A History of the Valley of Virginia by Samuel Kercheval (1833; 3rd ed. 1902)

120

JACOB'S ACCOUNT OF DUNMORE'S WAR.

Thus we find from an examination into the state of affairs in the west, that there was a predisposition to war, at least on the part of the Indians. But we may not suspect that other latest causes, working behind the scenes and in the dark, were silently marching to the same result?

Be it remembered, then, that this Indian war was but a portico to our revolutionary war, the fuel for which was then preparing, and which burst into a flame the ensuing year.

Neither let us forget that the Earl of Dunmore was at this time governor of Virginia; and that he was acquainted with the views and designs of the British Cabinet, can scarcely be doubted. What then, suppose ye, would be the conduct of a man possessing his means, filling a high, official station, attached to the British government, and master of consumate diplomatic skill?

Dunmore's penetrating eye could not but see, and he no doubt did see, two all-important objects, that, if accomplished, would go to subserve and promote the grand object of the British Cabinet, viz: the establishment of an unbounded and unrestrained authority over our North American continent.

These two objects were, first, settling the new settlers on the west side of the Alleghany Mountain by the ears; and secondly, embroiling the western people in a war with the Indians. These two objects accomplished, would put it in his power to direct the storm to any and every point conducive to the grand object he had in view. But as the nature of the thing he could not, and policy forbidding that he should, always appear personally in promoting and effecting these objects, it was necessary he should obtain a confidential agent attached to his person and to the British government, and one that would promote his views either publicly or covertly, as circumstances required.

The materials for his first object were abundant, and already prepared. The emigrants to the western country were almost all from the three states of Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. The line between the two states of Virginia and Pennsylvania was unsettled, and both these states claimed the whole of the western country. This motley motley: exhibiting great diversity of elements; heterogeneous: quoted from motley. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/motley (accessed: September 06, 2008) {typo corrected} mixture of men from different states did not harmonize. The Virginians and Marylanders disliked the Pennsylvania laws, nor did the Pennsylvanians {typo corrected} relish those of Virginia. Thus many disputes, much warm blood, broils, and sometimes battled, called {typo corrected} fisticuffs, followed.

The Earl of Dunmore, with becoming zeal for the honor of the ancient dominion, seized upon this stage or things so propitious to his views; and having found Dr. John Connoly, a Pennsylvanian, with whom I think he could not have had much previous acquaintance, by the art of hocuspocus or some other art, converted him into a staunch Virginian, and appointed him vice-governor and commandant of Pittsburg and its dependencies, that is to say of all the western country. Affairs on that side of the mountain began to