So important did the House of Burgesses consider the treaty that they not only paid a just tribute to the brave men who fell in the nemorable battle at the mouth of the Kenhawa, but in May, 1775, passed a vote of thanks to Lord Dunmore, and the officers and soldiers under his command, for their noble and spirited conduct in the expedition;" complimenting him for his attention to the true interests of the colony, and the wisdom of his administration.

Notwithstanding the foregoing resolution of thanks to Lord Dunmore, by the convention of Delegates and Corporations of the colony of Virginia, for his conduct of the expedition against the Indians, yet the facts show that it was owing to the hard earned victory of Gen. Lewis, at Point Pleasant, over the united Indian army, unaided by the promised co-operation of Lord Dunmore, that brought the Indians to sue for peace.

The plan of operations adopted by the Indians in this war, shows clearly that Cornstalk, the war chief of the Shawanese, and his con. federates were by no means deficient in foresight and skill, necessary for making the most prudent military arrangements, for obtaining success and victory. At an early period they obtained intelligence of the plan of the campaign against them concerted between Lord Dunmore and Gen. Lewis. With a view, therefore, to attack the forces of these commanders separately, they speedily collected their warriors, and by forced marhces reached the Point, before the expected arrival of the troops under Lord Dunmore. Such was the secrecy, with which they assembled their forces at Point Pleasant, that Gen. Lewis knew nothing of the Indian army, until a few minutes before the commencement of the battle. Cornstalk, the Indian commander, had so arranged his plan of attack, as to leave Gen. Lewis no chance for retreat, and so well managed was the assault, that if the brave and crafty warrior had commanded a little larger force, the whole army of Gen. Lewis would have been cut off. If Dunmore had co-operated, as he had promised, the peril would have been avoided, and many valuable lives would have been saved.

Had the army of Gen. Lewis been defeated, that of Lord Dunmore, consisting of little more than one thousand men would probably have shared the same fate. Venturing too far into the Indian country, with too small a number, and with munitions of war inadequate to sustain a contest with the united force of a number of Indian nations flushed with victory, and fighting in defence of their own homes, Lord Dunmore would not have been able to have concluded the peace, which the bravery of Gen. Lewis and his gallant army had conquered at Point Pleasant.

It was the general belief among the officers of the army of the colonists, that Lord Dunmore received, while at Wheeling, advices from the British Government of the probability of the approaching war. which resulted in the independence of the colonies from Great Britain; and that afterwards, all his measures in reference to the Indians, had for their ultimate object, an alliance with the savages for aid to the mother country in the contest with the colonies. This supposition accounts for his not forming a junction with the army of Gen. Lewis, at Point Pleasant. 'This deviation from the original plan of the campaign, put in jeopardy the army of Gen. Lewis, and well nigh occasioned its total destruction. The conduct, too, of Lord Dunmore, at the treaty, showed a good understanding between him and the Indian chiefs. He did not suffer the army of Lewis to form a junction with his own, but sent them back before the treaty was concluded, thus risking the safety of his own forces; for at the time of the treaty, the Indian warriors were about his camp, in force sufficient to have intercepted his retreat and destroyed his whole army.

The treaty(1) was, however, entered into in the month of November, 1774, about six months previous to the commencement of the revolutionary war, at Lexington, and the disastrous war of Lord Dunmore with the Indians, was brought to a close. It began in the wanton and unprovoked murders of the Indians at Captina and Yellow Creek, and ended with an awful sacrifice of life and property to the demon of revenge. On the part of the whites, they obtained, at the treaty, a cessation of hostilities, and a surrender of prisoners, and nothing more.(2)

(1) Appendix, 219–224.

(2) John Winters' Narrative.

CHAPTER XI.

THE BRITISH INTRIGUES WITH THE INDIANS AT THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR-THE FRIENDLY MISSION OF CORNSTALK, RED HAWK, AND ELLINPSICO TO POINT PLEASANT-THEIR DETENTION AND BARBAROUS MURDER - M'INTOSH'S CAMPAIGN-BRODHEAD'S CAMPAIGN— THE PERSECUTION OF THE MORAVIAN INDIANS BY THE BRITISH AND HOSTILE INDIANS, AND THEIR FORCIBLE REMOVAL TO SANDUSKY-WILLIAMSON'S CAMPAIGN, AND WANTON AND UNPROVOKED MURDER OF THE CHRISTIAN INDIANS, WHO HAD RETURNED TO THEIR VILLAGES ON THE MUSKINGUM-CRAWFORD'S CAMPAIGN HIS RETREAT, CAPTURE, AND SUFFERINGS AT THE STAKE — DR. KNIGHT'S AND JOHN SLOVER'S ESCAPE-REFLECTIONS ON THE CAMPAIGN, AND MANNER OF CONDUCTING THE INDIAN WAR DURING THE REVOLUTION.

The Revolutionary War now broke out, and the colonies, by their delegates in congress, declared their independence of Great Britain on the Fourth day of July, 1776. Early in this contest, the British Government enlisted under her banners the tomahawk of the Indian, and the whole Western frontier became again the scene of sanguinary war. fare. From early in the spring till late in autumn, the pioneers of the western parts of Pennsylvania and Virginia were shut up in small stockade forts, and cultivated their little fields in parties under arms, guarded by sentinels; and notwithstanding this precaution, they often witnessed the murder or captivity of their wives, children and friends, the burning of their houses and the plunder of their property.

