws and boys.

When the speech was finished they all yelled
a hideous and hearty assent to what had been
said. The Indian men then took up their guns
and shot powder into the Colonel's body, Irom
his feet as far up as his ueck. I think not

I .

'. t

DR. KNIGHT.

•y

less thnn seventy loads were discharged upon
his naked body. They then crowded about
him, and to the best of my observation, cut
oil' his ears ; when the throng had dispersed a
tittle I saw the blood running from both aides
of his head in consequence thereof.

The fire was about six or seven yards from
the post to which the Colonel was tied ; it
was made of small hickory poles, burnt quite
through in the middle, each end of the poles
remaining about six feet in length. Three or
four Indians by turns would take up, indi-
vidually, one of these burning pieces of wood
and apply it to his naked body, already burnt
black with the powder. These tormentors
presented themselves on every side of him with
the burning faggots and poles. Some of the
squaws took broad boards, upon which they
would carry a quantity of burning coals and
hot embers and throw on him, so that in a short
time he had nothing but coals of fire and hot
ashes to walk upon.

In the midst of these extreme tortures, he
called to Simon Girty and begged of him to
shoot him ; but Girty making no answer he
called to him again. Girty then, by way of
derision, told the Colonel he had no gun, at the

l«fe-xl

^ I

NARRATIVE OF

same time turning about to an Indian who
was behind him, laughed heartily, and by all
his gestures seemed delighted at the horrid
scene.

Girty then came up to me and bade me pre-
pare for death. He said, however, I was not
to die at that place, but to be burnt at the
Shawanese towns. He swore by G — d I need
not expect to escape death, but should suffer
it in all its extremities.

He then observed, that some prisoners had
given him to understand, that if our people
had had him they would not hurt him ; for his
part, he said, he did not believe it, but desired
to know my opinion of the matter, but beiiig
at that time in great anguish and distress for
the torments the Colonel was suffering before
my eyes, as well as the expectation of under-
going the same fate in two days, I made little
or no answer. He expressed a great deal
of ill will for Col. Gibson, and said he was
one of his greatest enemies, and more to the
same purpose, to all which I paid very little
attention.

Col. Crawford at this period of his sufferings
besought the Almighty to have mercy on his
soul, spoke very low, and bore his torments

DR, ENIOBT.

with the most manly fortitude. He continued
in all the extremities of pain for an hour and
three-quarters or two hours longer, as near as
I can judge, when at last, being almost ex-
hausted, he lay down on his belly ; they then
scalped him and repeatedly threw the scalp
in my face, telling me " that was my great
captain." An old squaw (whose appearance
every way answered the ideas people entertain
of the Devil,) got a board, took a parcel of
coals and ashes and laid them on his back and
head, after he had been scalped, he then raised
himself upon his feet and began to walk round
the post ; they next put a burning stick to him
as usual, but he seemed more insensible of
pain than before.

The Indian fellow who had me in charge,
now took me away to Capt Pipe's house, about
three-quarters of a mile from the place of the
Colonel's execution. I was bound all night,
and thus prevented from seeing the last of the
horrid spectacla Next morning, being June
12th, the Indian untied me, painted me black,
and we set off for the Shawanese town, which
he told me was somewhat less than forty miles
from that place. We soon came to the spot
where the Colonel had been burnt, as it was
3

NARRATIVE OF

) ! '

il^

partly in our way; I saw his bones lying
amongst the remains of the fire, almost burnt
to ashes; I suppose after he was dead they had
laid his body on the fire.

The Indian told me that was my Big Captain,
and gave the scalp halloo. He was on horse-
back and drove me before him.

I pretended to this Indian I was ignorant of
the death I was to die at the Shawanese towns,
assumed as cheerful a countenance as possible,
and asked him if we were not to live together
as brothers in one house when we should get
to the town? He seemed well pleased, and
said yes. He then asked me if I could make
a wigwam? — I told him I could — he then
seemed more friendly. We went that day as
near as I can judge about 25 miles, the course
partly Southwest. — The Indian told me we
should next day come to the town, the sun be-
ing in such a direction, pointing nearly South.
At night, when we wont to rest, I attempted
very often to untie in) sellj but the Indian was
extremely vigilant ^.nd scarcely ever shut his
eyes that night. About daybreak he got up
and untied me ; he next began to mend up the
fire, and as the gnats were troublesome I asked
him if I should make a smoke behind him — he

DR. KNIQUT.

said yes. I then took the end of a dogwood
fork which had been burnt down to about 18
inches long ; it was the longest stick I could
find, yet too small for the purpose I had in
view ; then I picked up another smaller stick
and taking a coal of fire between them went
behind him; then turning suddenly about, I
struck him on the head with all the force I
was master of; which so stunned him that he
fell forward with both his hands into the fire,
but seeing him recover and get up, I seized his
gun while he ran off howling in a most fearful
manner. I followed him with a determination
to shoot him down, but pulling back the cock
of the gun with too great violence, I believe I
broke the main spring. I pursued him, how-
ever, about thirty yards, still endeavoring to
fire the gun, but could not ; then going back
to the fire I took his blanket, a pair of new
moccasins, his hoppes, powder horn, bullet bag,
(together with the gun) and marched ofij
directing my course toward the five o'clock
mark ; about half an hour before sunset I came
to the plains which I think are about sixteen
miles wide. I laid me down in a thicket till
dark, and then by the assistance of the north
star made my way through them and got into

ImI

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I i

28 NARRATIVE OF

the woods before morning. I proceeded on
the next day, and about noon crossed the paths
by which our troops had gone out ; these paths
are nearly East and West, but I went due
North all that afternoon with a view to avoid
the enemy.

