Song of Courage, Song of Freedom: The story of Mary Campbell Held captive in Ohio by the Delaware Indians from 1759?1764

In 1764, the Ohio Indians turned over 206 white captives to Colonel Bouquet at his headquarters on the Tuscarawas River, pursuant to conditions of a signed treaty. Among the captives was Mary Campbell, returned by Chief Netawatwees of the Lenni Lenape Delaware Indians. Colonel Bouquet witnessed the parting of Netawatwees and the girl, and he later wrote that it was a tearful and touching scene. In fact, he noted that many of the returned captives were reluctant to return to their white families and some had to be tied up to keep them from escaping back to the Indians. This is the story of Mary Campbell’s kidnapping and captivity. Because Mary apparently left no written record of her years with the Indians, we can only guess at what her life must have been like. And while most of the events and people in my story are real, other details will remain forever shrouded in mystery.