The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-10-18

qualities as a soldier and intelligence as a man he
had refused ITS acceptance, declaring that, as his
only desire was TO serve his country he was vyiI
ling to oserve through the war as private lea9175
all conditions above that to soldiers more compe,
tent and more ambitious. He was the son of a re-
spectacle farmer, whose industry had enabled him
to raise up and respectfully educate large family
man oil severe discipline, whose watchfn eye de-
tected youthful faults in time to prevent their ma
turing to crimes. He had been intimate with the
family OF the Zanes, and, when Ashley expressed
desire to eniist the old man easily prevailed upon
Col' Siias to enrol him among his own men.
Now we will not pretend to say that there had
been any particular understanding between Miss
Elizabeth and the young gentleman above shaken
oi previous to his becoming soldier, though such
a thing might possibly have been in a mute way.
Verbal declarations certainly had not been made
ior an owl told how, one moonlight evening, while
he was sitting in the shady branches Of a chesnnt
that stood but a few yards from the fort
-" Considering, as well he might,
ways and means for supper that mght,'
he looked about with solemn scoyyl and bebald
coming from the shadow of :he fort lover and his
mlstress-he knew it was lover and his mis-
tress, they spoke tenderly to one another
ihey came out from the fort sieathiiy, and
stole soly over the green sward to the foot of the
chestnut, and sitting down upon one Of the knarled
roots, said kind things, uttered sacred vows and
breathed tervent slghs one to the other. They sat
there an hour-a good hour by the march of Saturn
talking and signing all the while, when, calling
upon all the stars to witness their oaths and sealing
their vows with kiss, they retired
IL was but short time after this Occurrences that
me serge OF Wheeling commenced by the
brltlsh and Indians; and although the place was
defended with Zeal and an Unlimited amount of
courage, the hopes of the beseged grew somewhat
dim as they looked forth upon the masses that sur
rounded them. A scarcity of provisions was not
what alarmed them, for of those present they had
a suftcleRt supply but alarm became almost CON
sternatIO0 when 7ha
day OF The seIge, that their powder was short Sew
erai desperate assaults had been made BY the
enemy to break into the fort, but Colonel Zane and
his men repulsed and drove them back as vigOr-
ouSlY as they assaulted. The Indians on two or
three occasions attempted the destruction of the
tort and block-hOuse by fire. but in each instance
they were shot down the faggot and the burn
ing brand could be applied. But ultimately those
IN the tort began TO fail in their hopes of success.
u defence, when The word was passed arround
that they were in the possession Of a few charges
| OF powder only There was an ahundan, supply
IN tle block .hg5e g1ttY Laf afti5,u prevented
Isl HSfs lrloNng by the snddenre-s Of r- assault
nut no" was Il 10 be EOTteu NOW Surraur. by
the most lnVeterae ut fees, what possible IN, dod
| could be adopted to procure them snpply Of am
Is thuhihon Their condition must be knowmto the
le,''TSmy me moment their fire slackened apd then
,, and Gould sa'iLY be DESTROYED without the less
show OF defence.
The second day of the sege had well nigh worn
away-t in the middle of the afternoon. The
last shot had been fred-the last grain of powder
was exhausted, Now, what to be done
Make terms of capitulation, or des pairing, submit
to fate ? They in the block-house still held out
bravely, and little longer concert of action might
them, for the enemy already began to show
symptoms OF wavering. At this crisis Colonel
Zane called his men around him, and after descTlb
ing to them the situation in which they were
placed he desired to know if there any
among them desperate enough to attempt pas
sage through the enemy to the block house. He
added that 1t indeed forlorn hope, but at the
worst could not be more disastrous than to remain
in their present condition. No answer followed
the appeal. The men gazed at their commander
and into the eyes Of each other with the
pete despair and with faces blank with any ray of
hope. Elizabeth stood by the side of her brother,
silent but that silence more eloquent than tie
words of the Colonel. Perhaps, though slight
| pang might have tuttered her pulse to hear one
| speak Was there not one brave enough to peril
| life for the salvation of the whole ? Ammunition
was all that was wanted. One keg of powder, and
| they were free At this moment young man
| stepped modestly forward and said:
| Colonel, | will attempt the passage. If fall
remember me if succeed"
His eye caught the expression of Elizabeths fea
| lures, as they gIowed upon him with unutterabt
| tondness and PRIDE and fell to the ground. Col
Zane stepped forward, and taking the young sol
| der hand, said
you are the man | expected would voluntee
for this enterprise. Gro, and God protect you |
they you from the block k-house, they will try tt
cover you with their fire. Self possession is YOU
only hope. Now away, while the enemy are par
| TALLY withdrawn"
But here Elizabeth stepped forward. and, address
ing her broyher said
. SiIas, let me undertake this enterprise"
"Youu' replied her brother, viewing her with
astonishment sim o,sbe Do you know the
, danger of The attemp :"
"Perrectly," she answered "Y You have no men
to spare Every one is needed iD defence of the
fort; and this is the Only service can render"
But man would be more feet, Eiizabeth, and
| more certain of success said her brOther
U - St you have no man to spare; and woman
| woud not run the same danger in passing through
the, enemy Besides i'll fall, shall not be SO much
= missed nor your forces weakened
The Colonel was affected 10 tears, ana, embracing
| his sister, exclaimed
+ "Then go! Gods will be done, and may H,
r | project yOun'
r A dozen men now sprang forward, prompted b
| the devotion of this heroic woman and Ashlel
Harper, more urgent than the rest, insisted that
| was his right, as he was the first to propose, Bu
- Elizabeth would hear no objections, and at one
y began make preparations Tor the enterprise. Pei
TALLY devesIiug herself OF her clothing, in orde
that her speed might he less impeded, she was ls
out at the gate of the fort followed by the prayer
y | and blessings of all within while, from one Ofth
embrasures, the anxious eyes of Ashley Harper fol
7 lowed her, she fed like young roe through III
lines of the enemy. Now she falls i Twenty mus
/ but cry of Squaw Squaw !" saved her Sh
; reaches The block house in safety, aud Is admitted
E period of awful suspense avail ed them in III
II fort The men were anxious for reet, the coioEe
a was regrettng that he permitted MS sister 10 g
:, and Ashley Harper was breathing prayers for ht
a safety
t, In the block-house the excitement was equal
2. as great, and astonshment was expressed by eve
N | one at the inrrepidty of the maiden Her hroih
'. there endeavored PERSUADE her TO stay with hiT
e. Offering to send ofhis own men to the fort wi
,d the powder. Bur she overrued his argumens wi
the same logic she had used with her brother Sil5
IN and at last was permitted to return. A keg
oC powder was poured into a table-cloth, and 5
H. again sailed forth to that desperate gauntl
of In the fort, every heart was heating with the
a most anxiety and as the dusky iUe was Sc
nv gathering around scarcely a vestge of hope "
OF left for the safety of the heroic maiden. S
nj watched her lover from the embrasure, and q
no prayed her brother silently. Forward she sped
he her return with her precious burthen, as ttoa
be her feet were winged, while the enemy, at lene
ar suspicious of her errand, were pouring showers
,e- lead after her Yet onwaEd she came unharmed
in apparently unalarmed--pTessrYed by an omnll