TRUE NARRATIVE OF THE SUFFERINGS OF MARY KINNAN
Who Was Taken Prisoner by the Shawanee Nation of Indians on the Thirteenth Day of May, 1791, And Remained With Them Till the Sixteenth of August, 1794
Reprinted in West Virginia History
Whilst the tear of sensibility so often flows at the unreal tale of woe, which glows under the pen of the poet and the novelist, shall our hearts refuse to be melted with sorrow at the unaffected and unvarnished tale of a female, who has surmounted difficulties and dangers, which on a review appear romantic, even to herself.
Her history will not, perhaps, be without its use. It will display the supporting arm of a Divine Providence: it will point to the best and surest support under danger and adversity: and "it will teach the repiner at little evils to be juster to his God and to himself." It would be unnecessary and tedious to describe the first part of my life, as it exhibited nothing which is not daily observed in the common walks of mankind. Suffice it to say, that, blest with the affections of the best of husbands, and the love and esteem of the most dutiful of children, my days passed sweetly on, and I had scarcely one single wish ungratified. Happiness smiled on our cottage;--content spread her influence around;--the voice of grief was not heard;--and old age crept imperceptibly on. Alas! how soon was my horizon obscured by the dark clouds of misfortune!--how doubly poignant were rendered succeeding miseries by the recollection of such exalted happiness!
The thirteenth day of May, 1791, will never be effaced from my mind. Although since that memorable period, four years have almost rolled their ample round, still at the recollection, my bosom heaves impetuous; the cold sweat of fear stands on my brow; and the burning tear of anguish glistens in my eye. Our house was situated in a beautifully romantic and agreeable place, called Tiger's Valley, in Randolph County, State of Virginia. Here I would mark nature progressing, and the revolution of the seasons; and from these would turn to contemplate the buds of virtue and of genius, sprouting in the bosoms of my children. Employed in such a pleasing occupation, on that evening, I was startled by the bursting open of the door: I turned my affrighted eyes, and leapt with terror at the sight of three armed Indians. I saw the flash of the musket!--I heard the groan of my husband! Quick as thought, I seized my youngest child: fear added wings to my flight, and I ran with the swiftness of the wind. Alas! scarcely had I time to congratulate myself on my good fortune, before I was again caught; desperation gave me strength, and I again broke loose. I scarcely touched the ground as I coursed over the plain: when the cry of my child, supplicating me for help, arrested my ear. The yearnings of maternal affection extinguished my prudence; forgetting my imbecility, I flew to assist her, and was taken. A third time I attempted to escape, but was knocked to the ground with a tomahawk! I then made signs of submission, and was carried to the house. Gracious God! what a scene presented itself to me! My child, scalped and slaughtered, smiled even then; my husband, scalped and weltering in his blood, fixed on me his dying eye, which though languid, still expressed an apprehension for my safety, and sorrow at his inability to assist me; and accompanied the look with a groan that went through my heart. Spare me the pain describing my feelings at this scene, this mournful scene, which racked my agonizing heart, and precipitated me to the verge of madness.
In happier times, I should have thought that my heart would cease to beat, and my pulse forget to throb under such an accumulated weight of misery. But the soul often acquires vigor for misfortune, and by adversity is led to the exertion of faculties, which till then were not possessed, or at least lay dormant. Thus it was with me; I have supported in reality what, in idea, had appeared impossible.
After plundering the house of the most valuable articles, and pinioning my arms behind me, they departed; with them I too was forced to go. Under the most favorable circumstances, this journey would have been painful: how much more so was it now, when the arrow of calamity was rankling in my bosom; when I was faint through loss of blood; and without refreshment, without rest. Nature too seemed to conspire against me: the rain descended in torrents; the lightnings flashed dreadfully, and almost without intermission; whilst the thunder rolled awfully on high. We rested not during the whole of that night,
"Wherein the cub-drawn bear would couch,
"The lion and the belly-pinched wolf
"Keep their fur dry."
