Portal:Indian Captivity Stories/Thomas Carter

From Draper Papers, MS 4C26, Thomas W. Carter, Estillville, VA, April 9, 1883, courtesty Dan Welch

...The little settlement at Snoddy's fort were not disturbed for two years and the Cowans had begun to erect another fort at a short distance and while the men were at work on it one day John Cowan and his wife Ann started to carry some rations from Snoddy's fort to the men at work on Cowan's fort. They left their ___ little children, boys, one about two years of age ___ other eight months. They had proceeded but a short distance and were passing through a rye field __ the indians fired on them. John was killed and his wife taken prisoner. The Indians were about fift___ in number and were led by the nortious Simon Girty. {Draper note: errror.] At the same time they made a break for the fort in which but one man had been left. His name was John Arter. He heard the Indians fire on Cowan and boldly rushed out and fired and killed the foremost Inidain making toward the fort. The Indians supposing there must be others, fell back. This enabled the whites to collect up and enter Snoddy's fort which they lost not a moment in doing.

About midnight the Indians made an attack on the fort which was repulsed. Ann Cowan who was a prisoner, says they lost four killed in their night attack. The Indians then left and carried Ann Cowan away with them. They held her as a prisoner for seven years and six months, until General Wayne Campaign when she was released and coveyed to Philadelphia. Patrick Porter went there for her and brought back to her home.