Frederick Ice chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

INDIAN BILLY - William Galloway Ice

It had been about eight years since William and the girls had been kidnapped. We would hear things from time to time. Even though we were at war with the Mohawks, some who traded with them would pass things along and they would eventually get to my ears. I learned that Mary was adopted into a chief's family, and named Methoataske. By this time she didn't know she wasn't an Indian. Margaret died shortly after the War Party reached the Indian village near Springfield, Ohio. The Indians really could not deal with serious fevers and such. They had no immunity to our diseases.

However, my son William was ten when he was captured. William had no choice but to adopt Indian ways. But he remembered, and he said he tried to help Mary remember who she was. But he could not escape and he had no hope of rescue. He was treated no different from the others. Indians were rough on all youngsters. They cropped his ears, and to see him, he was a Mohawk Indian - except for the color of his skin and hair. We always called him Indian Billy after this, because of how he looked and his time with the Indians.

Life was busy in the Indian Village. The squaws did the work, mostly. Yet of course they had a complex civilization. It was just that their culture was "different" from the white settlers. Warriors were the heroes, and every young boy eagerly waited to become a warrior! A girl would want to be the wife of the greatest hero, the warrior who could kill and collect scalps.

Warriors were continually making forays into enemy territory with the hope of earning glory and honor for themselves. Loot and trophies and some wealth came to the tribe this way.

On a beautiful day in early Spring, Nungany, who was a minor chief, began to organize a foray into the vicinity of Fort Pitt in Pennsylvania. A distance of some two hundred miles or more. But of course it would be a longer journey as the Indians would go East, and cross the Ohio River into (West) Virginia before turning north to Fort Pitt.

The children were playing around the camp. No one paid any attention to them. Some dogs roamed around, sniffing at things. It was a typical day.

William was sitting idly, watching without really seeing much. But the three warriors approaching caught his eye. He was always on guard, even though it did not appear that he was.

Nungany led the group. He came to William and spoke: "You go with us. We go on foray."

William got up and followed them. Indian Billy was now eighteen years old. Another Indian boy, Mensocook, about his age, was also picked to go along. They gathered the few supplies and weapons they would need. The Indians would live mostly off the land. They mounted their horses and followed Nungany as he led the way east to the Ohio River. Dense forests filled the landscape.

Travel was slow. Being on horseback they followed what trails there were. They stopped a few times along the way to raid isolated settlers, to burn and destroy. They would do the same to other Indians whom they met. It was the way they lived.

They crossed the Ohio River, then went north through what is now the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia. Many of the scattered settlers were armed and ready for any Indian attack. So the raiding party carefully detoured around them.

Soon they were in western Pennsylvania, but of course they had no sense of this. They did not understand borders and land rights. Also, things were not as they are now. Dense forests covered the hills and this was frontier.

Nungany had traveled through this area before. He could recognize landmarks and signs and knew where they were. Finally they came out into a small clearing. He ordered the men to make camp.

The two warriors and the boys gathered branches and built a wigwam. [A rough framework of limbs and branches, covered with grass and weeds, to make a shelter to house them temporarily.]

Then Nungany decided to leave the horses with the boys and go on ahead.

"You stay here. We go to scout town."

The warriors left the horses with William and Mensocook. They melted silently into the woods, following a trail to wherever they were going. At this time William knew only that they were out in the forest somewhere. He had no idea they were close to Fort Pitt.

William and Mensocook got to pushing and shoving and enjoying themselves in horseplay. But it got out of hand. It turned into a real fight. William was very strong and won easily. The Indian boy was angry and sullen.

William went into the wigwam and lay down. Mensocook came in, and the scowl on his face showed he was still angry. Nungany had left a musket hanging on the wall inside the wigwam. Mensocook went over to the musket and began running his fingers over it. William knew what he was thinking. He decided right then and there to run away to safety.

When the moment was right, William sneaked out of the wigwam and went to the horses. He untied one, just jumped on and rode off. Mensocook was happy to see the last of him and made no attempt to pursue him.

William rode through the brush, following the trail the others had taken. He was a very good tracker. Nungany and the others had taught him well. After going about a mile, he could see a village across the river. He swam the horse across, then fastened it in the bushes. He would need it again.

He climbed up the riverbank and walked into the village. He was very careful, not knowing who he would see. Nungany would certainly be dangerous should he meet him. He came to a white man sitting on the edge of the street.

Frederick had taught him some English when he was a small child at home. One of the other captives had taught him more, so he asked the man in that language, "Sir, what village is this?"

"Why, this is Pittsburgh. This is a right smart little village as has sprung up around Fort Pitt."

"Thank you kindly."

The man sat a moment, spit tobacco juice on a clump of grass, then raised his head to speak.

"Say, are you a prisoner of the Indians? I can see you're white. But you sure look like a Mohawk Indian, with your ears cropped, and your clothes and such. Except your hair and skin are the wrong color."