It was on Friday night that I was taken; on Saturday night they rested, and trimmed their scalps. Ah! what did I not feel at the sight of these memorials of savage cruelty. I became indifferent to my existence; I was willing to bid adieu to that world whence all the lovely relatives of life were borne before me; and, had I not been restrained by the spirit of Christianity, I had terminated my existence by my own hand. I appeared, as it were, insulated to the civilized world--nay, worse than insulated, for the poor lonely mariner, who is shipwrecked on some desert coast, has far greater cause to rejoice than I then had. The next day we continued our march over the more rugged rocks and mountains, wet and slippery with the rain which had so lately fallen. Nature was not so far exhausted, that I could not advance, except in a very slow manner, when, instead of compassionating my sufferings, my weariness, and misfortunes, I was beaten severely for not performing impossibilities. About this time they frequently threatened me with death; though I recked not his approach in genuine form, yet I must confess, my soul shrunk from him, when thus cloathed in vengeance, too much for man to bear.
In this manner we continued our journey, sorrow and fatigue still making increased ravages on my constitution, when one of the Indians was bitten by a snake. We were obliged to stay nineteen days, before he was cured and able to proceed: during this period I again recovered spirits and health sufficient to follow my savage conductors. In this accident I beheld and blest the good providence of God, thus eminently exerted in rescuing me from that world, "from whose bourn no traveler returns." In a few days after this we arrived at the Ohio. Dark and rainy was the night in which we formed a raft, and crossed the river: dangerous as was the passage, we arrived in safety at the opposite bank;--the period of my misfortunes had not yet arrived; many bitter calamities were yet to be felt.
After this we travelled for two days through the gloomy ridges of pine. Although their extreme wetness subjected us to many inconveniencies, not to say dangers, yet the Indians were fearful of being discovered, if they made a fire, and, of consequence, remained without one. From these we passed into a fine country, where we had plenty of venison, and other game; nevertheless so deeply was I afflicted that I cared not for the food, which was absolutely necessary to preserve life, and I was compelled by their threats of death, in its most horrid form, to eat those victuals for which I had no relish.
On the 29th of June we approached the Shawnee towns; when we arrived within about half a mile of them they fired their guns, stripped the bark from five trees, painted themselves and me in a most horrid manner and commenced the scalp-whoop: never did I hear a sound so calculated to inspire terror: my blood curdled within me at the sound, and fear took possession of all my faculties. This they repeated five times: they then seated themselves, until a vast number of people, attracted by the well-known and pleasing sound, came from the town and shook hands with them: each person then struck me with great violence over the head and face, till I could not see, and till I finally dropt down senseless. They then recovered me and assisted me to walk into the town having previously explained to me, that all the abuse which had been so liberally bestowed upon me, was to welcome me amongst them.
During my journey, the sense of present danger blunted the remembrance of past misery, and prevented me from indulging in gloomy anticipations of future woe;--but now the whole weight of my affliction pressed heavily on my heart. The picture of my life was deeply too deeply dashed with shade, and but a few faint strokes of light were intermingled with the numerous touches of the sombre pencil. But when my spirits were surcharged with sorrow's dew, I breathed out a fervent prayer to heaven, and relied on the beneficence of the Father of All. Uniformly my efforts were successful, and calm resignation diffused itself through my frame, or the rays of hope danced sweetly around my heart. I lived during four days with the sister of the savage who tore me from my peaceful home, and often contemplated with a sigh the depth of degradation, of which the human character is capable. On the third of July I was bought by a Delaware squaw, and by her was put to that most menial and laborious offices.
One of the principle objects of my attention, whilst I lived amongst the Indians, was the humiliating condition of their women. Here the female sex, instead of polishing and improving the rough manners of the men, are equally ferocious, cruel and obdurate. Instead of that benevolent disposition and warm sensibility to the sufferings of others, which marks their character in more civilized climes, they quaff with extatic pleasure the blood of the innocent prisoner, writhing with agony under the inhuman torments inflicted upon him--whilst his convulsive groans speak music to their souls.
