The Whetzel family is remembered in the west for the courage, resolution,
and skill in border warfare displayed by four of its members. Their names
were Martin, Lewis, Jacob, and John. Of these, Lewis won the highest
renown, and it is doubtful whether Boone, Brady, or Kenton equaled him in
boldness of enterprise.
In the hottest part of the Indian war, old Mr. Whetzel, who was a German,
built his cabin some distance from the fort at Wheeling. One day, during
the absence of the two oldest sons, Martin and John, a numerous party of
Indians surrounded the house, killed, tomahawked and scalped old Mr.
Whetzel, his wife, and the small children, and carried off Lewis, who was
then about thirteen years old, and Jacob who was about eleven. Before the
young captives had been carried far, Lewis contrived their escape. When
these two boys grew to be men, they took a solemn oath never to make peace
with the Indians as long as they had strength to wield a tomahawk or sight
to draw a bead, and they kept their oath.
The appearance of Lewis Whetzel was enough to strike terror into common
men. He was about five feet ten inches high, having broad shoulders, a
full breast, muscular limbs, a dark skin, somewhat pitted by the small
pox, hair which, when combed out, reached to the calves of his legs, and
black eyes, whose excited and vindictive glance would curdle the blood. He
excelled in all exercises of strength and activity, could load his rifle
while running with almost the swiftness of a deer, and was so habituated
to constant action, that an imprisonment of three days, as ordered by
General Harmar, was nearly fatal to him. He had the most thorough
self-reliance as his long, solitary and perilous expeditions into the
Indian country prove.
[Illustration: INDIAN CHIEF.]
In the year of 1782, Lewis Whetzel went with Thomas Mills, who had been in
the campaign, to get a horse, which he had left near the place where St.
Clairsville now stands. At the Indian Spring, two miles above St.
Clairsville, on the Wheeling road, they were met by about forty Indians,
who were in pursuit of the stragglers from the campaign. The Indians and
the white men discovered each other about the same time. Lewis fired
first, and killed an Indian; the fire from the Indians wounded Mr. Mills,
and he was soon overtaken and killed. Four of the Indians then singled
out, dropped their guns, and pursued Whetzel. Whetzel loaded his rifle as
he ran. After running about half a mile, one of the Indians having got
within eight or ten steps of him, Whetzel wheeled round and shot him down,
ran on, and loaded as before. After going about three-quarters of a mile
further, a second Indian came so close to him, that when he turned to
fire, the Indian caught the muzzle of his gun, and as he expressed it, he
and the Indian had a severe wring for it; he succeeded, however, in
bringing the gun to the Indian's breast, and killed him on the spot. By
this time, he, as well as the Indians, were pretty well tired; the pursuit
was continued by the remaining two Indians. Whetzel, as before, loaded his
gun, and stopped several times during the chase. When he did so the
Indians treed themselves. After going something more than a mile, Whetzel
took advantage of a little open piece of ground, over which the Indians
were passing, a short distance behind him, to make a sudden stop for the
purpose of shooting the foremost, who got behind a little sapling, which
was too small to cover his body. Whetzel shot, and broke his thigh; the
wound, in the issue, proved fatal. The last of the Indians then gave a
little yell, and said, "No catch dat man--gun always loaded," and gave up
the chase; glad, no doubt, to get off with his life.
Another of this daring warrior's exploits is worthy of a place beside the
most remarkable achievements of individual valor. In the year 1787, a
party of Indians crossed the Ohio, killed a family, and scalped with
impunity. This murder spread great alarm through the sparse settlements
and revenge was not only resolved upon, but a handsome reward was offered
for scalps. Major McMahan, who often led the borderers in their hardy
expeditions, soon raised a company of twenty men, among whom was Lewis
Whetzel. They crossed the Ohio and pursued the Indian trail until they
came to the Muskingum river. There the spies discovered a large party of
Indians encamped. Major McMahan fell back a short distance, and held a
conference when a hasty retreat was resolved upon as the most prudent
course, Lewis Whetzel refused to take part in the council, or join in the
retreat. He said he came out to hunt Indians; they were now found and he
would either lose his own scalp or take that of a "red skin." All
arguments were thrown away upon this iron-willed man; he never submitted
to the advice or control of others. His friends were compelled to leave
him a solitary being surrounded by vigilant enemies.
