Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1848-07-22

trated by yellow fever, he was transferred
to the Northwest, where he served, under
General Harrison, up TO the close q the
war of 1912. 1t was in that year he was
made a Captain, and placed in charge of
Fort Harrison. on the Wabash; where, COM
manding pretty garrison Of fifty men, OF
whom two-thrds, and himself with them,
were rendered nearly helpless by fever, (tor
it was very unhealthy post,) surrounded
aud attacked by an overwhelming force o.
savages, he enjoyed the FIRST opportunity OF
proving that his fate was charmed one,
andsha, twas his particular lot to fight, and
prevail over, Superior numbers. lie never
has gone into battle except against the great
est odds: and he never mas come out of bat
lie eu.ept rs victor. Old Sylla, the ia
NOUS ,ss,lnanaseneral, who was siwRps WIGS
.to~ious, believed that his prosperity arose
from special luck or good fortune; and he.
called himself Feiir the Happy or Fortunate.
'Fhe same surprising success has, heretofore,
always marked the career of Taylor; who,
however, assumes no surname, but leaves
all to his countrymen, who have already
decided to cali him,--not Taylor the Hap
py, or Fortunate,- but Taylor, the next
President. We want a man of happJ for
tunes to preside over the affairs of the Re
public. But let US observe how these nap
by fortunes began at Fort Harrison.
Fort Harrison was mere stockade or
hlockhouse fort, designed for defence a.
gainst Indians, containing barracks, store
rooms, a guard-house, &c., but without ar
tillery, or any other better means of resist
ing siege than muskets and the determin-
ed resolution of young commander, inca
pabie Of fear; and whose own sickness, with
extreme bodily debilty,-lhe weakness,
and, for a time, the Consideration, of his
force.-the presence of terrified non-coni-
Ebatants--ss nine women and children, "--the
number of his foes,--the exposed position of
the fort, remote from all succor,--and, let
us add, the recollection of a young wife and
child, (for Taylor had married in l5l0,) to
whom his thoughts, on that dreadful night,
must have wandered failed to drive him
from his balance. "My presence of mind"
said the young Captain, in his despatch to
General Harrison, ssdid not for a moment
forsake me.' Ii was III O'Clock, on the
night of the 4th of September, 1912. Hos
tile Indians were around, in unknown num-
lbers. Two young men had been shot and
Iscalped, the evening before, at a little dis
lance from the fort, and their bod
les found and brought in that morning. In
the evening. party of thirty or forty lndi-
lans made their appearance, attempting the
ltreacherous stratagem of a flag of truce
which did not, however, deceive the eau
ltious TayIor--and proposing conference
next morning. Captain Taylor prepared
for the pretended conference by Immediate
" inspecting ih6Narms of mis- men,, serving
them with sixteen ROUNDS of ammunitIon:-
and settinga gR2r.'s9i NSx privates and TWO
eeMSers''-all that he
could, for hehad &nly saen or fifteen men
able to do anydIhg at all, the Others being
sick or lconvalescent,''s 1--WE copy the words
eff his despatch) and ordering one OF the
officers TO make up Tor
deficiencies in the guard by walking the
rounds all night, s'to prevent the Indians
linking any advantage of US, provided they
had any intention of attacking U.s." says
Captain Taylor, he lay down to sleep; be-
cause, in consequence of his weakness, ne
sswas not able to be up much through the
night" 81 hsftfss Esd ei.a sss ls4ia
At eleven o'clock, he was awakened by a
musket. shot; and rushing from his bed, he
discovered that the attack had been begun 10y
several hundred Indians, '--that the fort
was in falnes,--and his men, overcome by
the horror of their situation, and the shrieks
of the women and children, were complete
ly paralyzed by terror, so that two OF tbem,
and sstwo of the stoutcst'' too, leaped the
pickets, in the unavailing attempt TO escape.
in this desperate coniuncturc, every thing
depended upon the courage and resources
of a poor sick youth, who had never been
in battle, but TO whom, and TO whom only,
all looked for protection. Here, IN this lit
tie beleagnered post, on that night Of terror,
flashed out the lineaments of that character
WHICH, lately, shone so gloriously, with
mafured grandeur, at Buena Vista. As
calm, MS resolute, as quick in expedients, as
ready in their executions, the young Captain
exhibited all the traits of the illustrious
General. II was the flames which caused
the panic; they rapidly opening pathway
to the fierce beseigers; but it was single
block house only which was on fire; and il
was equally possible, as he perceived TO ar
rest the conhagratioD, and TO provide new
barrier behind the burning bIock-honse.-
The suggestion and the orders Of Captain
Tavlor Immediately inspired the soldiers
with new life; 'sand never, said he, " did
men act with more irmness or desperation"
Some clambered to the roofs, throwing them
off. amid showers of bullets and arrows, so
as TO intercept the flames, which were thus
soon subdued; others wrought at tempo
rary breast-work, so that when the block
house fell, the savages found themselves re-
PEELED from its ashes by new wall Of de-
fence 'sas high as mans head" whence
came the flash and balls Of American rifles
In short, the Indiands, fierce aud numerous
as they were, were bafiied, -repelled-
feaied; and at six O'Clock in the morning,
their expected prey, they fled
from the ruins of Fort HaTison--as the Ie-
gions of Santa Anna fed, IN after years. at
Buena Vista, from the wrecks Of the few
shattered regiments and broken batialions
which made up the pretty, but inyincible,
army of him who saved Fort Harrison.
In both these battles, the first and the last,