In the evening I began to be very faint, and
no wonder ; I had been six days prisoner ; the
last two days of which I had eat nothing, and
but very little the first three or four; there
were wild gooseberries in abundance in the
woods, but being unripe, required mastication,
which at that time I was not able to perform
on account of a blow received from an Indian
on the jaw with the back of a tomahawk.
There was a weed that grew plentifully in that
place, the juice of which I knew to be grateful
and nourishing; I gathered a bundle of the
same, took up my lodging under a large
spreading beech tree and having sucked plen- f '

tit'uUy of the juice, went to sleep. Next day, I
made a due Ea it course which I generally kept
the rest of my journey. I often imagined my
gun was only woo^l bound, and tried every |

method I could devise to unscrew the lock but ■

never could effect it, having no knife nor any
thing fitting for the purpose. I had now the

■i

DR. KNTGHT.

satisfaction to find my jaw began to mend, and
in four or five days could chew any vegetable
proper for nourishment, but finding my gun
only a useless burden, left it in the wilderness.
I had no apparatus for making fire to sleep by,
so that I could get but little rest for the gnats*
and musketoes ; there are likewise a great many
swamps in the beech ridge, which occasioned
me very often to lie wet ; this ridge, through
which I traveled, is about 20 miles broad, the
ground in general very level and rich, free
from shrubs and brush; there are, however,
very few springs, yet wells might easily be dug
in all parts of the ridge ; the timber on it is
very lofty, but it is no easy matter to make a
straight course through the same, the moss
growing as high upon the South side of the
trees as on the North. There are a great
many white oaks, ash and hickory trees that
grow among the beech timber; there are like-
wise some places on the ridge, perhaps for
three or foui continued miles where there is
little or no beech, and in sr.oh pots, black,
white oak, ash and hickory abou .d. Sugar
trees grow there also to a very great bulk —
the soil is remarkably good, the ground a little
ascending and descending with some small

LJK"

NARRATIVE OF

fl'

rivulets and a few springs. When I got out
of the beech ridge and nearer the river Mus-
kingum, the lands were more broken but equally
rich with those before mentioned, and abound-
ing with brooks and springs of water ; there
are also several small creeks that empty into
that river, the bed of which is more than a
mile wide in many places ; the woods consist
of white and black oak, walnut, hickory and
sugar tree in the greatest abundance. In
all parts of the country through which I
came the game was very plenty, that is to
say, deer, turkies and pheasants; I likewise
saw a great many vestiges of bears and some
elks.

I crossed the river Muskingum about
three or four miles below Fort Lawrence, and
crossing all paths aimed for the Ohio river.
All this time my food was gooseberries, young
nettles, the juice of herbs, a few service
berries, and some May apples, likewise two
young blackbirds and a terrapin, which I
devoured raw. When my food sat heavy on
my stomach, I used to eat a little wild giiiger
which put all to rights.

I came upon the Ohio river about five miles
below Fort Mcintosh, in the evening of the

DR. KNIQHT.

21st day after I had made my escape, and
on the 2 2d about seven o'clock in the morn-
ing, being the fourth day of July, arrived
sale, though very much fatigued, at the
Fort

A SHORT MEMOIR

COL. CRAWFORD.

OLONEL Crawford, was about
50 years of age, had been an
old warrior against the sava-
ges. He distinguished him-
self early as a volunteer in

the last war, and was taken

notice oi by Colonel [now general] Washing-
ton, who procured for him the commission of
ensign. As a partisan he showed himself
very active, and was greatly successful. He
took several Indian towns, and did great ser-
vice in scouting, patrolling and defending the
frontiers. At the commencement of this war
he raised a regiment in the back country by

MEMOIR OF COL. CItA WFORD.

his own exertions. He had the commission of
Colonel in the continental army, and acted brave-
ly on several occasions in the years 1776, 1777,
and at other times. He held his commission
at the time he took command of the militia,
in the aforesaid expeditioii against the In-
dians; most probably he had it with him
when he was taken. He was a man of good
judgment, singular good nature, and great
humanity, and remarkable for his hospitality,
few strangers coming to the western country,
and not spending some days at the crossing of
the Yohagany river, where he lived ; no man
therefore could be more regretted. n

MEMOIR

JOHN SLOVER.

ii.

^•a

I HE circumstances that took place,
previous to his being taken a
prisoner by the Indians the first
time, when he was only eight
years old, as related by his older
brother, Abraham. My father's
residence was on New river, Yirginia ; the
Indians came to my father's house, he be-
ing absent; we were a short distance from
the house; on discovering the Indians there,
the smaller children all ran to the bouse; while
I turned my course through a meadow to a
thick place of woods : when I came near the
woods I turned my eyes and saw two Indians

i >■

MEMOIR OF JOHN SLOVER.

pursuing me. I escaped, and they returned to
the house. They took my mother, brother,
and sisters prisoners, phmdered the house, and
took all they could cany ; then they took up
the line of march. But they had not gone far
before my father came home, and seeing the
devastation about the house, his family all
gone, being well assured it was the work of the
savages, it was too much for human nature to
bear. He hallooed ; the Indians hearing him,
they all stopped ; two warriors went back with
their guns, and in a short time my mother
heard the report of a gun ; in a few minutes
they returned with the horse and saddle my
father was riding ; my mother knew her hus-
band was killed.

They then went on their journey towards
the Indian towns, having nothing to eat but
wild meats ; through the latiguo of the jour-
ney, the two youngest children died in the
wilderness.

Our mother was exchanged after a number
of years, and returned, and lived with her chil-
dren ; she shortly afterwards died.

John Slover died near Red Banks, Kentucky,
at an advanced age, leaving seven childrtii,
some of whom are now living.

THE NARRATIVE

JOHN SLOVER.

AVING in the last war been a
prisoner amongst the Indians
many years, and so being well
acquainted with the country west
of the Ohio, I was employed as a
guide in the expedition under Col.
William Crawford against the Indian towns on
or near the river Sandusky. It will be unneces-
sary for me to relate what is so well known, the
circumstances and unfortunate events of that
expedition ; it will be sufficient to observe, that
having on Tuesday the fourth of June, fought
the enemy near Handusky, we lay that night
in our cump, and the next day fired on each

NARRATIVE OF JOHN SLOVER.

other at the distance of three hundred yards,
doinff Uttle or no execution. In the evening of
that day it was proposed by Col. Crawford, as
I have been since informed, to draw off with
order; but at the moment of our retreat the
Indians (who hid probably perceived that we
were nbout to retreat) firing alarm guns, our
men broke and rode off in confusion, treading
down tho^'e who were on foot, and leaving the
wounded men who supplicated to be taken
with them.

