This is from book I but is in Book II due to requests from the public. “An express has just arrived in town from Pigeon Roost, which brings the distressing intelligence of the Indians have killed 23 souls between Driftwood and the Pigeon Roost, in addition to which one young man is missing. They were pursued by a party under Captain DeValt, who fell in with the Indians on Driftwood, and had a skirmish with them, in which one man was mortally wounded. “We have received no further or other particulars – the murders were committed on the 5th inst.” (Date is in error.) The Western Sun, Vincennes, Indiana Territory September 8, 1812 Extracted from The Diary of Rev. George Knight Hester. 1851. Hester was 18 years old at time of Massacre and lived at Charlestown. “The greatest check to (the) Methodists and the revival influence above noticed was the state of warfare entered into between this country and England, and the Indian hostilities practiced upon the frontier parts of this circuit. Here it might not be amiss to state at some of those difficulties. Some time previous to the year 1811, a state of (hostilities) existed with the Indians to the whites. During this year it continued to increase from the prospect between this country and England, and from the fact that many of the British agents in Canada and in the North West were active in increasing this excitement. Tecumseh, who properly represented the disaffected tribes, made a tour to the disaffected tribes in the South and South West to secure their cooperation in striking a fatal blow to frontier settlements. Governor Harrison being persuaded of his hostile intentions and of the vigilance he would use, raised an armed force and proceeded up the Wabash, either to enforce the late treaty – the treaty of Greenville, or to enter upon some new plan that would secure the frontier from constant alarm. And although he was successful in driving them from their town and destroying their property after an attack made by them upon his army, the commencement of hostilities in 1812 with this country and England, and with their supplying the Indians with the means of more efficient warfare tended greatly to exasperate them against us; - accordingly on the 4th of September in this year they commenced an attack on Fort Harrison, and almost at the precise time they attacked the Pigeon Roost settlement, lying continguous to Silver Creek circuit. Whether these attacks, which were (as just stated) almost simultaneous, were the result of Indian policy to prevent the citizens of Clarke from rallying to repel their aggressions upon the settlers of the Wabash country, or otherwise, is unknown. “The Pigeon Roost was so named from the fact that this kind of fowl had resorted to this district of country in vast flocks for many years. Many trees and limbs of the forest were broken down from their accumulated weight. The stench arising from the deposits of large portions of manure was perceivable for more than a mile distant. Such was the fertility imparted to those white oak lands that thousands of persons who rallied from Kentucky and other places when this disturbance took place, were obliged to confess that their productions were not surpassed even in the richest lands of Kentucky. This country presenting great prospects of fame and stock induced a goodly number of families to select locations and move to them. During their residence here they were frequently visited by the Delaware, Shawnee, and Pottowatomie Indians; who professed to be very friendly. It is believed that (they) were the very Indians that murdered the Pigeon Roost settlers. “The manner of the attack was somewhat as follows: As they approached within about 3 miles of the settlement, they accidentally came across Mr. Pain and Coffman and murdered them both. Coffman lived in Kentucky – was on a visit to Pain. They were both bee hunting, without any arms – so little apprehensive of danger were they. They next came across Mrs. Collins, wife of young Henry Collins, who had been on a visit some 3 miles to a neighbor’s living near Vienna, and killed her as she was returning home. The first family they fell upon was Pain’s, consisting of a wife and 4 children. From appearances (they) must have been killed in different directions from the house, - were dragged, trailing the ground with their blood, and thrown into the house; and after plundering it of its contents, was fired and burnt to ashes, - the mangled bodies having undergone the same process of fire until nothing remained but one mass of offensive matter. The time of this attack was late in the evening, the sun about an hour and a half high. Richard Collins’ family (were) destroyed by them, consisting of his wife and 7 children. It was sickening to humanity to witness their mangled bodies strewed in different directions, hewed down as they were endeavoring to escape from their barbarous enemies. Collins himself was absent from home – belonged to the company of rangers, and was at this time at Vincennes. At the same time they killed the family of Mr. John Morris, consisting of his wife and three children – the families residing within a short distance of each other. Mr. Morris was also absent – was drafted to meet the call of Gov. Harrison for the Wabash country, and was now on the march as far as Jeffersonville. They next proceeded to old Mr. William Collins’. On their way to this place they met with young Henry Collins. He had been at his father’s pulling hemp. His only chance of escaping was to retreat back to the house of his father. In doing this he attempted to cross a meadow. Here his retreat was intercepted by an Indian. He then entered a corn field, was fired upon by an Indian, he afterward said he perfectly knew, by the name of Killbuck, who was (of) one of those friendly tribes and was well known by many of the first settlers of Clarke. The ball entered the back part of his head, and broke the skull bone; he fell as though perfectly dead. This was the first gun they had fired after they had killed the two first, - doubtless fearing the sound of the guns would alarm the families in the neighborhood. They left Henry Collins unmolested. This was done on Thursday evening. He revived so as to escape to an old flax house on the farm. Here he was found on Saturday about noon – was occasionally in his right mind – lived near a week, and then expired. The firing of the gun was not however heard by any of old Mr. Collins’ family. As they approached nearer the house they discovered a boy. One of Mr. Collins’ family who had just caught a horse to hunt the cattle. He fled to a briar thicket near at hand and concealed himself. The Indians ran round it and passed through it in different directions, but without success. The little fellow said he could peep under the matted briers and vines and see their maneuvers; and sometimes they would seem as though they would step right on him and then would bear off. Here he remained until after they had attacked the house; and in the midst of the attack he rushed up to the house and walked in. A few minutes before Henry Collins was shot, Capt. Norris from the neighborhood of Charlestown some 15 miles distant, had arrived at old Mr. Collins’. Being old acquaintances