Version 1
from History of the Settlement and Indian Wars of Tazewell County, Virginia by Geo.
W. L. Bickley, M. D. with added material compiled by J. Allen Neal. (Parsons, WV:
McClain Printing Co., 1974.) p 244-6.
In the latter part of the summer of 1792, Maj. Robert Crockett of Wythe, county, was informed that a considerable band of Indians had been seen in the settlement on the Clinch, and endeavoring to steal horses, but had not at that time succeeded. He immediately raised a company of forty, and went in pursuit of them, thinking it likely that he should fall in with them as they were leaving the settlement with their booty.
He found their trail, over which they had but a short time passed, and having no doubt of the route which they would take, concluded that it would be an easy matter to come up with them that night. Being short of provisions, he stopped and ordered the men to separate in pairs, and try to kill a few deer. They were to hunt but two hours when the march was to be resumed.
Joseph Gilbert, and Samuel Lusk, acting as spies, were ordered to keep on and carefully note every sign, and in case they found the Indians, to return and give information. These two men were noted spies, and had often served together. They continued on the trail for about an hour, when they came upon a lick at which the Indians, who were also in need of provisions, lay concealed, waiting for the deer or elk which frequented it.
The Indians fired, missing Gilbert, but wounding Lusk in the hand. Gilbert turned to run, and had made off a few yards, when Lusk called to him to return and save him, if possible. The affectionate tone in which this appeal was uttered, fired the manly heart of Gilbert, who turned about and shot the nearest Indian, who fell upon the spot. The Indians closed in upon him as he stood over the body of Lusk, who had fainted from loss of blood, but dropping his gun, he drew his heavy hunting-knife, and fell to upon the naked bodies of his enemies with such spirit, that the Indians no longer dared to approach within reach of his arm. Keeping out of his reach, they began to hurl their tomahawks at him with such force and accuracy, that he soon lay dead on the earth by the side of his now reviving companion. The wounded hand of Lusk was immediately cared for by the Indians, who after scalping Gilbert, commenced a rapid march for the Ohio. The firing was too far off to give Maj. Crockett any warning of what was going on; but when the two hours had expired, he took up the line of march and followed on after his spies. When they arrived at the lick, they found the body of Gilbert, and pushed on with all possible speed, after burying him near the bank of the creek which now bears his name, but could not come up with the Indians.
The Indians told Lusk, whom they took prisoner, and who returned in a short time, that if Maj. Crockett had not stopped to hunt, he must have cut them to pieces, as they were, but a few moments before they came to the lick, engaged in catching young otters, their arms in the meantime lying on a little knoll several rods from them.
Version 2
1834, Oct 7; Samuel filed for Invalid Pension for service in 1792, Indian Wars, when he
was captured and injured losing use of one hand. Rejected on April 30 1842!
"State of Kentucky, Greenup County. On this 7th day of October 1834 personally appeared before the circuit court of Greenup County now sitting, Samuel Lusk, a resident of said county and State of Kentucky, aged about 60 years. . . makes the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by Congress passed June 7, 1832. . . that in the latter part of the month of March 1792 he enlisted in the army of the United States for the term of nine months, and served under the following officers. He states that he enlisted in Wythe, since Tazewell, County, Virginia under Captain Robert Crockett, that his Colonel was Preston, his lieutenant was James Taylor and William Adams was his ensign. That after he enlisted, he with the remainder of the company was stationed at Bluestone River in Wythe County, and there remained for the purpose of guarding and protecting the frontier, that he continued in the services until the last of July or first of August 1792, when the Captain Crockett started with a part of his company on a scouting party, and when on this scout, this Declarant and Joseph Gilbert left the Company to hunt, while the company was preparing breakfast, and getting too far from their company they were surprised by six Indians who fired on and wounded us both. Gilbert fired his gun and killed one Indian and about the same time fell and expired. This declarant was shot through the right hand, and had to let his gun drop, when he was pursued and taken prisoner. Gilbert was scalped in presence of this declarant. This happened on a branch of Guyandotte River known then as Kettle Creek, but which afterwards took the name of Gilbert's Creek from the circumstance above alluded to. This declarant was taken by the five Indians across the Ohio, and on to Sandusky, where he remained a prisoner, about eleven months when he effected his escape and went to Detroit, and from thence below the falls of Niagara to Governor Symcoc, and procured from him a pass to come to the United States, and reached his home in December 1793, being about 17 or 18 months from the time he was taken prisoner as above stated. . . the wound aforesaid has crippled and disabled his hand, and he has never been able to open it since the wound healed. . . He expects to be able to prove the fact of his enlistment by Valentine Bloss, who was a private in Captain Crockett's company at the time the declarant was taken prisoner. This declarant states that he now resides in Greenup, and has resided here for five years last past, that he lived on year previous to that in Lawrence County, Kentucky, to which last mentioned county he moved from Tazewell County, Virginia. . . Solomon Peery, a clergyman, swore that he was well acquainted with Samuel Lusk. A letter in the file of this pension application from Lewis C. Tuggett, dated Georgetown, Scott Co., Ky, 1842, requests the information on disposition of Samuel's claim - and also on John McGuier's claim." [AATL; 274]
Version 3
Samuel Lusk's Military Service Record was researched by James F. Carver in February
1999.
