Imagens das páginas
PDF
ePub

to scrutinize his policy with a very satisfactory result. His military talents were superior to those of Philip. Like him, he probably, at one time, brooded over a grand scheme for the total extirpation of the whites; but his superior penetration, doubtless enabled him to perceive, before the close of his career, the hopelessness of such a project. At one period, he urged strongly upon his people the necessity of dispensing altogether with European commodities. He advised them to have no intercourse with the whites, and to return altogether to their ancient modes of life.

An anecdote, illustrating the fearless confidence of Pontiac, reminds us of a similar one of Alexander of Macedon. A messenger had been sent to him, by Major Rogers, who carried him a present of brandy. The attendants of the chief were suspicious of a stratagem to poison him, and entreated him not to drink it. Pontiac was determined that the English should see that he could conduct himself without timidity or distrust, and boldly replied: "It is not possible that this man, who knows my love for him, and who is also sensible of the great favors I have done him, can think of taking away my life;" then, putting the cup to his lips, he drank a draught without betraying the slightest apprehension. Such are the contradictions of the Indian character. This great warrior could practise treachery himself, yet scorn to suspect it in

others!

[ocr errors]

LOGAN.

THIS unfortunate chief, better known to the world by the eloquent and pathetic speech which he has left as a record of his misfortunes and sorrows, than by his exploits in war, was of the Mingo or Cayuga tribe. His father, Shikellimus, was a personal friend of the benevolent James Logan, the friend of William Penn, and the founder of the Loganian Library, at Philadelphia. The name of the son was probably derived from this person. During the war with the French, when the Indian confederates, under the guidance of Pontiac, threatened the northwestern settlements with extermination, Logan refused to take up arms against the whites, to whom he was attached by the most friendly feelings, and exerted himself as a peace-maker. He became known, throughout all the neighboring tribes, as the white man's friend, and continued on terms of the most perfect amity with all the western settlers till the year 1774, when his friendship was requited with a series of acts of such barbarous and wanton cruelty, as rendered him at once a most vindictive and implacable enemy to the whole civilized race. Few portions of the history of the red men afford events more tragical and affecting than the fate of the unhappy Logan.

[ocr errors]

In the month of April, 1774, while the Indian tribes on the northern frontier of Virginia were in a state of profound peace with their white neighbors, a rumor

was circulated in that quarter that the savages had stolen the horses of some land-jobbers on the Ohio and Kenhawa. This report, although unsupported by any good evidence, seems to have created a general belief or suspicion that the Indians meditated hostilities against the settlements. In consequence of this impression, the land-jobbers collected in a body at Wheeling, where, in a few days, they received intelligence that a canoe with a few Indians was coming down the Ohio. A man, called Captain Michael Cresap, who seems to have acted as commander of the party, proposed to ascend the river and kill the Indians. There were at that time not the slightest indications of hostility on the part of the savages, except what could be gathered from the report above mentioned. Colonel Zane, one of the settlers, strongly objected to the proposal, representing to Cresap, very justly, that such an act, besides being an atrocious murder, which would disgrace forever all concerned in it, must inevitably bring on a war, in which torrents of innocent blood would be shed. Unfortunately, this reasonable and humane counsel did not prevail. Cresap, with a detachment of the party, went up the river. On their return they were asked what had become of the Indians. They coolly replied that they had fallen overboard. On examining their canoe, it was found bloody and pierced with bullets. The fate of the unoffending natives was but too evident. This was the first blood shed in a war which brought the most terrible vengeance on the heads of the aggres

sors.

Having thus got a taste of blood, Cresap indulged

his appetite for slaughter without scruple or restraint. The same evening, hearing of an encampment of Indians in the neighborhood below, he proceeded down the river, fell upon them while they were totally unsuspicious of any hostile design, and killed a number of them. In neither of these cases did the whites pretend any provocation for their murders. Cresap's atrocities were soon imitated by another blood-thirsty wretch named Daniel Greathouse. He collected a company of thirty-two men, and proceeded to the mouth of Yellow Creek, opposite which a large number of Indians had encamped. Greathouse concealed his men in an ambuscade, and crossed the river to learn the number of the savages. He went round among them, estimated their strength, and found that they were too numerous to be openly attacked. It happened that the Indians had heard of the murders committed by Cresap, and began to talk of revenge. Greathouse knew nothing of his danger till one of the squaws came to him and advised him to go home, for the Indians were drinking, and, being angry on account of the murder of their people down the river, they might do him a mischief.

He accordingly made the best of his way back, and consulted with his party how to ensnare the Indians by a stratagem, as an open assault was too hazardous. It was determined to invite a portion of them across the river, and get them intoxicated, by which means their whole body might be massacred, piecemeal. This was accordingly done; a number of the Indians, male and female, accepted the invitation of the whites to drink rum, crossed the river, and after being well

plied with liquor, were all barbarously murdered in cold blood, with the exception of one little girl. The 'Indians in the camp heard the firing, and, as was expected, sent off two canoes with armed warriors. The whites lay in ambush on the bank of the river, and received them with a deadly fire, which killed the greater part, and forced the survivors to return. A great number of shots were exchanged across the stream, but none of the whites were killed or even wounded. Their conduct throughout this bloody affair was atrocious and brutal. They scalped their victims, one of whom was the very female who had given Greathouse the friendly caution when he visited the camp.

The whole of the family of Logan perished in these wanton massacres; in the last, were his brother and sister, the latter in a delicate situation, which aggravated the enormity of the crime, and augments our sympathy for the fate of the unfortunate victim. It will excite the wonder of no man, that Logan from this moment breathed nothing but vengeance against the treacherous and inhuman whites. A general Indian war immediately followed. Logan was the foremost in leading his countrymen to the slaughter of their perfidious enemies. On the 12th of July, with a party of only eight warriors, he attacked a settlement on the Muskingum, captured two prisoners and carried them off. When they arrived at an Indian town, they delivered them to the inhabitants, who instantly prepared to put them to death in torture. Logan, however, in the heat of his vindictive feelings, displayed the huinanity of his nature He cut the

« AnteriorContinuar »