I was with some others on the rear of our
troops feeding our hordes in the glade, when
our m(^n began to break. The main body of
our people had passed by me a considerable
distance before I was ready to set out. I over-
took them bef »re they crossed the glade, and
was advanced almost in front. The company
in which I was had separated from me, and
had endeavored to pass a morass, for coming
up I found their horses had stuck fa.st in the
morass, and endeavoiing to pass, mine also in
a short time stuck fast. I ought to have said,
the company of five or six men with which I
had been immediately connected, and who were
some distance to the right of the main body,
had separated from me, &c. I tried a long

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NARRATIVE OF

I '■

I ^:

time to disengage my horse, until I could hear
the enemy just behind me, and on each side,
but in vain. Here then I was obliged to leave
him. The morass was so unstable that I was to
the middle in it, and it was with the greatest
difliculty that I got across it, but which having
at length done, I came up with the six men
who had left their horses in the same manner
I had done; two of these, my companions,
having lost their guns.

We traveled that night, making our course
towards Detroit, with a view to shun the
enemy, who we conceived to have taken the
paths by which the main body of our people
had retreated. Just before day we got into a
second deep morass, and were under the neces-
sity of delaying until it was light to see our
way through it. The whole .of this day we
traveled towards the Shawanese towns, with a
view of throwing ourselves still farther out of
the search of the enemy. About ten o'clock
this day we sat down to eat a little, having
tasted nothing from Tuesday, the day of our
engagement, until this time which was oa
Thursday, and now the only thing we had to
eat was a scrap of pork to each. We had sat
down by a warrior's path which we had not

JOUN S LOVER.

snspected, when eight or nine warriors appeared.
Running olf hastily we left our baggage and
provisions, but were not discovered by the
party ; for skulking some time in the grass and
bushes, we returned to the place and recovered
our baggage. The warriors had hallooed as
they passed, and were answered by others on
our flanks.

In our journey through the glade?5, or wide
extended dry meadows, about twelve o'clock
this day, we discovered a party of Indians in
front, but skulking in the grass and bushes
were not perceived by them. In these glades
we were in great danger, as we could be seen
at a great distance. In the afternoon of this
day there fell a heavy rain, and then traveling
on we saw a party of the enemy about two hun-
dred yards before us, but hiding ourselves in
the bushes we had again the good fortune not
to be discovered. This night we got out of the
glades, having in the night crossed the paths
by which we had advanced to Sandusky.

It was our design to leave all these paths to
the right and to come in by the T'^ -^arawas.
We would have made a much greater |> /ogress,
had it not been for two of our companions
who were lame, the one having his foot burnt,

♦

NARRATIVE OF

the other with a swelling in his knee of a
rheumatic nature.

On this day, which was the second after
the reti'eat, otie of our company, the person
affected with the rheumatic swelling, was left
behind some distance in a swamp. Waiting
for him some time we saw him coming within
one hundred yards, as I sat on the body of an
old tree mending my moccasins, but taking
my eye from him. I saw him no more. He had
not observed our tracks, but had gone a dif-
ferent way. Wt^ whistled on our chargers,
and afterwards hallooed for him, but in vain.
Nevertheless he was fortunate in missing us,
for he afterwards came safe into Wheeling,
which is a post of ours on the Ohio, about 70
miles below Fort Pitt. We traveled on until
night, and were on the waters of the Muskingum
from the middle of this day.

Having caught a fawn this day, we made
fire in the evening and had a repast, having in
the meantime eat nothing but the small bit
of pork I mentioned before. We set off at
break of day. About nine o'clock the third
day we fell in with a party of the enemy about
12 miles from the Tuscarawas, which is about
135 miles from Fort Pitt. They had come

JOHN SLOVER.

upon our tracks or had been on our flanks and
discoveied us, and then having got before, had
wavlaid us, and fired before we perceived
them. At the first fire one of my companions
fell before me and another just behind me;
these two had guns; there were six men in
company, and four guns, two of these rendered
useless by reason of the wet when coming
through the swamp the first night ; we had
tried to discharge them but could not. When
the Indians fired I ran to a tree, but an Indian
presenting himself fifteen vards before me,
directed me to deliver myself up and I should
not be hurt. My gun was in good order, but
apprehending the enemy behind might dis-
charge their pieces at me, I did not risk firing,
which I had afterwards reason to regret when
I found what was to be my fate, and that the
Indian who was before me and presented his
gun was one of those who had just before fired.
Two of my companions were taken with me
in the same manner, the Indians assuring us
we should not be hurt. But one in company,
James Paul, who h id a gun in order, made
his escape and has since come into Wheehng.
One of these Indians knew me, and was of the
party by whom I was taken in the last war.

'; i

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tf*

=^«BIPBBB«IP!«_ III II

NARRATIVE OF

■I

Ho C!imo up and spoke to me calling me b3^my
Indian name, Mannnchothee, and upbraiding
me for coming to v/ar against them. I will
take a moment here to relate some particulars
of my first captivity and my life since. I was
taken from New River in Virginia by the
Miamese, a nation called by us Picts, amongst
whom I lived six years, afterwards being sold
to a Delaware and by him put into the hands
of a trader. I was carried amongst the
ShawanesCj with whom I continued six years ;
so that my whole time amongst these nations
was twelve years, that is, from the eighth to
the twentieth year of my age. At the treaty
of Fort Pitt, in the foil preceding what is called
Dunmore's War, which if I am right, was in
the year 1773, I came in with the Shawanese
nation to the treaty, and meeting with some
of my relations at that place, was by them
solicited to relinquish the life of a savage,
which I did with some reluctance, this manner
of life havitig become natural to me, inasmuch
as I had scarcely known any other. I en-
listed as a soldier in the continental army
at the commencement of the presort t war,
and served fifteen months. Having been
properly discharged I have since married,

iBtl

JOHN SLOVER.

hnvo a family and am in communion with tiie
church.