Samuel was born around 1776 in (then) Wythe County, Virginia, a son of Samuel Lusk, Sr. and Susannah Stephenson. He was born during a very hostile period. When Samuel was born the Revolutionary War for the Independence of the United States erupted and ended when Samuel was but a young lad.
While the war with England was over during Samuel's early years the hostilities around his homestead didn't stop. The Indians that lived and traveled throughout Southwest Virginia continued their hostile actions against the white settlers and pioneers within the area. In the early 1790's the Indians were raiding the (now) Tazewell County area committing mass murder with massacres of entire families and kidnapping of white settlers. This time period was known as the period of the "Indian Wars."
Samuel, Jr.'s father, Samuel Lusk, Sr., during the 1790's, was serving under Major Robert Crockett (was Captain then) in the local militia. Samuel, Sr. was involved in at least 26 combat actions against the hostile Indians. Years later in the reports filed by Major Crockett, Samuel Lusk, Sr. was given credit with much of the successful campaigns against the hostile Indians. It was in 1792 there in (then) Wythe County, Virginia (area now Tazewell County) when another hostile raiding party of Indians raided the area where the Lusk clan lived. During this raid Samuel Lusk, Sr. and three of his sons, (names unknown) were killed by the hostile Indians. Surviving this raid were Samuel Lusk, Jr., his brother, David and now widowed mother, Susannah. Most likely the call went out for additional able-bodied men to fill the ranks of the local militia to defend themselves from any additional attacks against their settlement.
Like his father, Samuel Lusk, Jr. enlisted in March of 1792 into the Military in (then Wythe County) at the age of 16. This Wythe County area became Tazewell County in 1800. Samuel was stationed at a fort located on Bluestone Creek under the command of Major Robert Crockett. Young Samuel was to become an Indian Spy or Scout. (During these times, an Indian Scout/Spy was a soldier who observed nearby Indians and both reported their behavior and actions and served to alert his command of possible hostility).
During the last invasion of the now Tazewell County area a band of Shawnee Indians slipped into the settlements on Bluestone on a horse stealing expedition during the summer of 1792. The Shawnee had found it more profitable to steal horses than just simply taking scalps from the white settlers. The Shawnee would take the stolen horses to Canada where there was a growing market for horses. During the Shawnee raids they had stolen 80 horses and then many lives. It was while these hostile Indians were beginning their trip out of Tazewell County heading for Canada that they were discovered. An Indian Scout had spotted the Indians and quickly reported their movements to the garrison on the Bluestone. Major Robert Crockett, the commander at Wynn's Fort decided to take immediate action. Major Crockett sent out two companies of mounted riflemen, the company from Bluestone had Samuel Lusk in their ranks.
Due to this rapid deployment, Major Crockett did not have the time to prepare provisions. They travelled down Horse Pen Creek, at the head of Clear Fork and down to the Tug and on the mouth of Four Pole then crossing the dividing ridge between the waters of the Sandy and Guyandotte Rivers. Major Crockett sent young Samuel Lusk and Joseph Gilbert forward to a Buffalo lick on (then) Kettle Creek which flows into the Guyandotte to secure the unit with food and game.
