ALLEGHENY WINDINGS

CASTAWAY BAR - MILE 152�

[Note-The following is an example of the descriptive directions provided to the rivermen who used the 1855 publication, "The Allegheny Pilot."]

Channel to the right. This bar extends from the left shore near the Roman Catholic Church, diagonally upwards about a mile, and nearly across to the rocky shore. The head of the bar is to be seen on map No. 12, the remainder at the commencement of map No. 13, Keep quite near the right shore till past the mouth of Pine Hollow run, then incline a litttle to the left to pass the little bar below the mouth of the run.

In high water, flat boats and small pieces of lumber after leaving Hick's bar, can keep down the left shore and go through the separation in the bar, but it should not be done unless for the purpose of landing in Kittanning.

KITTANNING BRIDGE

Channel first or second space from the right shore. Second space is the deepest. After passing the bridge, keep near the right shore till past the bar situated in about the middle of the river in front of the Rolling Works at the lower end of the town. In good running stages, flat boats and the like can go to the left of the bar.

Blue Rock Eddy on the left below the bar, and a little above the town of Manorville.

KITTANNING

Kittanning, the seat of justice for Armstrong county, is a beautiful town, and as beautifully situated on the left bank of the river. The buildings are principally brick. Four streets run parallel with the river, crossed at right angles by eight others. It was laid out in 1804, and incorporated a borough in 1821; population about 3,000. Kittanning was formerly the site of an old Indian town of the same name, and was a prominent point in the north-western boundary of the last great purchase made by the proprietary government in 1768, at Fort Stanwix. The following account of the destruction of the old Indian town of Kittanning, is from the Pennsylvania Gazette of Sept. 23, 1756, copies in part from an original letter of Col. Armstrong to the Governor of Pennsylvania, and is now among the archives of the state at Harrisburg:

Saturday last, (Sept. 1756) arrive an express from Col. Armstrong of Cumberland county, with advice that he marched from Fort Shirley on the 30th past, with about 300 of our provincial forces, on an expedition against Kittanning, a town of our Indian enemies on the Ohio, about 45 miles above Fort Duquesne, (Pittsburgh). On the 3d instant, he joined the advanced party at the Beaver dams, near Frankstown; and on the 7th, in the evening, being within six miles of Kittanning, the scouts discovered a fire in the road, and reported that there were but three, or at most four Indians at it. It was not thought proper to attempt surprising those Indians at that time, lest if one should escape the town might be alarmed; so Lieut. Hogg with twelve men was left to watch them, with orders not to fall upon them till daybreak, and our forces turned out of the path, to pass by their fire without disturbing them. About three in the morning, having been guided by the whooping of the Indian warriors at a dance in the town, they reached the river, 100 perches below the body of the town, near a corn-field, in which a number of the enemy lodged out of their cabins, as it was a warm night. As soon as day appeared and the town could be seen, the attack began in the corn-field, through which our people charge, killing several of the enemy, and entered the town. Captain Jacobs, the chief of the Indians, gave the warwhoop, and defended his house bravely through loop-holes in the logs, and the Indians generally refused quarters which were offered them, declaring they were men and would not be prisoners. {Chief Jacobs was supposed to be father of the Capt. Jacobs, who, with Brant, attempted to kill Gen. Scott when a prisoner at Niagara in the war of 1812, but were prevented by the timely interference of a British Officer.} Col. Armstrong (who had received a wound in his shoulder by a musket ball) ordered their houses to be set on fire over their heads, which was immediately done. When the Indians were told that they would be burned to death if they did not surrender, one of them replied, "he did not care, as he could kill four or five before he died," and as the heat approached, some began to sing. Some, however, burst out of their houses, and attempted to reach the river, but were instantly shot down. Capt. Jacobs, in getting out of a window, was shot, as also his squaw, and a lad called the king's son. The Indians had a number of spare arms in their houses, loaded, which went off in quick succession as the fire came to them; and quantities of gunpowder, which had been stored in every house, blew up from time to time, throwing some of their bodies a great height in the air. A body of the enemy on the opposite side of the river fired on our people, and were seen to cross the river at a distance, as if to surround our men; they collected some Indian horses that were near the town to carry off the wounded, and then retreated, without going back to the corn-field to pick up those killed there at the beginning of the action.

Several of the enemy were killed in the river as they attempted to escape by fording it, and it was computed that in all between 30 and 40 were destroyed. Eleven English prisoners were released and brought away, who informed the colonel, that besides the powder, (of which the Indians boasted they had enough for ten years war with the English.) there was a great quantity of goods burnt, which the French had made them a present of but ten days before. The prisoners also informed, that that very day two batteaux of French Indians were to join Capt. Jacobs, to march and take Fort Shirley; and that 24 warriors had set out before them the preceding evening, which proved to be the party that kindled the fire the night before - for our people returning found Lieut. Hogg wounded in three places, and learned that he had in the morning attacked the supposed party of four, at the fire-place, according to orders, but found them too numerous for him. He killed three of them, however, at the first fire, and fought them an hour - when, having lost three of his best men, the rest, as he lay wounded, abandoned him and fled, the enemy pursuing: Captain Mercer being wounded in the action, was carried off by his ensign and eleven men, who left the main body, in their return, to take another road. On he whole it is allowed to be the greatest blow the Indians have received since the war began. The conduct of Col. Armstrong in marching so large a body through the enemy's country and coming so close to the town without being discovered, is deservedly admired and applauded as well as the bravery of both officers and men in the action.