To return, the party by whom we were
made prisoners had taken some horses, and
left them at the glades we had passed the day
before. They had followed on our tracks from
these glades, on our return to which we found
the horses and rode. We were carried to
Wachatomakak, a town of the Mingoes and
Shawanese. I think it was on the third day
we reached the town, which when we were
approaching, the Indians in whose custody we
were, began to look sour, having been kind to
us before and given us a little meat and flour to
eat, which they had found or taken from some
of our men on their retreat. This town is
small and we were told was about two miles
distant from the main town to which they
intended to carry us.

The inhabitants from this town came out
with clubs and tomahawks, struck, beat and
abused us greatly. One of my two companions
they seized, and having stripped him naked,
blacked him with coal and water. This was
the sign of being burnt ; the man seemed to
surmise it, and shed tears. He asked me the
meaning of his being blacked j but I was ibr-

NARRATIVE OF

bid by the enemy in their own language, to
tell him what was intended. In Enj^lish, which
they spoke easily, having been often at Fort
Pitt, thev assured him he was not to be hurt.
I know of no reason for making him the first
object of their cruelty unless it was *t he
was the oldest.

A warrior had been sent to the great town
to acquaint them with our coming and prepare
them for the frolic ; for on our coming to it, the
inhabitants came out with guns, clubs and
tomahawks. We were told that we had to run
to the council house, about three hundred
yards. The man that was blacked was about
twenty yards before us in running the gauntlet.
They made him their principal object, men.
women and children beating him, and those
who had guns firing loads of powder on him as
he ran naked, putting the muzzles of the guns
to his body, shouting, hallooing and beating
their drums in the meantime.

The unhappy man had reached the door of
the council house, beat and woinided in a man-
ner shocking to the sight ; for having arrived
before him we had it in our power to view the
spectacle — it was indeed the most horrid that
can be conceived. They had cut him with

£1 <

JOHN SLOVER.

}

their tomahawks, shot his body black, burnt
it into holes with loads of powder blown into
him; a large wadding had made a wound in
his shoulder whence the blood gushed.

Agreeable to the declaration of the enemy,
when he first set out he had reason to think
himself secure when he had reached the door
of the council house. This seemed to be his
hope, for coming up with great struggling and
ende'ivors, he laid hold of the door but was
pulled back and drawn away by them ; finding
they intended no mercy, but putting him to
death, he attempted several times to snatch or
lay hold of some of their tomahawks, but
being weak could not effect it. We saw him
borne off, and they were a long time beating,
wounding and pursuing and kiUing him.

That same evening I saw the dead body of
this man close by the council house. It was
mangled cruelly, and the blood mingled with
the powder was rendered black. The same
evening I saw him after he had been cut to
pieces, and his limbs and head about two hun-
dred yards on the outside of the town put on
poles. That evening also I saw the bodies of
three others: in the same black and mangled
condition j these I was told had been put to death

! ',:,

:'i|'

NARRATIVE OF

the same clay, and just before we had reached
the town. Their bodies as they lay were black,
bloody J burnt with powder. Two of these were
Harrison * and youn^ Crawford-f I knew the
visage of Col. Harrison, and I saw his clothing
and that of young Crawford at the town.
They brought horses to me and asked if I
knew them. I said they were Harrison and
Crawford's ; they said they were.

The third of these men I did not know, but
believe to have been Col. M. Cleland, the third
in command on the expedition. The next day
the bodies of these men were dragged to the
outside of the town and their carcases being
given to the dogs, their limbs and heads were
stuck upon poles.

* This wa8 Col. Harrison, son-in-law to Col. Crawford, one
of the first men in the Western country. He had been
greatly active on many occasions in devising measures for
the defence of the frontiers, and his character as a citizen
in every way, then a young man, distinguished and respec-
table. He had been a magistrate under the jurisdiction of
Virginia, and I believe a delegate to the Assembly of that
State. I know no man with whose grave, sedate manners,
prudent conduct, good sense and public spirit on all occa-
sions 1 was more pleased. H. B.

t This was a son of Col. Crawford. I do not remember
to have seen him, nor was I acquainted with his character
before the expedition, but have since been informed uni-
■versally, that he was a young man greatly and deservedly
esteemed aa a soldier aud as a citizen. 11. B.

JOHN SLOVER.

My surviving companion shortly after we
had reached the council house was sent to
another town, and I presume, he was burnt or
executed in the same manner.

In the evening the men assembled in the
council house; this is a large building about
fifty yards in length, and about twenty-five
yards wide, and about sixteen feet in height,
built of split poles covered with bark ; their first
object was to examine me, which they could do
in their own language, inasmuch as I could
speak the Miame, Shawanese and Delaware
languages, which I had learned during my early
captivity in the last war; I found I had not
forgotten these languages, especially the two
former, as well as my native tungue.

They began with interrogating me, concern-
ing the situation of our country, what were our
provisions ? our numbers ? the state of the war
between us and Britain ? I informed them Corn-
wallis had been taken, which next day, when
Mathew Elliot with James Girty* came, he

• These men, Elliot and Girty, were inlitibitunts of the
Western country, and since the commencement of the war,
for some time protessed an attachment to America, wont
off to the Indiana. They are of that horrid brood called
Refugees, and whom the devil has long siuce marked for
hia owu property.

! *

NARRATIVE OF

" ij

.p ., i

■f \,

.1. I ,,

affirmed to be a lie, and the Indians seemed to
give full credit to his declaration.

Hitherto I had been treated with some ap-
pearance of kindness, but now the enemy began
to alter their behavior towards me. Girty had
informed them, that when he asked me how I
liked to live there, I had said that I intended
to take the first opportunity to take a scalp
and run otK It was, to be sure, very probable
that it' I had such intention, I would commu-
nicate it to him. Another man came to me and
told me a story of his having Hved on the south
branch of Potomac in Virginia, and having
three brothers there, he pretended he wanted
to get away, but I suspected his design ; never-
theless he reported that I had consented to go.
In the mean time I was not tied, and could
have escaped, but having nothing to put on
my feet, I waited some time longer to provide
for this.

I was invited every night to the war dance,
T\hich they usually continued until almost day,
I could not comply with their desire, believing
these things to be the service of the devil.

The council lasted fifteen days ; fifty to one
hundred wai'riors being usually in council, and
sometimes more. Every warrior is admitted

JOFTN SLOVER,

to these counjcils : but only the chiefs or head
warriors have the privilege of speaking. The
head warriors are accounted such from the
number of scalps and prisoners they have
taken.