Based upon a report of Major Crockett, found in the Virginia Calendar papers, that it was on the 24th of July, 1792 that Samuel Lusk and Joseph Gilbert had set out and reached the Buffalo lick where they killed a deer and wounded an elk. Leaving the dead deer behind, they tracked the elk. They couldn't catch it, thus they returned to the area where they left the deer. Joseph Gilbert lead the way down the buffalo path with Samuel Lusk just behind him. All of a sudden Gilbert noticed a stone hanging by a pawpaw bark over the path, an Indian sign alerting Gilbert to danger. Gilbert whispered to Samuel Lusk to look out when all of a sudden hidden Indians opened fire upon them. Samuel Lusk was first struck in the right hand when a musket ball penetrated it knocking the gun he carried from his hand. Gilbert and Lusk rapidly began retreating when Samuel Lusk fell down, sick from the rapid loss of blood which was flowing freely from his wounded hand. Samuel begged Joseph Gilbert to leave him and to save himself, but Gilbert refused to leave him behind. As the Indians rushed Gilbert shot and killed one but there were five others who reached Gilbert with their tomahawks and knocked him down and scalped him right in front of Samuel Lusk. Young Samuel was taken prisoner. The creek where Gilbert and Lusk made their stand was called Kettle Creek, now renamed Gilbert Creek, in honor of Joseph Gilbert who gave his life for his fellow soldier and friend.
The Shawnee Indians immediately rushed down the creek to the Guyandotte River with their prisoner, then down the river to the mouth of Island Creek where they camped behind a rocky ridge called Hog Back today. That night Samuel Lusk lay suffering from his wound but was treated by the Indians. An Indian had gone into the woods and gathered some roots and beat the roots into a pulp, made a poultice, and bound Samuel's hand which gave him some relief. Unknown at the time to the Indians, Major Crockett was just two miles away on their search for the Indians debating there at 1:00AM, if they should attack during the night's darkness, they decided to wait until morning.
In the early morning hours of July 25th, 1792 as the Indians prepared canoes and cooked their breakfast, Major Crockett and his Tazewell men attacked the Indian Camp. With shots blazing the Indians scattered taking only a few stolen horses, and their prisoner, Samuel Lusk. The starving men within Major Crockett's command didn't follow after the Indians, but stopped and ate their bear meat breakfast, took several dozen pairs of moccasins left behind as trophies, and felt they had a victory finally driving the Shawnee Indians from their midst. While, in truth, this engagement was a victory for Major Crockett but not for young Samuel Lusk who might have been saved if Crockett's men had continued on with their attack on the enemy.
Samuel Lusk was taken west by the Shawnee Indians into the Ohio Territory and on to Sandusky where Samuel remained a prisoner for eleven months. Samuel managed to escape and he traveled to Detroit and crossed over into Canada. Samuel made his way eastward along the southern border of Canada, stopped most likely at the British Fort Erie. Fort Erie was established in 1764 on the Niagara River in the French speaking Ontario, Canada located about 20 miles west of Niagara Falls. At the time of Samuel's arrival in this Canadian area in 1793, the ruling authority was Governor John Graves Simcoe. Samuel obtained a pass (written permission) from Governor Simcoe to return safely to the United States. Located a few miles eastward of Fort Erie is a crossing point on the Niagara River between Canada and Buffalo, New York. Most likely, Samuel crossed over by flatboat here, his own testimony states he crossed by Niagara Falls which would have been less than 15 miles away. The crossing site Samuel probably used became a regular ferry-boat crossing between Canada and the United States between 1797 and 1949. Samuel would continue southward reaching his home in Virginia by October 1793. Samuel's wounds to his right had both slightly crippled and disabled him for life since he was unable to fully open his right hand ever again.
Version 4
from A History of Middle New River settlements and contiguous territory by David E.
Johnston. (Huntington, WV: Standard Ptg.& Pub. Co., 1906.) p 102-107
A band of Indians from the Ohio country, came in July, 1792, into the Bluestone and upper Clinch settlements and began their depredations - stealing horses, which they had found to be a profitable business. They stole the horses of the settlers, and ran them over into Canada, where they sold them at remunerative prices.
