There
were also some women, one of whom was the Indian wife of Colonel
John Gibson, an educated man who had distinguished himself as a
soldier with Forbes in 1768. That the Indians came in amity and
apprehended no treachery was proved by the presence of the women.
Gibson's wife carried her halfcaste baby in her shawl. The
disreputable traders plied their guests with drink to the point
of intoxication and then murdered them. King shot the first man
and, when he fell, cut his throat, saying that he had served many
a deer in that fashion. Gibson's Indian wife fled and was shot
down in the clearing. A man followed to dispatch her and her
baby. She held the child up to him pleading, with her last
breath, that he would spare it because it was not Indian but "one
of yours." The mother dead, the child was later sent to Gibson.
Twelve Indians in all were killed.
Meanwhile Croghan had persuaded the Iroquois to peace. With the
help of David Zeisberger, the Moravian missionary, and White
Eyes, a Delaware chief, he and Dunmore had won over the Delaware
warriors. In the Cherokee councils, Oconostota demanded that the
treaty of peace signed in 1761 be kept. The Shawanoes, however,
led by Cornstalk, were implacable; and they had as allies the
Ottawas and Mingos, who had entered the council with them.
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