[Illustration: LEWIS WHETZEL'S SINGULAR ESCAPE.]
As soon as the major's party had retired beyond the reach of danger,
Whetzel shouldered his rifle, and marched off into a different part of the
country, hoping that fortune would place a lone Indian in his way. He
prowled through the woods like a panther, eager for prey, until the next
evening, when he discovered a smoke curling up among the bushes. Creeping
softly to the fire, he found two blankets and a small copper kettle, and
concluded that it was the camp of two Indians. He concealed himself in the
thick brush, in such a position that he could see the motions of the
enemy. About sunset the two Indians came in, cooked and ate their supper,
and then sat by the fire engaged in conversation. About nine o'clock one
of them arose, shouldered his rifle, took a chunk of fire in his hand, and
left the camp, doubtless in search of a deer-lick. The absence of this
Indian was a source of vexation and disappointment to Whetzel, who had
been so sure of his prey. He waited until near break of day, and still the
expected one did not return. The concealed warrior could delay no longer.
He walked cautiously to the camp, found his victim asleep, and drawing a
knife buried it in the red man's heart. He then secured the scalp, and set
off for home, where he arrived only one day after his companions. For the
scalp, he claimed and received the reward.
Here is another of Lewis Whetzel's remarkable exploits. Returning home
from a hunt, north of the Ohio, he was walking along in that reckless
manner, which is a consequence of fatigue, when his quick eye suddenly
caught sight of an Indian in the act of raising his gun to fire. Both
sprung like lightning to the woodman's forts, large trees, and there they
stood for an hour, each afraid of the other. This quiet mode of warfare
did not suit the restless Whetzel, and he set his invention to work to
terminate it. Placing his bear-skin cap on the end of his ramrod, he
protruded it slightly and cautiously as if he was putting his head to
reconnoitre, and yet was hesitating in the venture. The simple savage was
completely deceived. As soon as he saw the cap, he fired and it fell.
Whetzel then sprang forward to the astonished red man, and with a shot
from the unerring rifle brought him to the ground quite dead. The
triumphant ranger then pursued his march homeward.
But it was in a deliberate attack upon a party of four Indians that our
hero displayed the climax of daring and resolution. While on a fall hunt,
on the Muskingum, he came upon a camp of four savages, and with but little
hesitation resolved to attempt their destruction. He concealed himself
till midnight, and then stole cautiously upon the sleepers. As quick as
thought, he cleft the skull of one of them. A second met the same fate,
and as a third attempted to rise, confused by the horrid yells, which
Whetzel gave with his blows, the tomahawk stretched him in death. The
fourth Indian darted into the darkness of the wood and escaped, although
Whetzel pursued him for some distance. Returning to camp, the ranger
scalped his victims and then left for home. When asked on his return,
"What luck?" he replied, "Not much. I treed four Indians, and one got
away." Where shall we look for deeds of equal daring and hardihood?
Martin, Jacob, and John Whetzel were bold warriors; and in the course of
the Indian war, they secured many scalps; but they never obtained the
reputation possessed by their brother, Lewis. All must condemn cruelty
wherever displayed, but it is equally our duty to render just admiration
to courage, daring, and indomitable energy, qualities in which the Whetzel
brothers have rarely if ever been excelled.
[Illustration: LEWIS WHETZEL'S STRATAGEM.]
General Clark, the companion of Lewis in the celebrated tour across the
Rocky Mountains, having heard much of Lewis Whetzel, in Kentucky,
determined to secure his services for the exploring expedition. After
considerable hesitation, Whetzel consented to go, and accompanied the
party during the first three months' travel, but then declined going any
further, and returned home. Shortly after this, he left again on a
flat-boat, and never returned. He visited a relation, named Sikes, living
about twenty miles in the interior, from Natchez, and there made his home,
until the summer of 1808, when he died, leaving a fame for valor and skill
in border warfare, which will not be allowed to perish.