-James Smith

[Note that Peter’s entire adventure took place in the wake of Braddock’s defeat in Western Pennsylvania, which wiped out the regular British forces available against the French, with the Indians inflicting casualties against the British regulars and colonial militia at a rate of 100-1, indicating that this counter-raid lead by Captain Crawford was regarded as a bold stroke.]

Being quickly armed and provided, we hastened forward for Mr Long's plantation on the 29th, and after travelling the most remote and intricate paths through the woods, arrived there the 2nd of May, dubious of our success, and almost despairing of meeting with the savages, as we had heard or could discover nothing of them in our march.

In the afternoon, some of our men being sent to the top of a hill to look out for them, soon perceived a great smoke in a part of the low grounds. This we immediately and rightly conjectured to proceed from a fire made by them. We accordingly put ourselves into regular order, and marched forwards, resolving, let their number have been what it might, to give them battle.

Arriving within a mile of the place, Captain Crawford, whose anxiety and pain made him quicker sighted than any of the rest, soon perceived them, and guessed their number to be about 50. Upon this we halted, and secreted ourselves as well as we could, till 12 o'clock at night. At which time, supposing them to be at rest, we divided our men into two divisions,

50 in each, and marched on; when coming within twenty yards of them, the captain fired his gun, which was immediately followed by both divisions in succession, who, instantly rushing en them with bayonets fixed, killed every man of them.

Great as our joy was, and flushed with success as we were at this sudden victory, no heart among us but was ready to burst at the sight of the young lady. What must the thoughts, torments, and sensations of our brave captain then be, if even we, who knew her not, were so sensibly affected! For, oh! what breast, though of the brutal savage race we had just destroyed, could, without feeling the most exquisite grief and pain, behold in such Infernal power, a lady in the bloom of youth, blest with every female accomplishment that could set off the most exquisite beauty! Beauty, which rendered her the envy of her own sex and the delight of ours, enduring the severity of a windy, rainy night! Behold one nurtured in the most tender manner, and by the most indulgent parents, quite naked, and in the open woods, encircling with her alabaster arms and hands a cold rough tree, whereto she was bound, with cords so straitly pulled that the blood trickled from her finger ends! Her lovely tender body, and delicate limbs, cut, bruised, and torn with stones and boughs of trees, as she had been dragged along, and all besmeared with blood! What heart can even now, unmoved, think of her distress, in such a deplorable condition; having no creature, with the least sensations of humanity, near to succour or relieve her, or even pity or regard her flowing tears, and lamentable wailings !

The very remembrance of the sight has, at this instant, such an effect upon me that I almost want words to go on. Such then was the condition in which we found this wretched fair, but faint and speechless with the shock our firing had given her tender frame. The captain, for a long time, could do nothing but gaze upon and clasp her to his bosom, crying, raving, and tearing his hair like one bereft of his senses; nor did he for some time perceive the lifeless condition she was in, until one of the men had untied her lovely mangled arms and she fell to the ground. Finding among the villains' plunder the unhappy lady's clothes, he gently put some of them about her; and after various trials, and much time spent, recovered her dissipated spirits, the repossession of which she first manifested by eagerly fixing her eyes on her dear deliverer, and, smiling with the most complacent joy, blessed the Almighty and him for her miraculous deliverance.

During this pleasing, painful interview, our men were busily employed in cutting, hacking, and scalping the dead Indians; and so desirous was every man to have a share in wreaking his revenge on them, that disputes happened among ourselves, who should be the instruments of further shewing it on their lifeless trunks, there not being enough for every man to have one wherewith to satiate himself: the captain observing the animosity between us on this occasion, ordered that the two divisions should cast lots for this bloody, though agreeable piece of work: which being accordingly done, the party whose lot it was to be excluded from this business stood by with half-pleased countenances, looking on the rest; who, with the utmost cheerfulness and activity, pursued their revenge, in scalping, and otherwise treating their dead bodies as the most inveterate hatred and detestation could suggest.