Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1844-02-09
HEROISM OF ELIZABETH ZANE
AT THE sEIGE OF FORT HENRY.

AT the break of day on the 9Th Sepicm.
Der, l777, the ccmmandant wishing to de.
spatch expresses to the nearest settlements,
sent man accompanied by negro, out of
the fort to bring in some horses, which had
been loose the day before to Craze on the
bank of the creek. While these men were
passing through the corn field south of the
fort, they encountered party of six Indians,
one of whom raised his 6relock and brought
the white man TO the ground. The negro,
seized with alarm, turned about and fled TO
the fort, which he succeeded in entering with.
out being pursued or molested by the enemy.
AS soon as the negro related his story, the
colonel despatched Capt. Samuel Mason,
with fourteen men, to dslodge The six Indians
from the corn field. Capt. Mason with his
party marched through the field, and arrived
almost on the bank of the creek without find
ing the Indians, and had already commenced
retrograde movement, when he was sud-
denly and furiously assailed in front, flank,
and rear, by the whole of Girty's army
The captain rallied his men from the confI-
sion produced by this unexpected demonstra.
ton of the enemy, and instantly compre.
hending the situation in which he was placed,
CALAMITY took the lead and hewed passage
through the savage phalanx that opposed him.
In this desperate conflict more than half the
little band were slain, and their leader Sc.
verely wounded. Intent ON retreating back
to the fort, Mason pressed rapidly on with
the remnant of his command, the Indians fol-
lowed closely in pursuit. One by one of
these devoted soldiers fell at the crack of the
enemy's rifle. An Indian, who eagerly pur-
sued captain Mason, at length overlook him
and to make sure of his prey, fired at him
from the distance Of five PAGES; but the shot
although il took effect, did not disable the
captain, who Immediately turned about, and
hurting his gun atthe head of his pursuer, fel.
led him to the earth. The fearessness with
which this act was performed, caused an in.
voluntary dispersion of the gang Of Indians
who led the pursuit; and Mason, whose ex.
IRENE exhaustion of physical powers prevent.
ed him from reaching the fort, was fortunate
enough to hide himself in pile of fallen tim.
Der, where he was compelled to remain 10 the
end of the seige. Only two of his men sur
vived the skirmsh, and they, like their lead.
er, owed their safety to the heaps of logs and
brush that abounded in the corn field.
As soon as the critical situation of captain
Mason became known at the fort, Capt. Ogle
with twelve volunteers from the garrison
sailed forth to cover his retreat. This noble
self-devoied band, in their eagerness to press
forward TO the relief of their fellow. soldiers,
, fell into an ambuscade, and two thirds of Their
number were slain upon the spot. Sergeant
Jacob Ogle, though MORALLY wounded, man.
aged to escape with two soldiers into the
! woods, while captain Oglc escaped in ano,h'
er direction and found place of conceal
5 ment, which, like his brother officer, captain
, Mason, he was obliged to keep as long as tn,
seige continued. Immediately after the de-
, parture Of captain Ogle's command, ,hre.
new volunteers left the fort to overtake ant
reinforce him. These men, however, die
not reach the corn field until the bloody seen,
i had been enacted, and barely found time I,
return to the fort, before the Indian host ap
a peared before il. The enemy advanced il
. two ranks, in open order-,heir left fianl
reaching to the river bank. and their RICH
extending into the woods, as FAR as the ey
9 could reach. As the three volunteers wer