The American colonies, barely able to sustain their fleets and armies on the seaboard, had neither troops nor supplies to send to the frontier. The pioneers defended themselves against the combined forces of the British and Indians, appointed their own officers, erected forts, and bore, unaided, the whole burden of the revolutionary contest. As they were not assisted, so they were not controlled by the government, and a lawless disposition grew up, which led to the perpetration of many acts abhorrent to the principles of civilization and humanity, which exasperated the infuriated savages, and which no doubt greatly added to the troubles of those trying times.

In consequence of the commission of several murders by the Indians, on the frontiers of Virginia, after the commencement of the revolutionary war, several companies of militia marched to Point Pleasant, the battleground, at the mouth of the Great Kenhawa, where there had been an engagement between the Americans under General Lewis, and the Indians in Lord Dunmore's war. Most of the tribes of the north-west, except the Shawanese, were determined to fight against the Americans. Cornstalk, the great Sachem of the Shawanese, and King of the Northern

Confederacy, wished to preserve peace. He had used his powerful eloquence in vain, in the Indian councils, to dissuade his countrymen from taking part in the contest. He, therefore, resolved to lay the state of affairs before the Americans, that they might avert the threatened

storm.

In the spring of 1777, he came to the fort at Mount Pleasant, upon this friendly mission, in company with Red Hawk, a young Delaware chief, who had fought under Cornstalk in the battle of the Point, in 1774, and another Indian whose name is not mentioned. A Capt. Arbuckle commanded the fort at the time. Cornstalk represented his unwillingness to take part in the war with the British, but stated that his nation, except himself and his tribe, were determined on war; and he supposed, that he and his people would be compelled to go with the stream, in spite of his exertions. Upon this intelligence Capt. Arbuckle, thought proper to detain him and Red Hawk as hostages, to prevent the meditated calamities. While detained at the fort, the officers held frequent conversations with Cornstalk, who took pleasure in giving them minute descriptions of his country, and especially of that portion of it, lying between the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. One day as he was delineating a map upon the floor for the gratification and instruction of those present, a call was heard on the opposite side of the Ohio, which he recognized as the voice of his son, Ellinipsico, who had fought at his side in the famous battle of Point Pleasant, in 1774. At the request of his father, Ellinipsico came to the fort, where they embraced each other with the greatest tenderness. This son had become uneasy at his father's long absence, and had at length sought him out in his exile, prompted by those feelings which so much adorn human nature.

On the day following, two men belonging to the garrison, whose names were Harrison and Gillmore, crossed the Kenhawa, intending to hunt in the woods beyond it. As they were returning to their boat, after the hunt, they were fired upon by two Indians who had concealed themselves in the woods, near the mouth of the Kenhawa, and Gillmore was killed. Col. Stuart, who was at the fort, and Captain Arbuckle, were standing on the opposite bank at the time, and were surprized that a gun had been fired so near the fort, in violation of orders. Hamilton run down to the bank, and cried out that Gillmore was killed. A Captain Hall commanded the company to which Gillmore belonged. His men took a canoe and went over to the relief of Harrison, and brought the body of Gillmore across the river, weltering in blood, and his head scalped. A cry was then raised, "let us kill the Indians in the fort.".

Captain Hall put himself at the head of an infuriated gang, set out with this nefarious resolution, and against every remonstrance, proceeded to commit the murderous deed. Colonel Stuart and Captain Arburkle exerted themselves in vain, to dissuade these men from the cruel deed they contemplated. Pale with rage, they cocked their guns, and threatening those officers with instant death if they did not desist, rushed into the fort.

The Interpreter's wife, who had been a captive among the Indians, and felt attached to them, ran to apprise the devoted chiefs of their danger. She informed them, that Hall's soldiers were advancing for the purpose ot taking their lives, believing that the Indians who killed Gillmore had come with ELLINIPSICO the preceding day. The young chief solemnly denied the charge, and averred that he knew nothing of them. As the murderers approached, ELLNIPSICO became agitated, which when CORNSTALK Saw, he said, "My son, the Great Spirit has seen fit that we should die together, and has sent you to that end. It is his will, and let us submit.” The murderers had now arrived, and Cornstalk rose to meet them, and received seven balls, which instantly terminated his existence. Ellinipsico was shot upon the seat he occupied when his fate was first pronounced to him. Red-hawk was shot in attempting to climb the chimney, and the other Indian was murdered in a most barbarous manner.

"Thus," says Mr. Withers, in his chronicles, " perished the mighty CORNSTALK, Sachem of the Shawanese, and King of the northern confederacy, in 1774-a chief remarkable for many great and good quali ties. He was disposed at all times to be the friend of the white men, as he was over the advocate of honorable peace. But when his country's wrongs' called aloud for battle,' he became the thunderbolt of war, and made her oppressors feel the weight of his uplifted arm. His noble bearing his generous and disinterested attachment to the colonies, when the thunder of British cannon was reverberating through the land -his anxiety to preserve the frontier from destruction and death-all conspired to win for him the respect and esteem of others; while the untimely and perfidious manner of his death, caused a deep and lasting regret to pervade the bosoms of those who were enemies to his nation; and excited the just indignation towards his inhuman and barbarous murderers."

It was said by Colonel WILSON, who was present and heard CORNSTALK's speech, at the treaty with Lord Dunmore, in 1774, that "when he arose he was in no wise confused or daunted, but spoke in a distinct