Jane Thompson Russell
The "Scalping" of Jane Thompson Russell
The "Old Woman" mentioned in Christian's letter was of course Jane Thompson Russell, wife of Bryce Russell. Several accounts (or perhaps several tellers who have picked up on a single tale) report that she was scalped by Indians "down to the ears," yet lived, and thus was "one of only two cases in history who lived after being scalped." This whole story is specious.
First, it is even questionable whether she was scalped. Colonel Christian's letter simply says she was knocked down by the Indian Logan and another Indian and left there "so that she can tell of him." It seems likely that if she had been scalped, Jamey Thompson would have reported that to Christian, and the colonel would have made note of it in his letter.
Second, there are many verified accounts of people who lived after being scalped, although it is true that the larger the piece of scalp removed, the worse the prognosis. By the time of the Revolution scalping had been experienced by many in the Indian-Indian and white-Indian conflicts in the East, and survival was known to be possible, if not likely.