G.D. McNeill's account of the Warwick family focuses on an attack on their home at Clover Lick

 

G.D. McNeill's account of the Warwick family focuses on an attack on their home at Clover Lick, though the exact date of the attack is uncertain. Here’s a summary of the events based on the provided text:

• Location: The Warwick home was located at the mouth of Clover Creek, where the Ligons and Coyners resided at the time of the writing.
• Absence of the Family: The Warwicks were away from home at the time of the attack.
• Those Present: Only two slaves, an elderly man named Sam and a young boy named Ben, were at the home when the attack occurred.
• The Attack:
  • The two slaves heard unusual hooting sounds that did not seem genuine.
  • Sam ran away, while Ben hid in a patch of flax.
  • Indians swarmed the house, finding it empty.
  • The Indians entered the house, taking clothing and other articles made of cloth.
  • Bedticks were ripped open and the straw and feathers discarded, but the ticking was taken.
  • Chickens were taken from the poultry house, and their feathers removed except for those on their topknots and tails.
  • The Indians took all food supplies and some cooking utensils.
  • The house and outbuildings were then burned.
• Uncertainties:
  • The exact date of the attack is not known, nor is it known from where the attackers came.
  • It's unclear whether the attack on the Warwicks' home and the Drinnen Raid were carried out by the same group of Indians. The direction from which the attackers came is also uncertain, with possibilities including trails from the east over the Alleghenies, from the Tygart by Mt. Airy, from the Mingo Trail up Cheat, or from the south over the Warrior's Road.

McNeill's account highlights the vulnerability of settlers and their homes during this period and the resourcefulness of those under attack. The attack on the Warwick home is described as a destructive raid rather than a direct confrontation, with the Indians targeting resources and property rather than people, and burning structures after taking all they could carry. This event is part of a larger narrative of conflict between settlers and Native American groups in the region.