Major Crockett assembled forty men at the place where stands the residence of the late Captain Thomas Peery. Among the number who obeyed the call of Major Crockett were Joseph Gilbert and Samuel Lusk, the latter a youth of about sixteen years, but with quite an experience a an Indian spy and scout, having made a number of trips with the said Joseph Gilbert, who was a noted Indian scout and hunter.
The late Captain James Shannon of the county of Wyoming, West Virginia, when about ninety three years of age, related to the author, that he rode behind his father on a horse to the assembly ground, and well recollected Joseph Gilbert as an active athletic young man, and that he also saw Lusk on the same occasion.
Major Crockett moved off with his men to follow the Indians, having no time to prepare provisions for the journey. They took the route down Horse Pen Creek, and to the head of Clear fork, and down to the Tug and on to the mouth of Four Pole, then crossing the dividing ridge between the waters of the Sandy and Guyandotte Rivers. They sent Gilbert and Lusk forward to a Buffalo lick on a creek flowing into the Guyandotte, to secure if possible a supply of game. It appears by the report of Major Crockett, found in the Virginia Calendar Papers, that this was on the twenty fourth day of July that Gilbert and Lusk set out for and reached the lick, where they found and killed a deer and wounded an elk, which they followed, some distance; being unable to overtake it they returned to the lick to get the deer they had killed. On passing along the Buffolo path, near which they had left the deer, Gilbert in front, discovered a stone, hanging by pawpaw bark over the path. Gilbert in an instant discerning whet it meant called on Lusk to look out. He had scarcely uttered the words, when the Indians fired, a ball from one of their guns penetrating the hand of Lusk, in which he carried his gun, which caused him to drop the same. The Indians immediately began to close in on them, Gilbert putting Lusk behind him, and holding the Indians off by the presentation of his gun. Gilbert and Lusk kept retreating as rapidly as they could with safety. Lusk's wounded hand was bleeding freely, and he became sick from the loss of blood, and begged Gilbert to leave him and get away; this Gilbert refused to do, saying, that he promised his, Lusk's, mother, to take care of him. Finally the Indians got close enough to knock Gilbert down with their tomahawks, which they did, and an Indian rushed up to scalp him, when Gilbert shot him dead, but another one of the Indians dispatched Gilbert, and Lusk became a prisoner. The Indians immediately hurried with their prisoner down the creek to Guyandotte, and then down the river to the mouth of Island Creek, and went into camp behind a rocky ridge called Hog Back at the present day. Major Crockett instead of following the tracks of Gilbert and Lusk to the lick, had turned to the west, and crossed a ridge onto the right fork of Island Creek, and reached and camped at a point within two miles of the Indian camp, but without knowledge of his proximity to them. During the night Lusk suffered much with his hand until an Indian went off and brought some roots which he beat up into a pulp, made a poultice, and bound his hand which afforded relief. Early on the morning of the 25th the Indians took to their canoes, which they had left at this point on their way to the settlements, and rapidly descending the river to its mouth crossed the Ohio. On reaching the northern bank, they placed their canoes in charge of some of their party and taking Lusk with them crossed the country.
The Indians had learned some things from their contact with white men, among them was to wear a hunting shirt, a loose garment which they fastened around the waist, leaving it open and loose above the waist. These Indians that had Lusk in charge had donned the hunting shirt. On the way across the country, on the evening they crossed the Ohio, and before halting to camp, they passed through some prairie country, and Lusk observed that they kept now and then stooping down taking something from the ground, and putting it inside of their hunting shirts. When they had reached their camping place, and had built a fire, they went off and brought a large iron kettle, put on the fire, and put into it a considerable quantity of water, and when it began to approach the boiling point, the Indians gathered around the kettle and began to take something from the inside of their hunging shirts and throw into the water, and seemed to be in high glee as indicated by their laughter. Lusk ventured up to see what it meant, and found it was dry land toads they had gathered on the route and were putting into the hot boiling water. They were preparing supper, and when they had reduced the water and the toads to the consistency of a good thick mush, they took the kettle from the fire and permitted the mush to cool; they then took wooden spoons, offering one to Lusk, which he refused, and gathered around the kettle and began to eat. Finding that Lusk would not eat with them, one of their number went off and procured some jerked buffalo meat and furnished it to Lusk. The journey was resumed the next morning, and during the day their town of Chillicothe was reached, where Lusk met and made the acquaintance of Mrs. Virginia Wiley, who had been captured on the first day of October, 1789, as herein before related.