The third day McKee * was in council, and
afterwards was generally present. He spoke
little, and did not ask any questions or speak
to me at all. He lives about two miles out of
town, has a house built of square logs with
a shingle roof; he was dressed in gold laced
clothes. I had seen him at the former town
through which I passed.

I think it was on the last day of the council,
save one, that a speech came from Detroit,
brought by a warrior who had been counselling
with the commanding officer at that place.
The speech had been long expected, and was in
answer to one some time before sent from the
town to Detroit. It was in a belt of Wampum,
and began with addressing them, " My chil-
dren," and inquiring why they continue to
take prisoners ? Provisions are scarce ; when

* This man before the war was an Indian agent for the
British. He was put on parole, broke it, went to the Indians
and has since continued violeatly to incite them to make
war against us.

■I

1^ 11 \'

•im It

NARRATIVE OF

t '

prisoners are brought in we are obliged to
maintain them, and still bome of them are run-
ning awaj and carrying tidings of our aff tirs.
When any of your people fall into the hands
of the rebels, they show no mercy ; why then
should you take prisoners? Take no more
prisoners, my children, of any sort ; man,
woman or child."

Two days after, a party of every nation that
was near being collected, it was determined on
to take no more prisoners of any sort. They
had held a large council, and the determination
was, that if it were possible they could find a
child of a span or three inches long, they would
show no mercy to it. At the conclusion of
the council it was agreed upon by all the tribes
present, viz.: the Tawaws, Chippawaws, the
Wyandots, the Mingoes, the Dela wares,, the
Shawanese, Munses, and a part of the Che-
rokees, that should any of the nations who
were not present take any prisoners, these would
rise against them, take away the prisoners and
put them to death.

In the course of these deliberations I under-
Btood what was said perfectly. They laid plans
against our settlements of Kentucky, the Falls,
and towards Wheeling. These it will be un-

JOHN SLOVER.

necessary for me to mention in this narrative,
more especially as the Indians findhig me to
have escaped, and knowing that I wculd not
fail to communicate these designs, will be led
to alter their resolutions.

There was one council held at which I was
not present. The warriors had sent for me as
usual, but the squaw with whom I lived would
not suffer me to go, but bid me under a large
quantity of skins. It may have been from an
unwillingness that I should hear in council the
determination with respect to me, that I should
be burnt.

About this time, twelve men were brought
in from Kentucky, three of whom were burnt
on this day ; the remainder were distributed to
other towns, and all, as the Indians informed
me, were burnt. This was after the speech
came from Detroit.

On the day after, I saw an Indian who had
just come into town, and who said that the
prisoners he was bringing to be burnt, and who
he said was a doci or, had made his escape from
him. I knew this must have been Dr. Knight,
who went as surgeon of the expedition. The
Indian had a wound four inches long in his
head, which he acknowledged the doctor had

NARRATIVE OF

given him ; he was cut to the skull. His story
was that he had untied the doctor, being asked
by him to do so, the doctor promising that
he would not go away ; that while he was em-
ployed in kindling the fire the doctor snatched
up the gun had come behind and struck him ;
that he tnen made a stroke at the doctor with
his knife, which he laid hold of, and his fingers
were cut almost of}*, the knife being drawn
through his hand ; that he gave the doctor two
stabs, one in the back, the other in the belly ;
said the doctor was a great, big, tall, strong
man. Being now adopted in an Indian family,
and having some confidence for my safety, I
took the liberty to contradict this, and said
that I knew the doctor, who was a weak, little
man. The other warriors laughed immode-
rately, and did not seem to credit him.* At
this time I was told that Col. Crawford was
burnt, and they greatly exulted over it.

The day after the council I have mentioned,
about forty warriors, accompanied by George
Girty, came early in the morning round the

* It is well known that Mr. Slover mentioned these cir-
cumstances at his first coming into Wheeling, and before
he could have known the relation of the doctor, for that this
is an evidence of the truth of the doctor's account, and his
own. H. B.

JOHN SLOVER.

house where I was. The squaws gave me up,
I was sitting before the door of the house ;
they put a rope round my neck, tied my arms
behind my back, stripped me naked, and
blacked me in the usual manner. George Girty,
as soon as I was tied, d — d me, and said that
I now should get what I had deserved many
years. I was led away to a town distant
about five miles, to which. a messenger had
been despatched to desire them to prepare to
receive me.

Arriving at this town, I was beaten with
clubs and the pipe onds of their tomahawks,
and was kept lor some time tied to a tree be-
fore a house door. In the meanwhile the
inhabitants set out to another town about
two miles distant, where I was to be burnt,
and where I arrived about three o'clock in the
afternoon.

Here also was a council house, part of it
covered and part of it without a roof. In the
part of it where no cover was, but only sides
built up, there stood a post about sixteen
feet in height, and in the middle of the house
around the post, there were three piles of wood
built about three feet high and four feet fiom
the post.

Ms
11

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NARRATIVE OF

> .

Being brought to the post my arms were
tied behind me, and the thong or cord with
which they were bound was fastened to the
post ; a rope also was put about my neck, and
tied to the post about four feet above my head.
During the time they were tying me, piles of
wood were kindled and began to flame.

Death by burning, which appeared to be now
my fate, I had resolved to sustain with patience.
The divine grace of God had made it less
alarming to me ; for on my way this day I had
been greatly exercised in regard to my latter
end. 1 knew myself to have been a regular
member of the church, and to have sought re-
pentance for my sins ; but though I had often
heard of the iiith of assurance, had known
nothing of it; but early this day, instantaneously
by a change wrought upon me sudden and
perceivable as lightning, arn assurance of my
peace made with God, sprung up in mind.
The following words were the subject of my
meditation — '* In peace thou shalt '^ee God,
Fear not those who can kill t^ b iy. in peace
shalt thou depart." I wa. ais occasion by

a confidence in mind not > be rosiste*., fully
assured of my salvation. Tliis ^ uing the case
I was wilhng, satisfied and glad to die.

