Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1910 edition. Excerpt: ...Preston, who had about one hundred men in his command was notified, and made a junction with Harman the next day at or near the present site of Welch. With this force they pushed down the Tug River to its junction-with Levisa, and then down the Big Sandy as rapidly as possible, keeping their scouts in advance of them, but they failed to overtake the Indians; in fact they lost all;sign of their trail after passing the mouth of Jennie's Creek, on Tug River. When in about eight miles of the mouth of the Big Sandy, at what is now White's Creek, Airs. Wiley at the mouth of Little Paint Creek (East Point) in her escape from the Indians the scouts reported a large force of Indians, estimated at a thousand warriors, in front of them, and rapidly advancing up the river. The men had not stopped to hunt on the march, and they were entirely out of provisions, and the forced march which they had made had jaded both horses and men. Less than one hundred and fifty men in a wilderness, more than two hundred miles from a settlement, fronted by a wily and savage foe, numbering more than five to one, and acquainted with every mountain pass in the country, by which a party could have been thrown in their front and an ambuscade formed, was indeed a critical position. To fight was certain death and even retreat promised but little else. Nothing else, however, remained to be done, and posting his most experienced men in the rear of his column, Gen. Preston and his brave men, chagrined at their failure in recapturing the prisoners who had been taken from Ab's Valley, set out on their weary retreat up the river. In the meantime a heavy rain had commenced, and the mountain streams were in places overflowing their banks, making fording at times difficult, while the...
