Journal of the Captivity of Jean Lowry and her Children

An account of her being taken by the Indians the 1st of April 1756 from William McCords's in Rocky Springs Settlement in Pennsylvania with an account of the hardships she suffered, etc. Philadelphia: William Bradford, 1760.

Contributed by Tom Hall

A few paragraphs are quoted describing the taking of the Fort and Battle of Sideling Hill:

The indians having made several incursions upon Pennsylvania and the neighbouring Provinces, all who lived in the frontier parts were dismaid and mostly assembled the adjacent families unto some house, they apprehended most convenient, and raised a kind of stockade about the house they assembled unto. Such a fort of strength was, by a few neighbours, raised about William M'Cord's house, in Rocky Spring Settlement and thither my husband (John Lowry) had carried me and our six children, thinking it a place of greater safty than our own cottage: But alas! We were soon convinced of the contrary.

For on the 1st of April 1756, about One O'Clock in the afternoon, the savage indians surrounded the house. My husband being below and a good marks-man (as I have since been informed) killed one of the indians, and was instantly killed himself. And there being no other Man at that time present, the barbarians rushed into the house, (the Women and children were mostly upstairs) plundered the house of what they pleased, and seized two of my children that were below. Then most rudely calling to us that were above. The young indians shooting arrows in at the upper windows, which wounded some. Then suddenly they set the house on fire, which was quickly all ablaze, while with my three small children, I was still in the upper room in the utmost confusion of mind and body.

Oh how my tortur'd mind was hurry'd! Horrer of the indian barbarities and rudenesses made me think of prefering death unto a miserable life: But here I had many deaths to suffer in one: It's impossible for me to relate the thousandth part of my agony for my trembling children: But divine providence determined me to deliver myself and children up into their cruel hands, not knowing how the Lord might over-rule them and dispose of us, rather than instantly perish in the devouring flames: For now we were near suffocated with the smoke. Bursting thro' every where upon us, and terrify'd with the thundering noise of the ascending flame.

Another distressing thing to my overwhelmed mind at this time was, my being big with child, and knowing that it was the usual indian manner to kill every woman they took in that condition; yet I adventured to open a window and called out to the barbarians to receive my children, while I put them out by it, which they did, and afterwards came out myself, expecting present death, but glory to God, I got unlooked for favours from them, or rather from glorious King Christ, according to Psal. Cx 2. They did indeed suspect me, and spoke somewhat concerning my condition....

I was now in the hands of the savage indians with my five children, they immediately commanded us prisoners to march right over Blew Mountain; so many of them going before us, and so many after us, as they thought proper. Oh what a distressing journey was this, to an oppre'd and overwhelmed mind!...Thus, near three days was I hurried over mountains and miry vales.

But on the 5th of the month, being the Lords Day, about 50 men, many of them my former neighbours, came upon us, about sun rise or sooner and fired upon the indians: At the first attack only one indian was killed and another wounded, upon which they fled, and were soon hid among the Laurel (a great deal of it growing in this place) our people then came up and untied me and removed us to a rising ground a little distance. No expression can sufficiently shew my joy, when instead of savage indians I found myself in the midst of friends and neighbours, who had assembled so quickly and pursued so diligently for our rescue.

But alas! My joy was very short; for while our people was busy in untying myself and children, taking care of us, none of the prisoners being bound besides me that night, as I can remember, just then did our savage enemys return upon and surround our people; this gave them great advantage, altho' our people did the best they could for two hours. A great many of our people were killed and wounded....

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