Alan’s TTIM Stories #44

The settlement of the North American continent by Europeans created conflicts between foreign powers and the original inhabitants. Settlers pushing beyond the Appalachian Mountains entered Shawnee territory. Lord Dunmore of Virginia sent the militia to protect the intruders in an incident called Lord Dunmore’s War.

A militia leader, Colonel Andrew Lewis, set up camp where the Kanawha River meets the Ohio River. A combined force of Shawnee and Mingo warriors crossed the Ohio and attacked the camp on October 10, 1774. The Battle of Point Pleasant raged on for hours with each side suffering substantial casualties. War chief of the Shawnee, Cornstalk, led the battle. Dodging musket balls he praised the bravery of his warriors and rallied forces to press the attack.  

Unable to break the militia’s line, warriors retreated across the Ohio. The lack of resolve of his forces disappointed Cornstalk. Without the will to fight, he decided the best strategy was to live in peace.

Cornstalk met with Lord Dunmore and Colonel Lewis at Camp Charlotte, southeast of present day Circleville, Ohio. In the peace treaty, the tribes gave the Americans hunting rights south of the Ohio River.

Peace encouraged an expansion of white settlements, a clear violation of the treaty. Kentucky became the “dark and bloody ground” as each side in the conflict inflicted atrocities.

Determined to keep his word and revive peace, Cornstalk traveled to Fort Randolph, on the site of the Point Pleasant Battle, to warn the garrison of increased violence. Captain Arbuckle mistook the warning as a threat. He detained Cornstalk along with the Chief’s companions.

Another tragic encounter near the Fort enraged soldiers. Bent on revenge, they broke into the cabin holding Cornstalk and opened fire. Struck by numerous bullets, legend has the Chief uttering a few final words: “May the curse of the Great Spirit rest upon this land.”    

Over the years the area experienced freak lightning strikes, mine disasters, a tornado, a train derailment spilling toxic chemicals, explosions, a deadly construction accident, and plane crashes.

The story takes an epic turn on November 16, 1966. Near an abandoned National Guard Armory, four people in a car were harassed by black ominous flying creature – seven feet tall, ten feet wing span, and glowing red eyes. The witnesses, at 100 mph, escaped. The legend of Mothman mystified and terrorized the citizens Point Pleasant. More than 100 sightings in the area followed.

The appearance of the creature was questioned along with the motive of the appearances. Was it a warning or precursor of a tragedy?

On a cold afternoon on December 1967, rush hour filled the lanes of the Silver Bridge across the Ohio River. The weight of the bumper to bumper traffic stressed the 40-year old bridge. A section of the suspension chain fractured leading to the collapse of the bridge. The span, along with the cars, plunged into the River. Forty-six people lost their lives – two bodies were never recovered.

On a hillside from the Ohio side, the creature peered down at the crumbled bridge along with terrified survivors and submerged bodies of the dead. Satisfied, Mothman disappeared.    

I intended to post this story in late March. Then came the destruction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore on the 26^th. It seemed inappropriate to highlight another bridge collapse so close to this tragedy. With Halloween approaching, I hope readers would find interest in a mysterious tale of the Mothman.

When searching to revive my original story, the draft had disappeared. I used numerous key word searches where it could be hiding – to no avail. Was it operator error to not properly save the document or were other forces involved? I recreated this post from notes and repeated research. The story ended with the curse fulfilled at the Silver Bridge. Or was it?

Sources:
Touring Ohio.com
The Frontiersman – Allan W. Eckert
All That’s Interesting.com
American Hauntings
Marietta Times
Folklife.so.edu
Photo credit: 
   Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license, author Tim Bertelink

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Follow  announcements of Alan’s TTIM Stories at Facebook.com/alan.vandervoort or Instagram & Treads vandervoort_author, with all available posts at www.alanvandervoort.com. Novels by the author include: Sandhills – A Novel and Key Largo Summer, found at Booklocker.com and other online booksellers.