Beadle's Pocket Novels No. 214: The Backwoodsmen

Museum Catalog Note This Beadle and Adams dime novel (No. 98), copyright 1876, presents "The Woodmen" by Asa Beall, a historical romance set during the 1755 frontier conflicts following the Battle of Monongahela. The narrative unfolds in the Potomac Valley region of the Alleghany Mountains, depicting Indian raids instigated by French emissaries against colonial settlements. The story centers on Miles Howard, a frontiersman dressed in hunting garb who arrives at a modest cottage to warn Guy Lovel, an elderly settler, of impending danger. Howard carries a rifle and knife and rides an exhausted horse. The household includes Ebony, an enslaved African servant characterized through dialect, and Blanche Lovel, Guy's orphaned granddaughter—described as exceptionally beautiful and intelligent. Blanche and Miles share a romantic history and deep affection. The narrative employs elaborate, ornate prose and classical literary references while chronicling the imminent threat of violence against the peaceful farming valley.