Gazette Of The United States

HARRISBURGH, Jan. 25.

By letters received from Muskingum the 17th inst. we are enabled to present the following intelligence to our readers.

About 6 weeks ago, a small party of the most enterprising of the Muskingum people, commenced a settlement at a place called the Big Bottom, about 24 miles from Marietta by land, and about 40 miles up the Muskingum. They had built a block house, and had began to make improvements—when on the 2d inst. in the dusk of the evening, not having barred the door, the house was surprised by a party of about 40 Indians, consisting chiefly, if not wholly, of the Tawawa, Shawanee and Kickapoo nations. The onset was so impetuous, that the unhappy victims had not time to find a gun, but fell an easy sacrifice to the vindictive and cruel enemy, whose horrid policy would not admit the last of the unfortunate party who were in the house to the claim of mercy, notwithstanding it was used in the most moving manner. One person only of the whole escaped, by being out, who lay concealed about forty rods from the place, and was witness to the awful scene. The number who perished on this occasion, were in all 14; among whom were one woman and two children. Three prisoners were taken from a small cabin 1 mile from this place the same evening, whose fate is doubted to be still more unfortunate.