John White. On this place Dr. White, the ancestor of the White family, had settled, and on his land a stockade was erected. The people in the neighborhood had taken the alarm, and were on their way to the fort, when they were assaulted by these ten Indians. They killed David Jones and his wife, two old people. Some of Mrs. Thomas's family were killed, and she and one daughter taken off. An old man by the name of Lloyd, and his wife, and several of his children, were killed. Esther Lloyd, their daughter, about 13 years old, received three tomahawk wounds in the head, was scalped, and left lying, supposed to be dead. Henry Clouser and two of his sons were killed, and his wife and four of his daughters taken. The youngest daughter was about two years old; and as she impeded the mother's traveling, when they reached the North mountain the poor little innocent babe was taken by its heels, its head dashed against a tree, and the brains beaten out, and left lying on the ground. Mrs. Thomas was taken to the Wappatomaka; but the river being pretty full, and deep fording, they encamped near Furman's fort for the night. The next morning a party of white men fired off their guns at the fort, which alarmed the Indians, and they hurried across the river, assisting all their female prisoners except Mrs. Thomas, who being quite stout and strong, was left to shift for herself. The current, however, proved too strong for her, and she floated down the river-but lodged against a rock, upon which she crawled, and saved herself from drowning. Before her capture she had concealed half a loaf of bread in her bosom, which, during her struggles in the water, washed out, and, on her reaching the rock, floated to her again. In this instance, the text of scripture, "Cast thy bread upon the waters, for thou shalt find it after many days," might have some application. It was not "many days," but there appears to have been something providential in it, for it saved her from extreme suffering. The next morning Mrs. Thomas

made her way to Williams's fort, about two miles below the Hanging Rock, on the South Branch.*

The author has received from Maj. John White, of Frederick, another account of the foregoing outrages, which he will give in Maj. W.'s own words:

"In July, 1763, information was received by the late Maj. Robert White, (who had a small fort around his house as an asylum for the people in the neighborhood,) that Indians had been seen on that or the preceding day on Capon. He immediately went to the several families living near the base of the North mountain, as far as to Owen Thomas's, five or six miles from the fort, told them of the report, and advised them to go into the fort until the danger should be over. It being harvest time, Owen Thomas was unwilling to leave home, and mounted a horse to go to his neighbor Jacob Kackley's, who had several sons grown, to propose to arm themselves and work together in their respective grain fields; but on his way to Mr. Kackley's he was shot dead and scalped, the Indians having concealed themselves behind two logs that lay one across the other near the road.

“In June, 1764, similar information of Indians being seen was received at the fort. Maj. White, as on the former occasion, went in the afternoon to warn the people of their danger; when the widow Thomas, Mr. Jones and Mr. Clouser, set off with their families for the fort; but night coming on when they had reached Mr. Lloyd's, (about two miles from the fort), they concluded to stay there all night. In the morning, as soon as day appeared, they resumed their journey; but before they were out of sight of the house, the Indians attacked them, and killed, wounded, or took prisoners twentytwo or twenty-three persons. Evan Thomas, a son of the man killed the preceding summer, a boy of seven years old, ran back into the house, and hid himself behind some puncheons that he placed across a corner of the room, and remained concealed, notwithstanding the

*Mr. Gerrit Blue stated to the author that he was then a small boy, but well recollects seeing Mrs. Thomas when she got into the fort.

Indians brought the prisoners into the house, among whom were his mother and sister, both tied, and kept them there till they fried bacon and ate their breakfast; they then set fire to the house in two places, and went away. Evan said he continued in the house as long as he could on account of the fire; that he saw through a chink in the wall the direction the Indians went; and not knowing which way to go, he concluded to take the contrary course from the one taken by them. He rambled about all that day and the most of the next before he found any person, the houses which he passed having been abandoned by their owners going to the fort. The Indians encamped the first night at a spring on the Romney road, between the North river and Little Capon; and on the next day they stopped on the bank of the South Branch, near where Romney now stands, to eat their dinner. While thus engaged, a party who were stationed in a fort a mile or two lower down the river, and who had just returned from a scout, discharged their guns in order to clean them, which alarmed the Indians, and they hurried across the river, assisting all their female prisoners excepting Mrs. Thomas, who being a large fat woman, it was supposed would perish, as the water was rapid and deep. She floated down the stream, however, until almost exhausted, when she had the good fortune to get on a rock, and save herself from drowning. She had put a piece of bread in her bosom the morning she was taken, and lost it in the water; but it happened to float so near her while on the rock that she caught it and ate it; which, as she said, so revived and strengthened her that she plunged into the water again, and providentially got out on the east side of the river. She reached Williams's fort, two miles below the Hanging Rock, on the same day. It was often remarked by Mrs. Thomas's acquaintances, that after her return she would minutely relate the circumstances attending the murder of her husband and children, and her own sufferings, without shedding a tear. Either five or seven of the persons wounded by the Indians,

