Draper's Meadow massacre facts for kids

In July 1755, a small settlement in what is now Blacksburg, Virginia, was attacked. A group of Shawnee warriors raided the area known as Draper's Meadow. During the attack, several people were killed, and others were captured.

The Shawnee took their captives back to their village in Kentucky. One of the captured settlers, Mary Draper Ingles, later managed to escape. She made an incredible journey on foot through the wilderness to return home. Even though some details about the attack are still unclear, this event is a very important and dramatic part of Virginia's history.

Reconstructed 18th-century pioneer cabin on Smithfield Plantation, near the site of the Draper's Meadow Massacre in Blacksburg, Virginia.

Where Was Draper's Meadow Located?

Draper's Meadow was a large piece of land, about 7,500 acres, in southwest Virginia. Before 1737, the governor of Virginia, Robert Dinwiddie, gave this land to Colonel James Patton. He was an Irish sea captain who became a land speculator, meaning he bought and sold land.

The settlement was located where the Virginia Tech campus is today in Blacksburg, Virginia. At the time of the attack, about twenty settlers lived there. They were mostly English and German families who had moved from Pennsylvania. You can find a marker remembering the attack near the Duck Pond on the Virginia Tech campus.

What Happened During the Attack?

Tensions were growing between Native American tribes and the settlers moving into western lands. The French and Indian War made things worse, as settlers were moving onto tribal hunting grounds. Recent victories by the French over the British had left many frontier areas unprotected.

In the summer of 1755, several settlements had been attacked. On July 9, British soldiers led by General Edward Braddock were defeated by French troops and Shawnee warriors at the Battle of the Monongahela. This battle encouraged more attacks against settlers in the region.

On July 30, a group of Shawnee warriors, who were allies of the French, entered the Draper's Meadow settlement. They killed at least five people and wounded at least one. They also set fire to the cabins. Among those killed were Colonel James Patton, Caspar Barger, and two members of Mary Draper Ingles' family: her mother, Elenor Draper, and her infant niece.

Some people were lucky enough to survive. Colonel William Preston, Colonel Patton's nephew, and John Draper, Mary's brother, were not at the settlement during the attack. William Ingles, Mary's husband, was attacked but managed to escape into the forest.

Five, or possibly six, settlers were captured by the Shawnee. They were taken to Lower Shawneetown in Ohio to live among the tribe. These captives included Mary Draper Ingles, her two young sons (Thomas, age 4, and George, age 2), and her neighbor Henry Lenard.

The Aftermath and Mary's Escape

After the attack, Draper's Meadow was abandoned. Many other frontier settlements were also left empty during the rest of the French and Indian War. William Preston, who had left Draper's Meadow just before the attack, later gained ownership of the property. This land eventually became Smithfield Plantation and then the town of Blacksburg. Only the Barger family, who survived, returned later to reclaim their land.

In mid-October, Mary Draper Ingles escaped near Big Bone, Kentucky. She left without her children and began a journey of over 800 miles (1,287 km) across the Appalachian Mountains. She walked all the way back to Draper's Meadow. Some stories say Mary was pregnant when captured and gave birth in captivity, then left her baby when she escaped. However, there is evidence that this might not be true.

After her escape, Mary reunited with her husband. They continued farming at Dunkert Bottom. But because of continued Shawnee raids, they moved to Fort Vause for safety. Mary still felt unsafe, so she convinced her husband to move again, this time to Bedford County, Virginia. In 1762, they started Ingles Ferry across the New River, along with a tavern and a blacksmith shop. Mary died there in 1815.

Other captives eventually returned home. Mary's sister-in-law, Bettie Robertson Draper, was found and bought back by her husband John Draper in 1761, after six years. Mary's son Thomas was also bought back and returned to Virginia in 1768 when he was 17. Her neighbor Henry Leonard also escaped later. Sadly, Mary's two-year-old son George was taken from her and is believed to have died while in captivity.

How Do We Know This Story?

Most of what we know about the Draper's Meadow attack comes from a few main sources. These include:

• A written account from 1824 by Colonel John Ingles, who was Mary Ingles' son. He was born after Mary returned home.
• Parts of a letter from 1843 by Letitia Preston Floyd. She was the daughter of Colonel William Preston, who survived the attack.

These two stories have some differences, which suggests that the Ingles and Preston families told the story slightly differently over time. For example, they disagree on the exact date of the attack (July 30 versus July 8). They also differ on the number of people killed and the ages of Mary Ingles' children. However, other documents support the July 30 date, as Colonel James Patton was in a different town on July 8.

John Peter Hale, one of Mary Ingles' great-grandsons, wrote a detailed story in 1886. He said he interviewed people who knew Mary Ingles personally. His account includes many details not found in earlier stories.

Draper's Meadow in Popular Culture

The amazing story of Mary Draper Ingles' escape and journey home has inspired many books, movies, and historical programs. Some popular examples include:

• The 1981 novel Follow the River by James Alexander Thom.
• A 1995 ABC television movie called Follow the River (TV movie).
• The 2004 film The Captives.

There is also an outdoor play performed every summer in Radford, Virginia, called "Walk To Freedom: The Mary Draper Ingles Story." It tells the story of the attack and Mary's brave journey through the wilderness.