Lusk's wounded hand rapidly healed, and the Indians put him to work in their corn fields, and later to aid in building some new cabins for the winter. He appearing to be an expert at what is termed carrying up a corner, while so engaged and notching down a piece of timber, his axe threw off a large chip of wood, which struck a stout young Indian about Lusk's size and age in the face, which made the young fellow very angry. Believing or pretending to believe, that Lusk had intentionally caused the chip to strike him, he thereupon challenged Lusk for a fight, which challenge Lusk accepted, came down from the house, and gave to his challenger a fearful thrashing. The other Indians stood by and praised Lusk, and made fun at the other fellow, who though whipped, was yet very angry. He went off and secured two large knives, came back offering one to Lusk, and challenged him to mortal combat. The older Indians advised Lusk not to take the knife, but to keep out of his way, and at the same time shake his fist at him, which he did only adding insult to injury; but finally by the interposition of the older heads the matter was adjusted. In September the Indians planned and made ready for their annual fall hunt in the region of the lakes. It was towards the latter part of the month when the hunting party left Chillicothe going north, leaving only the squaws, the children, and an old Indian Chief in charge of the town, and the prisoners Lusk and Mrs. Wiley. Lusk determined to make his escape, and made known his intention to Mrs. Wiley, who declared that she would go with him. He sought to dissuade her as she could probably not keep up with him, and might very much hinder and embarrass him if they would be pursued. Up to the time of the departure of the hunting party, Lusk had made himself helpful to his captors, but expressed himself as delighted with his new made acquaintances, and expressed a desire to remain with them, whereby he ingratiated himself fully into their confidence, so much so that they seemed not to have the slightest doubt of his sincerity. Not so as to Mrs. Wiley, who had frequently shown signs of uneasiness and inclination to go away; so that when the hunting party was about to depart Mrs. Wiley was placed in charge of the old Indian Chief with direcitons to keep close watch on her.
In the course of events it so happened late one September evening near the last of the month, and just before the sun was setting, that the Old Indian Chief, who was lying on the ground, required Mrs. Wiley to sit down beside him; he drawing the skirts of her dress far enough towards him that he could lie on the same which he did; turning his face from Mrs. Wiley, he went to sleep. He had on his belt his scalping knife, the squaws were busy about their house work, when Lusk made known to Mrs. Wiley, that he was ready and about to go, and she determined to go with him, and reaching over the body of the old Chief she secured his scalping knife, cut that portion of her dress underneath him from the other portion on her body, and hurrying down to the bank of the Scioto, where Lusk had a light canoe in readiness, they entered the same and immediately and as quietly as possible set off swiftly and rapidly down the river for the southern bank of the Ohio, fifty miles away, Lusk using the pole and Mrs. Wiley the paddle. They reached the southern bank of the Ohio about daylight the next morning where they abandoned their canoe, and immediately set out up the Ohio. Lusk believing they would be pursued, and afraid to follow up the Sandy or Guyandotte waters for fear of either being overtaken, or meeting with some roving bands of savages, he steadily kept his course up the southern bank of the Ohio to opposite Gallipolis, where a few French people lived, crossed over into the village and found a place of refuge, where he and Mrs. Wiley could hide away until the danger of recapture had passed. In a few days a pursuing party of Indians reached Gallipolis, but failing to find the runaways soon departed. Mr. Lusk determined to take no risks by attempting to return through the Virginia Mountains, and finding some men passing up the Ohio in a push boat bound for Pittsburgh, he secured passage with them, leaving Mrs. Wiley, who declined to go in the boat, with her kind protectors in Gallipolis. In a few days after Lusk's departure, Mrs. Wiley made up her mind to endeavor to make her way home by the Kanawha and New Rivers, which she did after many days, and a long tiresome, and dangerous journey, finally reaching her husband's brother and family at Wiley's Falls on New River in the now county of Giles, Virginia.
Lusk made his way to Pittsburg, and from thence to Philadelphia, where he accidently met Major Joseph Cloyd, of Back Creek, and came home with him some time in October, about one month after his escape from the Indians at Chillicothe.
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