Semi-weekly Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1851-1852, 1851-02-14
THE. HEROINE OF WHEELING.

Though we nay sing of and tell about the
hardy andtrue men who fought so'braveiy ana
suffered SO greatly to establish the principles
of that eess,ssa.,e,+. --lieis now exist
we must not forget those heroic women who,
as mothers and wives, sent forth with eager
hearts and cheering words their SONS and hus.
bands TO the bitter fields of strife or as 81 tiers
aided to clothe and equip their brothers. Their
aching hearts were silent, their bnrr'ng tears
were brushed away. as with smiles they en-
braeed them at parting, and with high words
of tr,lstful faith, like the women Of Sparta, bade
them turn no back upon the conqueripg toe. :
The records of all ages bear no slight test:
mony to the devoted courage of woman; and
were our own history more perfectly known,
& instances of female courage would be found
to parallel the most wonderful OF ancient
, chronicles. We have now to record an act
performed BY Young woman during our revo.
iutionary struggle, Which, for nerve and dies.
perateBees. lis scarcelyato be matched.
q In the. wear ITS, Wheeling. Virginia. was
besieged bya large force of British and In.
dians. AT this time the fort, with an insutti-
cient force, was under the command Of Colo.
uei Silas Zane, brave and mertorious officer.
Distant from this about eighty yards, and out
side the wall, was situated q block-house, in
which was. Colonel Ebenezer Zane, brother
of Silas. and the senior officer, with few
men. There were several women in the fort,
and. among them at the time was Elizabeth
Zane, q sister of tie Colonel She was
yosngs woman OF extraordinary beauty having
a tall and finely formed figure, with head like
Juno; black eve, mild aud firm III its express.
sion; a voice soft and musical as a lutte; and
witt, an expression of countenance as bland as
Italian skies, though beneath it might slumber
passions as warm as the fires of Vesuvius. 1t
may be supposed that many soldiers eye
followed her wistfahy, as in days OF quiet she
roamed about the fort, or strolled fora walk
IN company with one of her brothers. Many
"a a proposal had been made in vain. Officers
of high rank had sued for her, aud many gal.
liant emprise was undertaken in her name, but
all to no effect, so far as winning her affections
went She was not one Of those light.witted
women to be caught by fine show and fine
professions. As far as the heart went, she
placed no difference between hig nodding
plumes and the last man in the ranks--the last
man, not the least. She was above that age
when young. women are the most apt to be
: caught by fine compliments or dashing ap.
peaTances; but, plain aud direct in her manner,
It was her study to give no encouragement to
the attentions of her numerous suitors. Yet
from this description the reader must not infer
that she was not susceptible to the softer pas
sion of love. Far from II, for her troth was at
that time plighted; nor could the most amb-
tious thought in the world have tempted her to
swerye from the sanctity of VOWS made to the
lovereof. her choice made, as all lovers oaths
are,in thsquiet evening hour, and witnessed
BY the moon, that lovers planet, and''fail the
starry hosts of heavca:" - TE S
Among the soldiersia the Sort at this time,
none was greater favorite with officers and
men than Ashly Harper. Bold, adventurous,
and generous almost to a fault, no hazardous
expsdaion was projected in which he was not
alws fready to volunteer; aud many despe.
rate adventure, and many a foriorn hope, had
seen him face the savage foe with odds against