Martinsburgh Gazette

From the Tennessee Herald Extra.

MOST HORRID!!!

We hasten to lay before the public the circumstances of the late inhuman MURDERS committed on the Tennessee river. We have frequently seen and heard Indian cruelty and barbarity described, this beggars all description!--Language cannot pourtray nor imagination scarcely conceive this unequalled scene of hellish barbarity.

The murder of Manley's and Mr. Crawley's family on the 22d inst.

Immediately after the acts of hostility by the Indians, the inhabitants of the frontiers of Humphrey's county, thought it necessary for personal security, that two or three families should live together. For this purpose John Crawley and his unfortunate family, had gone to the house of Jesse Manley. The family of Crawley consisted of a wife and four children: Manley's of a wife and three children. The evening before the tragical event, Manley and Crawley were both called from home, taking Crawley's eldest son with them. They had employed C. Hays, a promising young man, to stay with their families until their return--early next morning he had geared his horse, and had proceeded about 100 yards from the house, when the Indians, who were concealed behind the fence, fired upon him. He received two mortal wounds. Whilst one of the Indians was scalping him the other four ran on to the house. They found one of Manley's children out side of it, whom they tore to pieces with their dogs and scalped.

With savage fury they now forced the door, and commenced a scene of still greater barbarity. They snatched Mrs. Manley's child, only eight days old, from her, scalped it and threw it into the fire place, yelling at a horrid rate. An indiscriminate butchery of the children now took place before their mothers--5 children were scalped and murdered, they keeping Mrs. Manley as the last victim of their cruelty. After shooting her, they scalped her, and committed unheard of cruelties on her body. They then left the house, taking Mrs. Crawley along as a prisoner. About four hours after the Indians were gone, the neighbors got information of the murder, and collected to the number of five or six at the house. They found Mrs. Manley alive and perfectly in her senses. Amidst this carnage one of Mrs. Crawley's children escaped unhurt, when they attacked the house and had the presence of mind to raise a puncheon of the floor and throw her child in the cellar.

Mrs. Manley is still living, and great hopes are entertained for her recovery. The army encamped within four miles of Tennessee river on Saturday evening, that they will cross on Sunday morning; the murder has fired their minds for revenge. Francis Smith who resided near Tennessee river, has been apprehended for a supposed connection with the Indians his case is black.