JOHN SLOVER.

ls were
d with
to the
ck, and
ly head,
piles of

) be now
mtience.
it less
ay I had
tiy latter
, regular
)ught ve-
lad often
,d known
taneously
Iden and
ce of my

in mind.
}ct of my

see God,
ill peace
ccasion by
iatev., fully
\cf the case
lie.

I was tied to the post, as I have already
said, and the flame was now kindled. The
day was clear, not a cloud to be seen. If
there were clouds low in the horizon, the
sides of the house prevented me from seeing
them, but I heard no thunder, or observed
any sign of approaching rain ; just as the fire
of one pile began to blaze, the wind rose,
from the time they began to kindle the fire
and 4:0 tie me to the post, until the wind
began to blow, was about fitteen minutes.
The wind blew a hurricane, and the rain
followed in less than three minutes. The
rain fell violent ; and the fire, though it began
to blaze considerably, was instantly extin-
guished. The rain lasted about a quarter of
an hour.

When it was over the savages stood amazed,
and were a long time silent. At last one said,
we wdl let him alone till morning, and take a
whole day's frolic in burning him. The sun
at this time was about three hours high.
It was agreed upon, and the rope about my
neck was untied, and making me sit down,
they began to dance round me. They con-
tinued dancing in this manner until eleven
o'clock at night ; in the mean time, beating,

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nram

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NARRATIVE OF

kicking and wounding jne with their toma-
hawks and clubs.*

At last one of the warriors, the Half Moon,
asked me if I was sleepy? I answered, yes,
The head warrior then chose out three war-
riors to take care of me. I was taken to a
block house : my arms were tied until the cord
was hid in the flesh, they were tied in two
places, round the wrist and above the elbows.
A rope was fistened about my neck and tied
to a beam of the house, but permitting me to
lie down on a board. The three warriors were
constantly harassing and troubling me, saying,
" How will you like to eat fire to morrow — you
will kill no more Indians now." I was in
expectation of their going to sleep, when at
length, about an hour before daybreak, two
laid down, the third smoked a pipe, talked to
me and asked the same painful questions.
About half an hour after, he also laid down ;
I heard him begin to snore. Instantly I went
to work, and as my arms were perfectly dead
with the cord, I laid myself down upon my

**■ I observed marks on the man when I saw him, wliich
was eight or ten days after he came in, particularly a wound
above his right eyebrow, which he had received with tho
pipe end of a tomahawk; but his back and body generally
had been injured. H. 13.

1 * ■

JOHN SLOVER.

right arm which was behind my back, and
k(>eping it fast with iriy fingers, which had
still some life and strength, I slipped the cord
from my left arm over my elbow and my
wrist One of the warriors now got up and
stirred the fire. 1 was apprehensive that I
should be examined, and thought it was over
with me, but my hopes revived when now he
lay down again. I then attempted to unloose
the rope about my neck; tried to gnaw it,
but it was in vain, as it was as thick as my
thumb and as hard as iron, being made of a
buffalo hide. I wrought with it a long time,
gave it out, and could see no relief. At this
time I saw daybreak and heard the cock
crow. I made a second attempt, almost with-
out hope, pulling the rope by putting my
fingers between my neck and it, and to my
great sur[)rise it came easily untied. It was a
noose with two or thi'ee knots tied over it

I slipped over the waniors as they lay, and
having got out of the house, looked back to
see if there was any disturbance. I then ran
through the town into a corn field ; in my
way I saw a squaw with four or five children
l3'ing asleep under a tree. Going in a dillereut
way into the field, 1 untied my c'lm, which was

\ I

,!,■ M\\

B i/f '

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t -A s

NARRATIVE OF

greatly swollen and turned black. Having
observed a number of horses in the glade as
I ran through it, I went back to catch one,
and on my way found a piece of an old rug
or quilt hanging on a fence, which I took
with me. Having caught the horse, the rope
with which I had V>^en tied served for a halter,
I rode ofl*. The horse was strong and swift,
and the woods being open and the country
level, about ten o'clock that day I crossed
the Scioto river at a place, by computation,
fifty full miles from the town. I had rode
about twenty-five miles on this side of the
Scioto by three o'clock in the afternoon, when
the horse began to fail, and could no longer
go on a trot. I instantly left him, and on
Ibot, ran about twenty miles farther that day,
making in the whole the distance of near
one hundred miles. In the evening I heard
hallooing behind me, and for this reason did
not halt until about ten o'clock at night, when
I sat down, was extremely sick and vomited ;
but when the moon rose, whi(;h might have
been about two hours after, I went on and
traveled until day.

During the night I had a path, but in the
morning judged it prudent to forsake the path

JOnX SLOVER.

path

and take a ridge for the distance of fifteen
miles, in a line at right angles to my course,
putting back as I went along, with a stick,
the weeds which I had bent, lest I should be
tracked by the enemy. 1 lay the next night
on the waters of Muskingum ; the nettles had
been troublesome to me after my crossing
the Scioto, having nothing to defend myself
but the piece of a rug which I had Ibund
and which while I rode I used under me
by way of a saddle ; the briars and thorns
were now painful to, and prevented me from
traveling in the night until the moon appeared.
In the meantime I was prevented from sleep-
ing by the mosquitoes, for even in the day I
was under the necessit}^ of traveling with a
handlull of bushes to brush them from my
body.

The second night I reached Cushakira,
next day came to Newcomer's town, where
I got about seven raspberries, which were the
first thing I ate from the morning on which
the Indians had taken me to burn me until
this time, which was now about three o'clock
the fourth day. I felt hunger very little, but
was extremely wetik. I swam Muskingum
river at Oldcomer's town, the river being two

■H

NARRATIVE OF

i' i

hundred yards wide ; having reached the bank,
I sat down, looked back and thought I had
a start of the Indians il' any should pursue.
That evening I traveled about five miles ;
next day came to Stillwater, a small river,
in a branch of which I got two small crawfish
to eat. Next night I lay within five miles
of Wheeling, but had not slept a wink during
this whole time, being rendered impossible by
the mosquitoes, which it was my constant
employment to brush away. Next day came
to Wheeling, and saw a man on the island in
the Ohio opposite to that post, and calling to
him and asking for particular persons who
had been on the expedition, and telling him I
was Slover, at length, with great dillicalty, he
was persuaded to come over and bring me
across in his canoe.*

* It has been paid that the putting to death the ^loravian
Indians has been the ca\ise of the cruelties practised oa
the prisoners taken at Sandusky, But though tiiis has been
made an excuse by the refugees amongst the savages, and
by the British, yet it must be well known that it has been
the custom of the savages at all times. I have it from
Col. John rampbell, wiio is lately from Chamblee, where he
has been in confinement a long time, nnd was taken on the
Ohio some years ago, that two men who were taken with
him were put to death at the Sliawanese towns in the same
niannor in which lliirtison was afterwards execi'tod, viz.:
by blowing powder into their bodies. A large load blown

JOHN SLOVER.

