Some time after the commencement of the Revolutionary war, when the
northern Indians were beginning to make inroads on the people living
on the east side of the Ohio river, General O’Hara having come out to
the upper Moravian town, on the Muskingum, on business and there taken
lodging with a respectable and decent family of Indians in the village—I
had one evening scarcely laid down to sleep when I was suddenly roused
from my bed by an Indian runner, (or messenger) who in the night had been
sent to me, 9 miles, with the following verbal message: “My friend, see
that our friend O’Hara, now at your town, be immediately taken off to the
settlement of white people, avoiding all paths leading to that river.
Fail not in taking my advice, for there is no time to lose—and hear my
son further on the subject.”
The fact was, that eleven warriors from Sandusky, were far advanced on
their way to take or murder O’Hara; who at break of day would be at this
place for the purpose. I immediately sent for this gentleman, and told
him that I would furnish him with a conductor, on whom he might depend,
and having sent for Anthony, (otherwise called Luke Holland) informed him
of the circumstance and requested his services; he (the Indian) wished
first to know, whether my friend placed _confidence_ in him, and trusted
to his fidelity; which question being answered by O’Hara himself, and to
his full satisfaction; he replied,’well, our lives cannot be separated!
we must stand or fall together! but take courage, for no enemy shall
discover us!’
The Indian then took Mr. O’Hara through the woods, and arriving within
a short distance of the Ohio river, pointed out to him a hiding place,
until he, by strolling up and down the river, should discover white
people on the opposite shore; when finally observing a house where two
white men were cleaning out a canoe for use, he hurried back to bring on
his friend, who, when near the spot, advised his Indian conductor to hide
himself, knowing those people to be bad men, he feared they might kill
him, for his services. The Indian finally seeing his friend safe across
the river, returned and made report thereof.
The young Indian, who had been the bearer of the message from his father
to me, had immediately returned on seeing O’Hara off, in order to play a
further deception on the war party, for the purpose of preventing them
even from going to our town, fearing, that if there, and not finding
their object, they might probably hunt for his track, and finding this,
pursue him. He indeed effected his purpose so completely, that while they
were looking for him in one direction, his conductor was taking him off
in another.
[Illustration: Indian Friendship.]
The father of the young lad, who was the principal cause that O’Hara’s
life had been saved, had long been admired by all who knew him for his
_philanthropy_; on account of which the traders had given him the name
of “_the gentleman_.” Otherwise this Indian was not in connection with
the Christian Indian Society, though a friend to them. He lived with his
family retired and in a decent manner.
While I feel a delight in offering to the relatives and friends of the
deceased, as also to the public, this _true_ and _faithful_ picture of
Indian _fidelity_—I regret that, on necessarily having had to recur
to the names ‘Anthony’ and ‘Luke Holland,’ I am drawn from scenes of
pleasure, to crimes of the _blackest hue_. The very Indian just named,
who at that time joyfully reported to me his having conducted his friend
out of danger, to a place of safety, some years after approached me with
the doleful news that every one of his children, (all minors) together
with his hoary headed parents, _had been murdered by the white people_,
at Gradenhutten, on the Muskingum.