From the unpublished manuscript, Indian Atrocities Along the Clinch, Powell and Holston Rivers, pages 115-116.
William Long, of this narrative, lived in the Castlewood section of Russell Co., VA, and should not be confused with another William Long, of the same period, who lived on the Holston River in Washington County. William Long of Castlewood served as a Revolutionary War soldier at the battle of King’s Mountain in Captain Andrew Colvill’s company. (1)
Alexander Ritchie, Jr., a resident of the Dungannon area of the present Scott Co., VA, tells of the slaying of William Long in his pension claim filed in Overton Co., TN, in which he says:
In the year 1782, I was enrolled near Blackmore’s Fort again for an Indian spy, under Colonel Henry Smith of Russell County, Virginia, or what is now Russell. John Alley was my companion. I received the appointment as a spy for nine months. This was, as well as I remember, about the first of May, 1782, and served my time out in that capacity. William Long, one of our comrades was killed this last tour as an Indian Spy.
Russell County Court Order Book 2, has three entrys relating to William Long, however, if he was killed in 1782, as above stated, a period of ten years had elapsed before an auction took place toward settling his estate. These entries are:
Page 26, dated 25 September, 1792, the noncupative will of William Long, deceased, was produced in court and proven by the oaths of Henry Dickenson, Mary Dickenson and Elizabeth Dickenson, witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded.
Page 31 tells that Richard Long (brother of William) is granted administration of the estate of William Long, and his securities were Charles Bickley and James Osborne.
Page 49, dated 28 November, 1792, is that William Robinson, Samuel Porter, (of Castlewood) William Bolin and John Smith, appraise the estate of William Long, deceased.
Then Russell County Order Book 2, page 20, dated 24 July, 1792, "ordered that a summons be issued to Ann Long, widow of William Long, to appear at October Court to see the legality of a noncupative will made by William Long, deceased.
(1) Sworn statements of Henry Dickenson, Draper MSS 8 DD 70 and 3 DD 208.