Killbuck

Killbuck was a significant Shawnee chief who played a notable role in the history of the area that is now West Virginia. He is portrayed as a complex figure, displaying both intelligence and a capacity for violence.

Here are some key aspects of Killbuck's life and interactions, according to the sources:

• Character and Abilities: Killbuck was described as having strong mental powers and much ability. He was also well acquainted with the families in the settlements before the war.
• Knowledge of Settlers: Killbuck lived among the white settlers near Fort Pleasant before the outbreak of war.
• Conflicts and Encounters with Settlers:
  • He had a quarrel with Peter Casey, a pioneer of Hampshire, over a promised reward for capturing a runaway slave. Casey knocked Killbuck down with a cane, and the war breaking out, Killbuck sought every opportunity to kill Casey, but never succeeded.
  • Years later, Killbuck met Casey's son and inquired about the unpaid debt and the assault. The son did not pay the debt but bought Killbuck a quart of rum.
  • Killbuck admitted he had often watched for Casey but that Casey was too lazy to come out of the fort. Killbuck then said that he and the son were now friends.
  • Killbuck admitted to witnessing many conflicts but considered the battle of The Trough to be the most sanguinary.
• Military Actions:
  • Killbuck attempted to take Fort Cumberland by stratagem, pretending to seek amicable relations. However, the garrison was warned, and when Killbuck and his officers entered the fort, they were entrapped. He was subjected to humiliation by being dressed in petticoats and driven out of the fort.
• Later Life:
  • Killbuck visited Wheeling after hostilities ceased.
  • He became blind in his old age.
  • He was said to have lived to be more than a hundred years old.
• Interactions with Settlers After the War:
  • When visited by the son of Peter Casey, Killbuck remembered that Peter Casey owed him eight shillings and asked the son to pay it.
  • He also spoke with a young man, Seybert, who admitted to killing one of Killbuck's warriors. Instead of seeking revenge, Killbuck acknowledged Seybert's bravery and predicted he would make a good warrior.

Killbuck's story illustrates the complex relationships between Native Americans and white settlers in the region during the colonial period and the conflicts and personal interactions that arose from the clash of cultures. His ability to recall past grievances and interactions, even in his old age, suggests a strong sense of memory and a long-held perspective on his experiences.