Among the foremost speculators of that time was George Washington of Virginia, whose agent, Colonel Crawford, selected for him large tracts between the Kanawhas and along the Ohio River. He held patents for 32,373 acres. In 1770 Washington himself visited western Virginia. Three years later Daniel Boone, who had previously explored Kentucky, sold his farm on the Yadkin, and, with his own and five other families, set out for the wilderness.
Omitting the many thrilling incidents connected with the settlement of western Virginia, and the adventures of Boone and his associates on the "Dark and Bloody Ground," we proceed to notice briefly the leading incidents in the Indian wars, chiefly north of the Ohio River. Lord Dunmore was governor of Virginia under the crown, and was desirous of asserting his authority and taking possession of the new territory as rapidly as possible in the name of his king. His scheme led to a series of massacres, in the spring of 1774, of the Indians by the whites under Captain Michael Cresap and Daniel Greathouse, in which, among other Indians, were the family of the famous Mingo chief Logan. These atrocities on the part of the whites resulted in what is known as the "Dunmore War," in which Logan fully glutted his vengeance for the murder of his family. The question, however, as to "Who killed
Logan's family?" seems still to be as far from being settled as the later question in the annals of Indian warfare--"Who killed Tecumseh?" From the circumstances it is certain that Logan thought Cresap did the deed. These murders were doubtless the cause of the war of 1774. Logan, from being a friend of the whites, became their deadly enemy, and suddenly came upon the Monongahela settlements, where he took thirteen scalps in retaliation for the murder of his family and friends. He then returned home and expressed himself satisfied, but Dunmore chose to organize forces to march against the Indians. The Shawanoes, Wyandots and other tribes, under the celebrated chief Cornstalk, determined to meet the army of Virginia. The opposing forces met at Point Pleasant, on the 10th of October. The contest raged without decided success for either side until toward evening, when General Lewis, the commander of the Virginia forces, ordered a part of the command to gain the flank of the enemy by means of Crooked Creek, a small stream that enters the Kanawha some four hundred yards above its mouth. This maneuver was successful, and the Indians hastily retreated to the north bank of the Ohio. The loss of the Virginians was 76 killed and 140 wounded--being about one-fifth of their army. The loss of the Indians could not be ascertained, but 33 were found dead on the battle-field next day.
In the meantime Lord Dunmore himself, at the head of a force, had descended the Ohio and erected Fort Gower at the mouth of the Hocking. After the battle at Point Pleasant, Dunmore pressed on toward the Scioto, for the purpose of destroying the Indian towns on that river. General Lewis, with the remnant of his army, moved in
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Introductory Page| Portrait of MA-KA-TAI-ME-SHE-KIA-KIAH (Black Hawk)| Title Page| Page 2|
Preface (pages 3 - 6)| Illustrations (page 7)| Contents (pages 8 - 17)
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