At the same time, though I would strike
away this excuse which is urged for the
savages, I am far from approving the Mora-
vian slaughter. Doubtless the existence of
that body of people in our neighborhood, was
of disadvantage, as they were under the neces-
sity of recei\ing and refusing the Sandusky
savages as they came to war, and as they
leturned, and as no doubt some amongst them
communicated intelligence of any expedition
on foot against the enemy. I am also dis-
posed to believe, that the greater part of the
men put to death were warriors ; this appears
fi'om the testimony of one against another,
from the confession of many, from their sing-
ing the war song when ordered out to be
tomahawked, from the cut and painting of
*heir hair, and from other circumstances. The
greater part of the Moravian men who were
really peaceable or well affecced to us, having

into the body of one of these men, reaching his kidneys,
the pain throwing him into rage and madness, the savages
were uncommonly diverted with the violence of" his excla-
mation and gestures ; boys of the town, particularly, fol-
lowing him, and considering it as excellent sport. In the
evenirg his head wa^^ cut off and an end put to his misery.
Col. Campbell himself was led out to make sport of the
same kind, but was saved by the interposition, I think, of
Elliot.

:, If

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[LETTER TO

been carried ofT the fall before, and still
detained at Sandusky,

But the putting to death the women and
children, who sang hymns at their execution,
must be considered as unjustifiable, inexcusable
homicide; and the Colonel who commanded
the party, and who is said perseveringly, con-
trary to the remonstrances of officers present,
to have enjoined the pei^^etration of the act,
has not yet been called to an account, is a
disgrace to the State of Pennsylvania.

H. BRACKINRIDGE.

■ff

Mr. Baily :

With the narrative enclosed, I subjoin
some observations with regard to the animals,
vulgarly called Indians. It is not my inten-
tion to wi'ite any labored essay ; for at so
great a distance from the city, and so long
unaccustomed to write, I have scarcely reso-
lution to put pen to paper. Having an oppor-
tunity to know something of the character

MR. BAILY.

of this race of men, from the deeds they
perpetrate daily round me, I think proper to
say something on the subject. Indeed, several
years ago, and before I left your city, I
had thought different from some others with
respect to the right of soil, and the propriety
of forming treaties and making peace with
them.

In the United States Magazine in the year
1777, I published a dissertation denying them
to have a right in the soil. I perceive a
writer in your very elegant and useful paper,
has taken up the same subject, under the
signature of " Caractacus," and unanswerably
shown, that their claim to the extensive coun-
tries of America, is wild and inadmissible.
I will take the hberty in this place, to pursue
this subject a little.

On what is their claim founded ? — Occu-
pancy. A wild Indian with his skin painted
red, and a feather through his nose, has set
his foot on the broad continent of North and
South America; a second wild Indian with
his ears cut in ringlets, or his nose slit like a
swine or a malefactor, also sets his foot on the
same extensive tract of soil. Let the first
Indian make a talk to his brother, and bid

j-t

LETTER TO

him take his foot off the continent, for he
being first upon it, had occupied the whole, to
kill huflaloes, and tall elks with long horns.
This claim in the reasoning of some men
would be just, and the second savage ought
to depart in his canoe, and seek a continent
where no prior occupant claimed the soil. Is
this claim of occupancy of a yery early date ?
When Noah*8 three sons, 8hem, Ham, and
Japhet, went out to the three quarters of the
old world, Ham to Africa, Shem to Asia,
Japhet to Europe, did each claim a quarter of
the world for his residence ? Suppose Ham
to have spent his time fishing or gathering
oysters in the Red Sea, never once stretching
his leg in a long walk to see his vast do-
minions, from the mouth of the Nile, across .e
mountains of Ethiopia and the river Niger to
the Cape of Good Hope, where the Hottentots,
a cleanly people, now stay ; or supposing him,
hke a Scots pedlar, to have traveled over
many thousand leagues of that country ; would
this give him a right to the soil ? In the
opinion of some men it would establish an
exclusive right. Let a man in more modern
times take a journey or voj^age like Patrick
Kennedy and others to the heads of the

MR. BAILT.

MissiRRppi or Missonri rivers, would he i^ain
a right ever al'ter to exclude all persons li'om
diiiikinj2; the waters of these streams ? Might
not a second Adam make a talk to them
and say, is the whole of this water necessary
to allay your thirst, and may I also drink
of it?

The whole of this earth was given to man,
and all descendants of Adam have a right
to share it equally. There is no right of
primogeniture in the laws of nature and of
nations. There is reason that a tall man,
such as the chaplain in the American army
we call the High Priest, should have a large
spot of ground to stretch himself upon ; or
that a man with a big belly, like a goodly
alderman of London, should have a larger
garden to produce beans and cabbage for his
appetite, but that an agile, nimble runner,
like an Indian called the Big Cat, at Fort
Pitt, should have more than his neighbors,
because he has traveled a great space, I can
see no reason.