were taken to the fort at Maj. Robert White's, and attended by Dr. M'Donald, though but one recovered, Hester Lloyd, who had two scalps taken from her."

Mrs. Thomas's daughter, and Mrs. Clouser and her three small daughters, were taken to the Indian towns, and after an absence of about six months, were released from captivity, and all returned home safely.

There is something remarkable in the history of the three Miss Clousers, who were all prisoners at the same time. The eldest was about 10 years old, the next eldest about 7, and the youngest between 5 and 6. They all returned home from their captivity, grew up, were married, raised families of children, and are now widows, living in the same neighborhood, not more than five or six miles apart. Two of them, Mrs. Shultz and Mrs. Snapp, reside about one and a half miles from the residence of the author, and the third, Mrs. Fry, not exceeding six miles.

Miss Lloyd, who was "tomahawked and scalped," was soon discovered not to be dead. The late Dr. M' Donald was sent for, who trepanned her in the severaļ fractures in her head. She recovered and lived many years after. There are several respectable individuals now living who knew this woman.

*

The other party of eight Indians committed several murders on Cedar creek. It is probable this party killed a Mr. Lyle, a Mr. Butler, and some others. Mr. Ellis Thomas, the husband of the woman whose story has just been given, was killed the harvest preceding. This party of eight Indians took off two female prisoners, were pursued by a party of white men, overtaken in the South Branch mountain, and fired upon, when one of the Indians was killed. The others fled, leaving their guns, prisoners, and plunder.t The prisoners and property were brought home. Two of the fugitives overtook the party in the Allegany mountain who had Mrs.

*General Smith, Maj. R. D. Glass, Miss Susan Glass, Mrs. Shultz, and Mrs. Snapp, severally stated to the author that they frequently saw this womah after she recovered from her wounds, Mrs. Shultz states that it was on the first day of June the outrage was committed.

t Moses Russell, Esq.

Clouser, her daughters, and other prisoners, in custody. The fugitives appeared in desperate ill humor, and proposed to murder the prisoners; but the others peremptorily objected, and would not suffer their prisoners to be injured.*

The same year, 1764, a party of eight Indians, with a white man by the name of Abraham Mitchell, killed George Miller, his wife and two children, within about two miles of Strasburg. They also the same day killed John Dellinger on the land now the residence of Capt. Anthony Spengler, adjoining the town, and took off Rachel Dellinger, with her infant child, prisoners. It was a male child, very stout, and heavy of its age. In crossing Sandy ridge, west of Capon river, this child had its brains beaten out against a tree. A party of white men pursued them, overtook them in the South Branch mountain, fired upon them, and killed one, when the others fled, leaving every thing behind. Rachel Dellinger was brought home, and stated that the unprincipled scoundrel Mitchell was with the Indians. About twelve months before, Mitchell had been punished for a petty act of theft, while the people were at Bowman's fort. Miller and Dellinger inflicted the punishment.†

At the massacre of the people near White's fort, one of Mrs. Thomas's daughters, when the people were preparing to go to the fort, was requested by Mrs. Clouser to take a bottle of milk in her hand, and carry it to the fort. When the Indians assailed them, this young woman concealed herself behind a tree, and finally escaped. As soon as she could run off without being discovered, she started and ran eight or nine miles with the bottle of milk in her hand. She was met by two of the Fawcetts, near their residence, informed them of what had happened, and they forthwith removed their families to Stephens's fort.‡

*Mrs. Schultz and Mrs. Snapp.

The late Mrs. Brinker related the particulars of these occurrences to the author. Major Isaac Hite recollects when Miller and Dellinger were killed. Stephens's fort was at the spot where Zane's iron works were afterwards