With my new mistress I continued until the defeat of St. Clair; then another scene was presented to me, which opened afresh the sluices of sorrow. The numerous scalps of my unfortunate countrymen, which were then exhibited to my view--the rejoicings which took place on that lamentable occasion--and the brutal scenes which were then transacted, sorely wounded my bosom, already pierced so deeply by misfortune's shaft. Still my sufferings were not alleviated; fed in a very scanty manner, I was forced, nevertheless, to chop and carry wood to a considerable distance: in this occupation I had my feet frozen, and this added one more to my already long list of woes.
In the spring, for fear of my countrymen, the Indians removed from the Miami towns to Grand Glaize, a most beautiful place. Here my sufferings became still more aggravated, although they had before appeared at their highest possible height. A new piece of ground was now to be cleared, and my heart grew more heavy in proportion as I was separated from my beloved country.
About this time there were prospects of peace. Hope, at all times easily enkindled, blazed forth at this prospect, and gilded my solitary footsteps: but the year passed away, and the devastations of war still continued. At this time an Indian trader engaged to convey a letter from me to my friends in New Jersey, which he did by my direction, and this was the first news they had heard of me since my captivity, and, in the end, was the means of procuring my escape.
The succeeding year commissioners came from the United States to conclude a treaty; they departed, however, without attaining their object. The Indians, finding peace was not to be expected, turned out very generally for war, and left me, a prey to all the gloomy horrors of despair. In a short time they returned, bringing with them some horses and two prisoners; one of whom, Peter Tuttle, was afterwards redeemed--the other was killed by one of their chiefs.
In November the Indians began to be weary of war, and, in the beginning of January, sent in a talk to General Wayne by a Robert Wilson, an Indian trader, together with three Indians. General Wayne insisted, as a preliminary article, that all the prisoners should be delivered up: Accordingly they came home, and collected a great number of us, unfortunate sufferers, and prepared to set out the next day to General Wayne at Fort Jefferson. But previously to our departure, one of the British agents came to them, and persuaded them, that perfidy was a leading trait in the character of the people of the United States; that they would never return alive. By these and other arts, they persuaded the Indians to persevere in their warfare, and we were again dismissed to our laborious occupations.
O Britain! how heavy will be the weight of thy crimes at the last great day! Instigated by thee, the Indian murderer plunges his knife into the bosom of innocence, of piety. and of virtue; and drafs thousands into a captivity, worse than death. The cries of widows, and the groans of orphans daily ascend, like a thick cloud, before the judgement-seat of heaven, and
"Plead like angels, trumpet-tongued,
"For your damnation:
"And pity, like a naked, new-born babe,
"Striding the blast, or heav'n's cherubim, hors'd
"Upon the sightless couriers of the air,
"Shall blow your horrid deeds in every eye,
"That tears shall drown the wind."
I had by this time witnessed so many disappointments, that I yielded myself up entirely to despondency, and endeavored to stifle the few scattered rays of hope, which faintly twinkled, like the glimmerings of a lamp just ready to expire. In consequence of these impressions, I fell dangerously ill of a fever, which was accompanied by an excessive pain over my whole frame. The Indians now abated, in some degree, of the rough treatment which I had before experienced: but what contributed principally to my recovery was a letter, which I received from my brother, Jacob Lewis, mentioning that he was at Detroit, but that he dared not at present come to assist me because of the antipathy which the Indians evidenced against him, on account of his being a native of the United States. To know that I was not immured beyond the knowledge of my friends and relatives; that they still entertained for me a warm, impassioned affection, was a delicious cordial to my drooping spirits. In return to this letter I wrote, that as it would be in the highest degree dangerous to come to the place where I then was, I advised him still to continue at Detroit, and if it were possible by any means to ameliorate my condition, I made no doubt he would exert himself to the utmost of his power. For six months, we enjoyed the pleasure of each other's correspondence, being but one hundred and forty miles distant, and enjoying a constant communication by means of the Indian traders. In the darkest and most gloomy seasons, his letters inspired me with comfort; and whilst I traced in them with joy the sentiment of friendship, and the warmth of fraternal affection, I would for a time forget my griefs in the extacy of delight.