I have conversed with some persons and
found their mistakes on this subject, to arise
from a view of claims by individuals in a state
of society, from holding a greater proportion

LETTER TO

J.)

of the soil than of hers; but this is according
to the laws to which they have consented ; an
individual holding one acre, cannot encroach
on him who has a thousand, because he is
bound by the law which secures property in
this unequal manner. This is the municipal
law of the state under which he lives. The
member of a distant society is not excluded
by the laws from a right to the soil. He
claims under the general law of nature, which
gives a right, equally to all, to so much of the
soil as is necessary for subsistence. Should a
German from the closely peopled country
of the Rhine, come into Pennsylvania, more
thinly peopled, he would be justifiable in de-
manding a settlement, though his personal
force would not be sufficient to effect it. It
may be said that the cultivation or melioration
of the earth, gives a property in it. No — if
an individual has engrossed more than is
necessary to produce grain for him to live
upon, his useless gardens, fields and pleasure
walks, may be seized upon by the person
who, not finding convenient ground elsewhere,
choose to till them for his support.

It is a usual way of destroying an opinion
by pursuing it to its consequence. In the

MR. BATLY.

present case we may say, that if the visiting;
one acre of ground could give a right to it,
the visiting of a million would give a right on
the same j)rinciple ; and thus a few surly ill
natured men, might in the earlier ages have
excluded half the human race from a settle-
ment, or should any have fixed themselves on
a territory, visited before they had set a foot
on it, they must be considered as invaders of
the rights of others.

It is said that an individual, building a
house or fabricating a machine has an ex-
clusive rights to it, and why not those who
improve the earth ? I would say, should man
build houses on a greater part of the soil, than
falls to his share, I would, in a state of nature,
take away a proportion of the soil and the
houses from him, but a machine or any work of
art, does not lessen the means of subsistence to
the human race, which an extensive occupation
of the soil does.

Claims founded on the first discovery of soil
are futile. When gold, jewels, manufactures,
or any work of men's hands is lost, the finder
is entitled to some reward, that is, he has
some claims on the thing found, for a share
of it

■r>

1^ M

^./

LETTER TO

When by industry or the exorcise of j^cnius,
something unusual is invented in medicine or
in other matters, the author doubtless has a
claim to an exclusive profit by it, but who will
say the soil is lost, or that any one can found
a claim by discovering it. The earth with
its woods and rivers still exist, and the only
advantage I would allow to any individual
for having cast his eye first on any particular
part of it, is the privilege of making the
first choice of situation. I would think the
man a fool and unjust, who would exclude me
from drinking the waters of the Mississippi
river, because he had first seen it. He would
be equally so who would exclude me from set-
tling in the country west of the Ohio, because
in chasing a buffalo he had been first over it.

The idea of an exclusive right to the soil
in the natives had its origin in the policy
of the first discoverers, the kings of Europe.
Should they deny the right of the natives
from their first treading on the continent,
they would take away the right of discovery in
themselves, by sailing on the coast. As the
vestige of the moccasin in one case gave a right,
so the cruise in the other was the foundation
of a claim.

!^*,

MR. DAILY.

Thoso who under these kings, derived grants
were led to countenance the idea, for otherwise
why i-houkl kings grant or they hold extensive
tracts of country. Men become enslaved to
an opinion that has been long entertained.
Hence it is that many wise and good men
will talk of the right of savages to immense
tracts of soil.

What use do these ring, streaked, spotted
and speckled cattle make of the soil ? Do
they till it ? Revelation said to man, " Thou
shalt till the ground." Tliis alone is humun
life. It is favorable to population, to science,
to the information of a human mind in the
worship of God. Warburton has well said,
that before you can make an Indian a chris-
tian you muht teach him agriculture and
reduce him to a civilized life. To live by
tiUing is more humano, by hunting is 7nore
best arum. I would as soon admit a right in
the bufialo to grant lands, as in Killbuck, the
Big Cat, the Big Dog, or any of the ragged
wretches that are called chiefs and sachems.
What would you think of going to a big lick
or place v^here the beasts collect to lick saline
nitrous earth and water, and addressing your-
self to a great bullalo to grant you land ? It

LETTER TO

"li

', ^' I

i i

ii.

is true he could not make the niark of the
stone or the mountain reindeer, but he could
set his cloven foot to the instrument like the
great Ottomon, the father of the Turks, when
he put his signature to an instrument, he
put his large hand and spreading fingers in
the ink and set his mark to the parchment.
To see how far the folly of some would go,
I had once a thought of supplicating some
of the great elks or builaloes that run through
the woods, to make me a grant of a hun-
dred thousand acres of land and prove he
had brushed the weeds with his tail, and run
fifty miles.

I wonder if Congress or the dilTerent States
would recognize the claim ? I am so iar from
thinking -the Indians have a right to the soil,
that not having made a better use of it lor
many hundred years, I conceive they have
forfeited all pretence to claim, and ought to be
driven from it.

With regard to forming treaties or
making peace with this race, there are many
ideas :

They have the shapes of men and may
be of the human species, but certainly in
their present state they approach nearer the

MR. DAILY.

character of Devils ; take an Indian, is there
any laith in him ? Can y()U bind him by
favors ? Can ycu trust his word or coni-ide in
his promise ? When he makes war upon you,
when he takes you prisoner and has you in
his power will he spare you ? In this he
departs from, tho lav/ of nature, by which,
according to baron Montesquieu and every
other man who thinks on the subject, it is
unjustifiable to take away the fife of him who
submits ; the conqueror in doing otherwise
becomes a murderer, who ought to be put to
death. On this principle are not the whole
Indian nations murderers ?

JMany «if them may have not had an oppor-
tunity of putting prisoners to djath, but the
sentiment which they entertain leads them
invariably to this when they have it in their
power or judge it expedient ; these principles
corstltute them murderers, and they ought to
be prevented from carrying them into execu-
tion,«as we would prevent a common homicide,
who should be mad enough to conceive himself
justifiable in killing men.

The tortures which they exercise on the
bodies of their prisoners, justify 'extermination.
Gelo of ^yria made war on the Oarlhaginiaus

LETTER TO MR. BAILY.

Ik y.

'^i

because they oftentimes burnt human victims,
and made peace with them on conditions
they would cease from this unnatural and
cruel practice. If we could have any faith
in the promises they make we could suffer
them to live, provided they would only
make war amongst themselves, and abandon
their hiding or lurking on the pathways of
our citizens, emigrating unarmed and de-
fenceless inhabitants ; and murdering men,
women and children in a defenceless situa-
tion; and on their ceasing in the meantime
to raise arms no more among the American
Citizens.

%-\^

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