"Yes, I am a prisoner," William answered. "I've been with the Indians about eight years."

"Did you ever think of escaping?"

"Not really. I guess I just never thought much about it. I've been with them so long."

"Well, if you do want to escape, why, just go on into the house and stay there until those Indians leave town. I'll take care of you. We white people have to stick together. If they ask me anything, I'll just say I don't know nothing about it."

Mohawk Indians were a strange sight to the little village. Everybody took notice of them. Nungany and the others walked around for a few hours, looking at everything, poking and prying, and then went back across the river the way they had come. They really didn't know that William had gone until they returned to camp. However, if they had seen William in the village, they would have recognized him right away. and would have recaptured him.

When the white man saw the Mohawks were no longer in the village, he went back into his house.

"They're gone now. It's safe. My name's Jim Hawkins. I sure couldn't let a white man be prisoner to no Mohawk Indians. What's your name and where did you come from?"

"Well now, I've been in the Mohawk village way over to the west of here, I don't know just how far. It's taken about two weeks to get here. I've been a prisoner of the Indians for about eight years. You can see my Indian ways. But my name is William Ice. My maw was killed and my two sisters kidnapped. My sister Margaret died right away. My sister Mary was only five years old at the time. Mary doesn't know she isn't an Indian now. She doesn't think she is a prisoner. She is an Indian, a Mohawk Indian."

"Well, I feel sorry for her. I know how the Indians treat their women. But I suppose she don't know no better. She is probably happy at that. But you're not. I can see that right away. I'll give you a haircut so you don't look so much like an Indian. I've got some clothes that'll fit you and make you look like the rest of us.."

"I thank you kindly. It's good of you to take a liking to me. Say, I left a horse tied down in the bushes by the river. You can have him and that'll help pay for all you're doing for me."

"Why, that's right nice of you. A horse is worth a lot around here."

With his new identity, William worked a while in Pittsburgh. No one bothered him now, because he looked just like all other settlers. Many of those in Pittsburgh weren't too far removed from being like Indians anyway.

But some weeks later, a group of Mohawk Indians came into the village. William was wary of who they might be. He thought he knew them, but wasn't sure. So he got out of there as fast as he could and headed on over east. He knew his mother was dead. But he didn't know about his father, whether he was alive or not. He went all the way to the East Coast and worked a while. They could always use a strong back when the ships came in to dock. Then several months later he came back to Fort Cumberland in Maryland.

William had learned a lot from the Indians, and from working in the East. He had many good skills and great strength. He found a job easily enough at Fort Cumberland and worked there a while.

One day he heard some men talking. He couldn't believe his ears!

"Did I hear you right?" William said. "Did I just hear you mention Frederick Ice?"

"That's what I said. I was over to the settlement at Patterson Creek just last week. I saw Frederick Ice and Nelley, his wife."

"But his wife was killed by Mohawk Indians. I thought he was killed too."

"His first wife, Mary Margaret, was killed by Indians. He married Nelley Livingston, a widow, right here in Fort Cumberland, about eight years ago. I was right here then. Fine folks."

"I can't believe it! Frederick is my father. Those Mohawks captured me and I lived with them as a prisoner for several years. Just as soon as I can, I'm going to quit my job and head on over there. I can't believe Frederick is still alive! I have got to go see him!"

William went to quit his job right away. When his boss heard the story, he let him go. William gathered what little he had and set out down the river to the Wiley Ford. He would be in Patterson Creek Settlement in a day or so. Frederick was still alive!

"Howdy. I'm looking for Mr. Ice. Can you tell me where to find him?"

"Why, that's his house, over there." He pointed over to the right.

William walked on over and knocked on the door.

"Hello. I'm Frederick Ice. What can I do for you?"

Nelley had followed along, standing just behind Frederick.

"Mr. Ice! Do you know who I am?"

"No. But you sure remind me of someone. Do I know you?"

"Father! I'm William! Escaped from the Indians!"

Well, we gathered around William and hugged him! We couldn't believe it was him! After all these years!

"Let me look at you, William. You've grown so. You're taller than me. And your ears. You sure look like a Mohawk Indian. But your eyes and hair. There's no doubt who you father is."

Nelley gave him a big hug, looked at him closely, turned him around, felt his arm, touched his ear.

"Indian Billy! That's who you are! We'll call you Indian Billy!"

"Indian Billy," said Frederick. "That name surely is you, son."

We soon saw that Indian Billy, as we called him after that, had picked up a lot of Indian ways. But he was family! So good to get him back!

"Billy, how did you ever get away from those Mohawks?" I asked.

"Mr. Ice (he always called me that), it was really an accident. Things just worked out. If you could have seen me then, I was just another Mohawk Indian. Except my hair and skin was the wrong color. I went along on their forays, just like the others my age. I don't suppose they really trusted me. But then, I don't think they trusted each other."

"How did they treat you?" Nelley asked.

