Massacre at Fantinekill

     The following incidents occurred (says the Bevier pamphlet) in the midst of a settlement of the descendants of the French Huguenots,and bring to view the distinguishing traits of that people.  They were bold, persevering and resolute, and were firm believers in the doctrine of a particular Providence, which they did not forget to invoke in every time of need. The three families, to whom this narrative especially relates, lived at Fantinekill, near to each other, and about three-fourths of a mile northeast of Ellenvile.
     A young negro, known as Robert, lived at Widow  Isaac Bevier's.  He heard an unusual tramping around the house, just at the dawn of day, like that of horses.  He got up and listened, and found that the noise was made by Indians.
     He opened the door, and stepping back for a little start, jumped out and ran.  In his flight he received a wound on his head from a tomahawk, and a ball was fired through the elbow of his roundabout, but did not hurt him.  The Indians sang out in their own tongues, “Run, you black! run, you black!”  It does not appear that he was pursued by them.  He made his escape over the lowland to Napanock, stopping by the way at a stack to staunch the blood that was flowing profusely from his wound.  The Indians immediately commenced the attack; the widow's sons were both killed, the house was set on fire, and the women driven into the cellar.  The daughter  Magdalene took the Dutch family Bible with her.  When the flames reached them there, they choose rather to deliver themselves up to the savages than to suffer a horrible death by fire. They made their way through the cellar window, the mother in advance.  The Indians were ready to receive their unfortunate and unoffending victims.     What tongue can describe the feelings of mother and daughter at that moment?  Sentence was immediately pronounced against the mother-death by the ruthless tomahawk-whilst the daughter was detained as a prisoner.  It is said that a young Indian brave took a sudden fancy for her, and interposed in her behalf.  The afflicted girl, as soon as she knew the decision of their captors, threw an apron over her head so as not to see her mother killed! All this while she had retained the Dutch Bible in her arms; this was now wrested from her and stamped in the mud.
     When the Indians left the place they took her a short distance into the woods, and sent her back with a war-club, and a letter written by the Tories to  Capt. Andrew Bevier, at Napanoek.  In the letter the Tories invited the old Captain to dine with them next day at Lackawack.  There was an allusion in it to the club-that so they meant to serve him.  This club was stained with fresh blood, and adhering to it were some locks of human hair.  On the girl's return she recovered her invaluable treasure--her Dutch Bible; some of the leaves were soiled by the mud, but not materially.  It is still preserved as a precious relic in the family of her relatives.



                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
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