INDIAN RELICS.-No. II. FORTS, &c. All trace of the old forts built in the Valley between the Blue Ridge and Alleghany, is rapidly passing away. These are known to have been quite numerous. Almost every settlement had some place to run to when the alarm of "Indians" was raised. It would be worth while to ascertain their location. The people of the older churches in the Valley, used frequently to assemble for worship with their guns in their hand. Around the venerable old Augusta Church, ten miles north of Staunton, is yet to be seen the well defined boundary of one of the largest and strongest forts in the Valley, with the trench more than a hundred yards in length, leading down the hill to the spring. There was also a fort in Rockbridge county, on the land now owned by the Rev. James Morrison, and about two hundred yards east of his house. The trench leading to the spring may yet be seen. Another fort stood in Bath county, a few hundred yards east of where Windy Cove Church now is. The stone battle axe of the Indian is sometimes picked up in our fields. Some which I have seen were about six inches long and three wide. They generally had a groove cut around them near the pole end, to which the handle was firmly fastened; the other end was brought down to an edge. In the absence of all iron tools and weapons, this was no doubt valuable to the Indian. In their desperate charges upon each other, they frequently fought with sharpened poles, or spears. But when they were set on the colonies and frontier settlements by their more barbarian emissaries of Great Britain, these were soon laid aside for the gun, the tomahawk and the scalp ing knife. I know not how others may feel; but one, whose maternal ancestors have suffered so much,-one who has watched the tears on a mothers face, as she told the sorrowful tale, of a father, mother, brothers and sisters,all except three of a large family, down to the infant on the breast, murdered and scalped in cold blood, and two of the three left, dragged into captivity; such a one, may be allowed at least to express his opinion, which is, that all the British agents and actors of that day, on this, or the other side of the great water, who took side against the colonies, and hired the Indians, by the payment of a scalp-reward, to the indiscriminate murder of men, women and children ; deserve to go down on the page of history, to the very lowest deep of infamy. MOUNDS. There is on the top of Car's Creek Mountain in Rockbridge county, touching the right hand of the road as you go west from Lexington, a large pile of stones erected by the Indians. The stones have been gathered quite clean for some distance around. It was probably to commemorate some event; or mark a boundary of hunting ground between tribes; or mark some particular place for crossing the mountain. In the same county, and on the eastern bank of Hay's Creek, just below its juncture with Walker's Creek, there is a large mound of circular form. It is, perhaps forty or fifty feet in diameter, and is crowded with human bones. It had, at first, probably been twelve or fourteen feet high; but it has worn down to not more than four or five. I should suppose this mound coutained not much short of one thousand bodies; and judging from bones and teeth I have seen, they were of all sizes. There is in the neighborhood, an old tradition, or belief, that this was once a battle ground between two tribes in deadly strife. If so, the dead of the victorious party only were buried here; as it is well known, that the Indian will not bury an enemy in the same grave with his own tribe. The slain of the other party would either be left to bleach on the ground; or be burned, or thrown in the creek. The mound may, however, have been a place of regular burial for a long lapse of time, and accumulated by degrees to its great size. Old Mr. Hays, who owned the land at an early day, and gave his name to the Creek; often argued with some of his neighbors, as to what race of people were buried there; and as the only means of determining the point in dispute, it is said he directed his own body to be buried on the westward hill facing the mound, that at the resurection, he might see them arise. On the low grounds of the Cowpasture, or Wallawhutoola river, in Bath county, and on the land of Warwick Gatewood, is a mound very similar to the one just described; which also contains a large quantity of human bones. Some years since, Col. Adam Dickenson, who then owned and lived on the land, in a conversation I had with him, related to me, that many years before that time, as he was sitting in his porch one afternoon, his attention was arrested by a company of strange looking men coming up the bottom lands of the river. They seemed to him to be in quest of something, when, all at once they made a sudden angle, and went straight to the mound. He saw them walking over it and round and round; seeming to be engaged in earnest talk. After remaining a length of time, they left it and came to the house. The company, I think he told me, consisted of ten or twelve Indians; all rather young men except one, who seemed to be borne down with extreme old age. By signs, they asked for something to eat; which was soon given them; after which they immediately departed. Col. D. knew nothing of their language; and supposing that they either could not, or did not wish to speak English, he found out nothing of their tribe, where they were from or where they were going. Thus was lost the only chance of knowing what tribe was buried here; and when; and whether or no, they were slain in battle. No doubt they were a part of a tribe who once inhabited this part of the country; and the old Indian, just before he died, had brought them there to show them the grave of their ancestors. Perhaps, when young he had been led there by his aged father to note the spot. The poor Indian held no pen to keep a record of the daring deeds of his fathers. He must therefore take the only expedient left, that of handing them down by tradition. This decrepit old warrior, on trembling limbs, had now made his last pilgrimage to the tomb of his forefathers, leading with him a younger band of their descendants. It affords the Red, as well as the White man, a mournful pleasure to look on the heap of earth which covers his kindred. No doubt this old son of the forest was able, with untutored eloquence, to portray their feats of renown in the chase, as they bounded over these mountains after the Buffalo, the Elk, and the Deer. And how would he dwell, in the rapture of memory, on their strong arm in the day of battle. He would tell how the westward press of the pale face had driven his tribe from their ancient hunting ground. And once more his eye, dim with age, would kindle with fire, as he beheld the mark of the plough drawing down the earth thrown over his fathers. It is a levelling age we live in. The grasping desire for land, which seizes on the Indian's home, will not spare his grave, when he is gone. And when, after many years, having laid his bow aside, he may wander back to shed his last tear over the grave of his ancestors, there will not be a green sod left to point him to their sleeping dust. MONTANUS. SERGEANT CHAMPE. The story of Sergeant Champe so graphically told by Gen. Lee, in his "Memoirs of the War in the Southern department of the United States,"* has excited so much interest, and affords so heroic an example of patriotism and courage, that I might well wish its authenticity had never been impugned, and that succeeding generations might read it with the same unlimited faith with which many have heretofore regarded it; but, as its value consists in its truth, if it be not authentic, its moral is lost; and I will proceed to offer some remarks upon it. I will first examine the narrative upon the facts which appear on its face. The mission of Champe had two main objects in view; the abduction of Arnold from New York, with the view of saving the life of Andre, and the punishment of the traitor, and the obtaining of information concerning a suspected general. I quote, for the sake of accuracy, the words of Gen. Lee, addressed to Champe :"That by succeeding in the safe delivery of Arnold, he not only gratified his General in the most acceptable manner, but he would be hailed as the avenger of the reputation of the army, stained by foul and wicked perfidy; and, what could not be but highly pleasing, he would be the instrument of saving the life of Major Andre, soon to be brought * Lee's Memoirs, vol. 2, p. 159. |