On the first day of August, 1793, we heard of the approach of General Wayne's army. Fearful and perturbed, they immediately started for the Rapids of the Miami; taking only those things with which they could not dispense, and hiding or burying the rest. On the tenth I had resolved to make my escape; my plan was thoroughly matured, and I waited with impatience the approach of night to put it in execution. But how frail and uncertain are the schemes of mankind! how easily are even their best projects overturned! Going out on that day to get a tent-pole. I accidently cut my foot in a most dangerous manner: this being at the distance of eighteen miles from the Rapids and being unable to walk, I was obliged to be carried thither on a horse.
Soon after I arrived I heard from my brother who had joined a party of British traders, and was coming down to the Rapids that he might see and perhaps assist me to escape. He sent a Frenchman to me, who behaving in a manner which displeased the Indians, I requested him not to come again. He returned, and in a short time my brother came himself. As he was passing through the Indian camp I accidentally saw him: my joy was so great that I involuntarily gave a scream of pleasure:--the Indian who was with me, surprized at this singular behaviour, viewed me with an inquisitive eye; I fully comprehended the meaning of his look, and excused myself in a manner which, I believe, dissipated his apprehensions.
In order to concert some means of escape, my brother sent a friend to exchange bread for milk. After performing this errand he opened to me his real business, and appointed a tree where I might meet my brother that night. According to these directions I went, and how great was my surprize and disappointment to find nobody there. But the person who had previously appointed the tree as a place to meet, explained to me the next day the reason why we missed of each other, we having gone to different trees. The next night, however, the Indians having fallen asleep, I stole out about eleven o'clock. I found the brother of my heart anxiously expecting my arrival: after those congratulations which might be expected from two so dear to each other, who had been so long separated, we started and ran two miles to the British camp. I then, with a beating, fearful heart, crept into a brush-heap, where I lay during all that night, and on the next day my brother came and carried me from the place where I was lodged on board a vessel, which was about to descend the Miami river, the captain of which he had interested in my behalf--having previously drest me in one of his own suits of clothes and tied an handkerchief over my eyes, in order, as much as possible, to conceal my features. When we came to the mouth of the river, we anchored in full view of the Indians, who had come to the Lake, as well to avoid General Wayne, as to receive their provision, which was given them at this place. In this situation I remained some time, fearful of being recognized and reclaimed by some of the Indians: but finally, I prevailed with the master of a batteau, who was going to Turtle Island in Lake Erie, to carry me thither with him. When we arrived there we went on board a ship which was then lying at anchor there, bearing twelve guns, and were strictly examined by a Commodore Grant, who, when informed of my sufferings, used his interest to have me taken on board a brig going to Detroit. Having arrived at this last-mentioned place, I was so overcome by the joy which I felt at my delivery and the fatigue which attended it, that I continued unwell and unable to proceed for eight days. At the expiration of this period, I crossed Lake Erie and came to Niagara, where I was again examined, and having produced the pass given us by Commodore Grant, obtained another from Simcoe to the United States. We descended in a batteau to the Genesee river, and thence travelled to New Jersey, where I arrived amongst my friends on the eleventh day of October, 1794.
If my history has been marked with woe-worn incidents;--if I have been in a peculiar manner the child of misfortune;--if my cup of life has been deeply mixed with gall;--if despair has brooded over my soul, with all its horrors--and finally, if I have been obliged to dismiss even dear delusive hope, having so often felt "what kind of sickness of the heart that was, which proceeds from hope deferred:"--yet, by these very woes, I have been led to place my dependence on the beneficent dispenser of good and evil, and to withdraw my affections from that world, where the ties by which mankind are in general so firmly bound are indissolubly broken. Since the consequences of my affliction have been so beneficial, I repine not at it; ye, who are pierced by the darts of misfortune, imitate my example, and like me recline in the bosom of your Father and your God.