Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1845-08-30
MCOLLOruS LEAr

that W. v,n,ur, the remark that not one dozen
men have thought OF Msior McCulloch. or
been upon the table land from which that leap
MAS tax "a, daring the La, year.
We hsve not been to the point for five
year, until last evening, We then mounted
a very pleasant hacker tor a ,hoi, ,ilc, ju>, as
the sun was sinking behind our Western hills.
We cared but little where we rode. il we but
found ,clief iron, suffering and dependence.
Tia usual cuucumi'lnis of that much lamcntcd
vet riliculed dis,a,, called Dyspcrsi,; bat we
had ridden but a short distance. before we
ielt like seeing and %cnjoying, We therefore.
turned Gun horse, head tovvar the top of the
I'LL. Ia = few minutes we were at the top,
a I'd what a gorgeous scene presented itself.
1t va, iii, migii icent, sullim'. We have
indeed, no Language for a scene like that.
The western sun was jus, then sinking be-
hind the tops of the trees ON the western hills,
with disc like battle target, red,
Was rushing to his CORY bed"
and great ami glorious-the goj OF day, indeed
he looked, and the western sky. like the tiniid
maiden. blushed brighter rose, as she babe her
lorigood night. The green trees on the hill
top were tipped with a golden crown, as they
grdcefully waved adicu, and the houses on the
lar off hills sione in the setting sun, as it were
the light from the diamond mine, wherein the
fairy Queens hold rcvcl. and their crowns
and thrones, and wands of Office are mingled
i'll a brilliant mass. In the broad eastern
valley Ear below YOU for miles YOU see the
blown stubtle, the green grass, and the waving
corn %chccquering the earth, DER which night
is tlieady drawing her sombre V il. and which
is creeping slowly up the hill sides. West
ward is the island calmly slumbcring, prcscn-
ting o%n'cvery rod OF it evidences of its USEFUL
ness in the sustenance of man, vet not the less
beautiful and romantic i'm its location, or its
appearance. BY il meanders our honorcd NV
er, now narrowed almost To- n creek in size.
and showing along each margin a broad white
gravelly beach. On its bank and almost be.
meath your feet rests Wheeling. The hum of
the city is still heard, the thousand noisy
children, the still blinking hammer, the pun
OF the engine, and all those sounds that arc
made up by men i'll masses, rise TO your ears.
Bat no such sounds or sights as these we
have impcricctly described, were seen when
MCulloch took his leap. The Hill sides were
then covered with trees, and the island and
the eastern valley was nearly all a dense forest.
Fort Henry and two or three log houses, stu
ated near where the old court house was. could
tIcn be seen from the hill, and a little corn
growing in a field north OF il. These were the
only evidences of civilized life TO be seen; but
life was plenty enough.
twas on the 9Th ofSeptember l777, tina,
Fort Henry was attacked by the Indians, led
on by the notorious Simon Girty. The In
dians were estimated at about five humdrcd
warriors. The fort contained at first but forty
two fighting mon, of these twenty-threc were
killed in the comiicld below the hill. before
the attack on the fort. The siege of the fort
was sustained by these 10 men, until the next
morning about daylight, when Maj. M'Col-
Loeb, brought 10 mounted men from Short
creek TO their relief.
The gate OF the fort was thrown open and
MCulloch's men, though closely beset by the
entered the fort in safety. M'Cul-
loCh, like a brave officer, was the last man.
and he was cut of from his men and nearly |
surrounded by the Indians. lie wheeled and
sallopcd towards the hill, bcset the whole way
by Indians, who might have killed lin: but
who wished 80 take him alive, that they might
wreak their vengeance more satisfactorily
upon ono OF the bravest and most successful
Indian fighter, IN the frontier. He presumed
hc could ride along the ridge, and thus make
his way again TO Short creek, but on arri, ing
at the top he was headed by a hundred savaSes.
on the west they were gathering thick and fast
up the hill, among the trees and bushes, while
the main body were following in his path.
IL was hcmned in on all sides but the
East, where the precipice was almost perpcn-
and the bel of the creek Law like a
guilt near 300 feet beneath him. This too.
would have been protected by the cautious
but the jutting crags of limestone and
slate, forbade his climbing or descending il
even on foot, and they did not for a moment
suppose, that the fearless horseman or high
lnettled stced could survive the leap if made.
But with the Major il was but a chance of
deaths, and a narrow chance oflife. Hechose
like a brave man. Setting himself back i'm
saddle, and his feet firmly in the stirrups,
with his rifle ia his left hand, and his rcins
adjusted III the right. he cast a look of def
aiice at The approaching savages. aud pressing
hi, spurs into his horses flank, urged him
over the cliil. In AN instant of time. the
Indians saw their mortal foe, whose daring
act they had looked on with horror and aston
merging from the valley of the creek
still safely seated ON his noble steed.
shouting defiance to his p%ursuers.
Their never was, we venture 20 say. in civ
iIi1cd or slydg warfare, a more desperate or
daring act than hi, leap of M'Collorb. We