"Well, just like any other Indian boy. They were rough on all us youngsters. They didn't treat me any different. And they were really rough on the Mohawk women. They had no respect for a woman at all. They abused them all the time."

"I know how they do," I said.

"But I was as much a Mohawk as they were by now. I was used to the way they did things and the way they treated me. I hadn't really thought that much about escaping. It was my life and I was as much Indian as they were."

"What happened to change your mind?" I asked.

"Well, we were on a foray. There were several warriors, and an Indian boy about my age. We had gone east and crossed over the Ohio River. Then we followed it north for a while, and started along a trail through the woods. The warriors set up camp and left me and the other boy with the horses. Then they went on to wherever it was they were going. They didn't tell us anything. I got into a friendly fight with the boy, and then it turned mean. I beat him easily, and he sure didn't like that."

"I can see how strong you are," said Nelley, reaching over to touch his arm.

"I am. Well, I went into the wigwam they had built, and directly he came in. He took down a musket that was on the wall, and I didn't like the way he began looking at it and running his fingers over it. I had a notion that I better make myself scarce before I got hurt."

"You were smart to do that," I said.

"Billy! Let me get you something to eat. I expect you're starved!"

Nelley began scurrying around and putting food on the table in front of William.

He took a bite of ham and drank some soup. "This sure is good food. I was a mite hungry. Thank you kindly."

"You're family," Nelley said. "We've got to take good care of you!"

"Well, I sneaked out of the wigwam and took one of the horses and just rode off. I'm a good tracker, and it wasn't no problem to follow along the trail the warriors took. I didn't go very far until I found myself across the river from a town. I swam the horse across the river, and fastened it in the bushes.. I walked on into the village of Pittsburgh."

"Just like that," Nelley said.

"Yes. As I walked into the village, I saw a white man who was sitting on the edge of the street. He said to me, 'I can see you're white. Are you a prisoner of the Indians?' 'Yes,' I said. 'I suppose I am a prisoner.' 'Do you want to escape?' he asked me. 'Now, I hadn't thought about it,' I said. 'I've lived with the Mohawks some eight years now and this is my life.' 'Well, if you do want to escape, why just go on into my house here and stay there until those Mohawk Indians leave town. I'll take care of you.''"

"That surely was a blessing!" I said. "May God bless him for helping you escape!"

"The Mohawks didn't know I had escaped, or that I was in Pittsburgh just then. I suppose they did search around town. They always do that, just to see what they can find. But I was hiding out in the house and couldn't see anything that happened."

"Those Mohawks," I said. "They're always looking for trouble."

"Well, after a while, the man came into the house. 'They're gone now,' he said, 'back across the river. My name's Jim Hawkins. I surely couldn't let a white man be a prisoner to no Mohawk Indians!'"

"No!" said Nelley.

"And he did take care of me. He gave me some clothes to wear, and he cut my hair so I didn't look like an Indian anymore. It worked out just like he said it would. And I told him where I left the horse. I thought that was the least I could do, to give him the horse."

"You did right," I said.

"That was sure good of the man to help you," said Nelley. "What did you do then?"

"I stayed on in Pittsburgh and worked a while. I needed money to take care of myself. I just looked like an ordinary man, with my hair cut and different clothes. I didn't have to worry about being captured again. But then some Mohawk Indians came to Pittsburgh, and I thought I might know them. I got worried they might recognize me. So I just got out of there and went on over East to the coast. I remembered that Mother was dead. But I didn't know about Mr. Ice, whether he was dead too. I really didn't think about it that much, what with working on the docks unloading ships."

"I can see how you would feel that way," I said. "You wouldn't have any way of knowing about me."

"One day I decided to come back to Fort Cumberland. I was tired of dock work by then. I took off and traveled back into the mountains. They gave me a job at the Fort quick enough. They can always use someone with skills and strength. I worked there a while."

"That close," Nelley said.

"Remember, I didn't know whether Mr. Ice was even living. I knew Mother was dead. I didn't know to look for you. Well, as I said, I worked a while at Fort Cumberland. Then one day I heard someone mention Frederick Ice. I pounced on that and soon he told me that Frederick Ice was alive and living on Patterson Creek over in Virginia. I quit my job right away and came looking for you."

This was surely a time of happiness! William back home again! But I wish Mary and Margaret could be here too.

"William, what about Mary and Margaret? Are they still prisoners?"

"Mr. Ice, Margaret died shortly after we got to the Mohawk village over in Ohio somewhere. She took sick and died. The medicine men are good, but they can't deal with the bad fevers and such. Mary doesn't know she isn't a Mohawk Indian. She is a great chief's daughter. Her name is Methoataske. She'll marry a Mohawk chief and always be an Indian." [Mary did marry a chief - Pucksinwah, Chief of Kispokatha, He was killed in a battle at Point Pleasant, [W] VA, Oct. 10, 1774.]