he felt concern for the family. The object of his visit was to settle some percuniary matters, and to dissuade him from remaining any longer in his exposed condition. The old gentleman had just brought a fine parcel of watermelons and while they were devouring them, he presented the object of his visit, and inquired of Mr. Collins whether he was not apprehensive of danger from the Indians. Mr. Collins replied in the negative. While thus engaged in conversation, their attention was arrested by the appearance of a dog. Mr. Norris looked up the way, and discovered 7 or 9 Indians approaching with a quick step, and with war paint on their cheeks. He exclaimed “Here they come now.” “Not to kill,” said Mr. Collins. “Yes, to kill.” Invention was set immediately to work devise a method of defense. Mr. Collins having at hand two loaded rifle guns, directed Mr. Norris to take one of them and station himself by the side of the door, and he would guard the window. The Indians in their approach were discovered by Mr. John Richey and his wife, a young married couple residing a small distance from Collins’. They instantly fled into the cornfield and escaped. As the Indians entered the yard a part of them stationed themselves behind the corn crib; a part passed on to Richey’s house; and one of them presented himself at the door of Collins’ to push it open. At him Capt. Norris pulled his trigger, when the gun was not more than three feet from his breast, and his gun flashed. The door was instantly closed. Mr. Norris perceiving his body through the cracks of the door, fired his rifle and instantly the Indian left. Blood was perceived the next day in the yard. Mr. Collins loaded his piece; again and perceiving one standing in Mr. Richey’s door took a deadly aim, and when he fired the Indian fell back into the house; the door was instantly closed. Collins was a distinguished marksman. He felt certain his rifle had performed execution this fire. As part of the Indians were now in the house and part behind the corncrib, it was supposed they would wait the closing in of the shades of the night, and the proceed to fire the house; and as the house was composed of two cabins without a pass inside from one room into the other, it was thought they might easily effect this object. The only possible chance of escape was to leave the house and pass through the fire of the Indians from behind the corncrib, and if possible gain a corn crib that lay hard by. Accordingly the hazardous plan was determined on. Between daylight and dark Capt. Norris proceeded in the advance, followed by two children, and Mr. Collins in the rear with his gun cocked and presented before him. As they advanced with a quick step Collins was fired upon by them. A ball struck his gun about the lock. Its violence whirled him right about. And after he had gained the proper poise of his body, and had turned himself in the way of retreat, he had lost Capt. Norris and the two children; and after running some distance in the cornfield he halted to see if they were pursuing him, and give them one fire. In this position he tried to cock his gun, and found it so damaged as to be able to do nothing with it. He then proceeded in haste to the woods, and so escaped. During this last attack the Indians yelled most horribly. From this it was manifest that they intended to proceed no further – that they had glutted their hellish desires. Some little time after this, when it was properly dark, Mrs. Biggs, daughter of Collins, hearing the firing of the guns the distance of half a mile, proceeding with her 4 children (her husband having been drafted and now in Jeffersonville) and when she came near her father’s house she left her children by the side of the road and proceeded alone to her father’s house and pushed open the door; - the smell of powder being so strong she instantly became alarmed, returned to her children, and traveled with them some six miles to Zebulon Collins’, and by this means the alarm of the Indians was first brought into the older settlements before day. The absence of the Indians from the house of Collins when Mrs. Biggs entered the door is enveloped in mystery. For shortly after this they fired the buildings, and they were seen burning. It was supposed that Mr. Collins had killed one or two of them and that they had now left to conceal their dead. Be as it may, Mrs. Biggs made a most narrow escape. “Collins and Norris, as above stated, having lost each other, at the entering of the cornfield, got together no more that night. Norris proceeded with the two children, through the dark, brush and briers, avoiding every pathway, crossing hill and dale and frequently falling with the children into deep ravines, until he lost his direction, and after some hours travel he found himself near the farm from which he had started, and beheld the buildings consuming by fire. He proceeded the second (time) to steer his way for the settlements. At a late hour, being wearied with fatigue, he and the children laid themselves down to rest on the ground until the morning star arose. He then proceeded to prosecute his journey, and finally arrived to one of the older settlements. The girl was so badly bruised that it was found necessary to call on a physician to administer relief. Before day a runner was sent to alarm the citizens of Charlestown and its vicinity. As he approached the town, in passing our residence, I heard him just after daylight exclaiming, “Indians! Indians! Indians!” The whole country was thrown into a state of perfect confusion, and before sunset vast crowds found their way across the Ohio River. The cruel massacre by the Indians in a previous war were yet fresh in the minds of the people, hence they were easily affrighted. A number of men were raised to pursue the savages but to no purpose. “They must have left soon after they finished (their) horrid work at old Mr. Collins; for the next day (Indians) were discovered by a scouting party of our men from Washington county, on the old Chestnut ridge in Jackson county in the direction from (the) Muscatatuck river for Rockford; and had there been any management in the commanding officer, a number of them might have been killed, for they were first discovered by our men, and had they concealed themselves, they might have dealt a deadly blow on the Indians; but as soon as they were discovered orders were given to charge. As part of the Indians were walking and part riding on those animals they had taken from the whites, loaded with the plunder taken from the murdered families they instantly commenced cutting loose a portion of their baggage to lessen their encumbrance in a speedy flight. While doing this, the footmen among them selected positions behind logs and trees and fired at our men. As they attempted to play the same game with the Indians, one of the rangers unthoughtedly drew sight from the wrong side of the tree, where his body was exposed to their view and received a mortal wound. He was however removed to a station and soon expired. There were near twenty in company on this occasion; more than what was supposed to have been at Pigeon Roost.”
Posted on: Fri, 02 Aug 2013 08:56:21 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015