| Notes |
- Alexandria Gazette and Virginia Advertiser, Alexandria, VA, Monday, 13 Mar 1854, p. 2, col. 7
https://www.newspapers.com/article/alexandria-gazette/98087404/
An Eventful History.
Mrs. Elizabeth Hardman, consort of Rev. John Hardman, died in Lewis county on the 1st of February, at the age of 74. She was the daughter of John Waggoner, a revolutionary soldier, who was present at the surrender of Cornwallis, and witnessed the closing scenes of the war - after which he emigrated with his family to Northwestern Virginia, where he lived unmolested for awhile, but ere long was attacked by the merciless savages. From all obituary notice in the Weston Herald we copy the following interesting statement:
"On the 16th day of May, 1792, a party of Shawnee Indians, with the since justly celebrated Tecumseh at their head, approached the little mansion where Mr. Waggoner's family were quietly domiciled. Mr. Waggoner, who was at some distance from the house, was observed by Tecumseh, who, immediately discharged at him the contents of his gun; but, fortunately, the leaden messenger of death failed of its errand, and left him (Waggoner) uninjured, who, looking in the direction of his house, beheld it already surrounded by the residue of the Indians. Knowing that resistance would be in vain, and only tend to excite these savage fiends to greater acts of cruelty, he made use of the only means left him, whereby he might the hard fate of his family, and fled escape from before his wily adversary, who, finding himself outstripped by swift-footed hunter, soon gave up the pursuit, and joined the party at the house, who, after killing and scalping a child that they found the yard, had made prisoners of Mrs. Waggoner and her children, among whom was Mrs. Hardman, then about 12 years old. They now departed with all possible dispatch, but, finding that a portion of their captives were not able to travel with much speed, and wishing to be stripped of every impediment to a swift retreat, they fell upon them with every aggravation of savage cruelty, leaving their mangled bodies strewed promiscuously along the way, weltering in crimson gore.
Mrs. Hardman, who witnessed this horrible deed, by which she was robbed of an affectionate mother, a dear little brother, and a lovely sister, was now borne far away from her native land, to the Indian towns on the Maumee river, where, agreeable to the custom of the Indians, she was exposed to sale and purchased by a squaw, who exacted of her the hardest kind of servitude."
The writer proceeds at length to describe the sufferings of the prisoners, and pays a tribute to the magnanimity of Tecumseh, who, observing one day Mrs. Hardman's mistress beating her in a most shocking and cruel manner, immediately interposed, and with menacing gestures and commanding voice, bade her to abandon not only for the present, in time to come, such detestable acts of barbarity. Wearying at length of life, Mrs. Hardman conceived a savage plan of escape. Taking advantage of the absence of many of their enemies, who had left on an expedition to meet Gen. Wayne, she, and another captive, (then Miss Sallie Johnson) succeeded in eluding the vigilance of the Indians; they set out late in the evening, and directed their steps towards Detroit. After travelling many weary miles and experiencing untold sufferings, they reached Detroit, and Mrs. Hardman was subsequently restored to her father, whose joy at meeting with his long-lost child, may be better imagined than described. - Rich. Despatch.
|
1779 - 1854 (74 years)
[1]