It is proper to observe that the current tradition among the aged men of the town now is, that no one but old Jacobs was burned in the house; that all the other Indians had gone off. Yet it would seem that Col. Armstrong's official report ought to be true. The site of this house was near where Dr. John Gilpin's now stands; and in excavating his cellar, the bones of old Jacobs were dug up.

After the destruction of the Indian town, the location remained unimproved by white people until near the close the last century. The land remained in possession of the Armstrong family; and when the establishment of the county was proposed, Dr. Armstrong of Carlisle, a son of the general, made a donation of the site of the town to the county, on condition of receiving one half the proceeds of the sales of lots.

In the winter of 1837-8, a remarkable gorge occurred in the Allegheny River opposite Kittanning. The ice first gorged 1� miles above town, and caused considerable alarm. It broke, however, and passed the town freely, but again gorged below. The water thus checked, instantly fell back upon the town, and deluged the whole flat quite to the base of the hill. Many fears were expressed that the whole town would be swept away. The ferry-boat passed quite up to the high ground, and all the inhabitants had escaped to the hills. Providentially the gorge broke after about 20 or 30 minutes, and the frightened inhabitants returned with lightened hearts to their homes.

FREEPORT - MILE 170�

Freeport, situated on the right bank, is a flourishing village, and for beauty of location, is second to none on the river. For natural advantages and thoroughfares this place excels. The mouth of Buffalo Creek which comes in at the lower end of the town, is a popular rendezvous for boatmen during the seasons of floods and ice. Freeport Island at the upper part of the village, creates a fine eddy in front of the town, which makes an excellent landing place for rafts of lumber, boats, etc.

The canal from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia, passes directly through here. Four trains of cars on the Allegheny Valley Railroad also pass by on the opposite side of the river every day. The North Western Railroad also passes through this place, which is nearly completed, and which is a connecting link, and forms a continuous line of Railroads from the Atlantic cities to the far West.

The place contains about twenty-five Stores, Groceries, and Hotels, and nearly as many Mechanic shops, two Foundries, etc. Also a large Woolen Factory, and four mills, three of which are propelled by steam and one by water. It was incorporated a Borough on the 8th of April, 1833; and now contains nearly 2000 inhabitants. There are seven churches in the place; the Methodist Episcopal, Baptist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Ceceder, Episcopal and Roman Catholic.

The early history of the country furnishes us with several interesting incidents, one of which relates to the capture of Mrs. Massa Harbison, by the Indians. The sufferings and trials of this distinguished individual while a captive, shows how much humanity can undergo and suffer.

"When every hope of earthly bliss is gone
The coward sneaks to death, the brave live on."

If inspired with true fortitude. She was among the first settlers of the country, and consequently endured hardships and privations, for a woman, almost beyond human calculation. She is represented as being a woman of strong mind and person, good reputation, and of tried courage and fortitude. She has long since tried the realities, we have every reason to hope, of a better world than this. Several of her children now reside in this place and vicinity, who are second to none in point of respectability.

She was taken captive at her residence, which was situated about two miles below this place, and on the opposite side of the river, a short distance up Harbison's run. After dashing out the brains of one of her children on the door sill, and plundered the house, the Indians separated two of which took her and her two remaining children, one an infant in her arms, and started up the river, and crossed over to Freeport Island, where she was doomed to witness the murder of her little boy. She says, in a narrative written by herself,

"when I beheld the scalp of my child in the hands of his murderers, with the blood dripping from it, nature gave way and I fell senseless to the ground with my child under me. The first thing I remembered after witnessing this spectacle of woe, was the severe blows I was receiving from the hands of the savages, though at the time I was unconscious of the injury I was sustaining. After a severe castigation they assisted me in getting up, and led me into the river, which had the effect to bring me to my senses again."

She remained with them several days, receiving from them similar treatment, making rapid marches by day, over the mountains and through the woods, bare-foot, being in a delicate situation - carrying her child in her arms, and having it to care for nights with her hands pinioned. At length she made her escape while one of the Indians was out reconnoitering, the other having inadvertently fallen asleep. She was closely pursued both night and day, and at one time came very near being retaken. But after several days and nights wandering to and fro in the woods till worn down with fatigue and hunger, was at last, through an overruling Providence, directed to the river opposite to where the fort stood, at the head of Six Mile Island. She was taken across to the fort in a canoe. Her appearance being so materially changed that her nearest neighbors did not recognize her; she not having scarcely tasted food for nearly six days.

BULL CREEK ISLAND -MILE 178

TARENTUM

Tarentum, situated on the right, above the mouth of Bull Creek, is a well built town. It is 21 miles above Pittsburgh, by the canal, which passes through it. The Locks of the canal affords an excellent water privilege, and several mills are propelled, both by water and steam. In the town there are several Salt works and coal mines. The place contains the usual supply of Churches, Stores, Shops, etc.

SHARPSBURG BRIDGE - MILE 197�

Sharpsburg, on the right, is a thriving town. For the last few years it has grown almost beyond calculation. It contains several extensive manufacturing establishments, a rolling mill, sash factory, Keel and Steam boats are also, built here. It is 5 miles from Pittsburgh, by the canal and the same by river.


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