His son, Peter Livingston, had become the owner of his valuable lands and numerous Negro slaves. The Indians, in making their incursions into the country, never failed to steal and carry off a Negro slave when possible. There can be but little doubt that the presence of the Negroes on the Livingston farm attracted the attention of the Indians An account of the Indian raid on the Livingston estate is given by Mrs. Elizabeth Livingston, the wife of Peter Livingston. It was recorded in her presence almost in her own words. It follows: BRAVE MRS. LIVINGSTON "April 6, 1794--About 10 o'clock in the morning, as I was sitting in my house, the fierceness of the dogs barking alarmed me. I looked out and saw seven Indians approaching the house. "They were armed and painted in a frightful manner. No person was then within, but a child of 10 years, another of two, and my sucking infant. My husband and his brother Henry had, just before, walked out to a barn some distance in the field. "My sister-in-law, Susanna, was with the remaining children in an old out-house, Old Mrs. Livingston, the wife of Todd Livingston, was in the garden. "I immediately shut and fastened the door. The Indians came furiously up, and tried to burst it open, demanding of me several times to open the door, which I refused. They then fired two guns; one ball pierced through the door, but did me no damage. "I then thought of my husband's rifle, took it down, it being double-triggered I was at a loss. At length I fired through the door but, it being not well-aimed, I did no execution. "However, the Indians retired from that place and soon after that an old adjoining house was on fire. I and my children, suffering much from smoke, I opened the door and an Indian immediately advanced and took me prisoner, together with the two children. "I then discovered that they had my remaining children in their possession, my sister-in-law, Susanna, a wench with her young child, a Negro man of Edward Callihan's, and a Negro boy of our own, about eight years old. "They were fearful of going into the house I left, to plunder, supposing that it had been a man that shot at them and was yet within. "So, our whole clothing and household furniture were consumed in the flames which I was pleased to see, rather than that it should be of some use to the savages. "We were all hurried a short distance where the Indians were very busy, dividing and putting up in packs for each to carry his part of the booty taken. I observed them careless about the children and, most of the Indians being some distance off in front, I called with a low voice to my eldest daughter, gave her my youngest child and told them all to run toward neighbor John Russell's, (the house now occupied by Sally White on the Holston River opposite Foley's Gap, the line that divides Washington and Scott counties.) "They, with reluctance, left me, sometimes halting, sometimes looking back. I beckoned them to go, although I inwardly felt pangs not to be expressed on account of our doleful separation. "The two Indians in the rear either did not notice this scene, or they were willing the children might run back. That evening the Indians crossed Clinch Mountain and went as far as Copper Creek, distant about eight miles. "April 7, set out early in the morning, crossed Clinch River at McLean's fish dam about 12 o'clock, then steered northwardly toward the head of Stoney Creek. There, the Indians camped carelessly, had no back spy nor kept sentries out. this day's journey was about 20 miles. "April 8, continued in camp until the sun was more than an hour high; then set out slowly and traveled five or six miles and camped near the foot of Powell's Mountain. "This day Benge, the Indian chief, became more pleasant and spoke freely to the prisoners. He told them he was about to carry them to the Cherokee and Shawnee towns (which was then where Chillicothe, Ohio now stands); that in his route in the wildness was his brother with two other Indians hunting, so that he might have provisions when he returned; that at his camp were several white prisoners taken from Kentucky, with horses and saddles to carry them to the towns. "He made inquiry of several persons on Holston, particularly Old General Shelby, and said he would pay him a visit during the ensuing summer and take away all his Negroes. He frequently inquired who had Negroes and threatened he would have them all off the North Holston. He said all the Chickamooga towns were for war and would soon be very troublesome for the white folks. "This day, April 8, Benge sent two of the Indians ahead to hunt. "April 9, after traveling about five miles which was over Powell's Mountain and near the foot of Stone Mountain (near Dorchester, Wise County.) a party of 13 men under Lieutenant Vincent Hobbs of the militia of Lee County, met the enemy in front and attacked and killed Chief Benge the first fire, I being at that time some distance off in the rear. "The Indian who was my guard at first halted on hearing the firing. He then ordered me to run which I performed slowly. He attempted to strike me in the head with a tommahawk, which I defended as well as I could with my arms. By this time two of our people came in view which encouraged me to struggle all I could. "The Indian, making an effort at this instance, pushed me backwards and I fell over a log, at the same time aiming a violent blow at my head which in part its force on me and laid me for dead. "The first thing I afterwards remembered was my friends around me giving me all the assistance in their power for my relief. They told me I was senseless for about an hour. Certified this the 15th day of April, 1794. (Signed) A. CAMPBELL.