Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1851-07-30
A Virginia Heroine.

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I A Virginia Heroine.
One Of the old towns, rich in historical
association, is Gallipolis, on the Ohio
near the entrance of tho Kanahwa. 1,
was settled by body of French emigrantl
IN l76O, after many distresses and disap
pointments, and seems to wear its melan
choly tine-faced appearance in memory Of
the sufferings Of those hardy frontier set
tiers. From an old resident there,
learned singular history of an old woman
who lived long in the vicinity Ann
Trotter came with her husband from
England before the war of the revolution
both, on account of poverty, being sold to
service, according to custom, for the pay
ment of passage money. Having served
their term in one of the central Counties
of Virginia, they became settlers but, in
1764, Trotter was induced to go with a
party to defend the frontier against Indian
incursions, and Was killed in the battle
that took place at Point Pleasant From
the period of his death strange and wild
spirit seemed to possess the wife, who fire.
quently expressed her hatred of the Indi-
ans, and her determination to seek re-
venge. The opinion entertained by her
neighbors thai the shock had somewhat
disordered her intellect, was confirmed by
her entire abandonment of all feminine
employments, and her adoption of those Of
men. She no longer sewed, spun, or at
tended to household or garden concerns !;
but practiced with the rifle, slung the
tomahawk, and rode about the country at
tending every muster of soldiers. She
even discarded female attire, and was seen
clad in a hunting shirt, leggins and moe
casins, wearing her knife and tomahawk,
and carrying her gun. Her manly spirit
and resolution to arenge her husbands
death, did not prevent her contracting .
second alliance; and it was as Ann Bailey
that, about 1882, she followed body of
soldiers to Charleston, Virginia, where
they were ordered to garrison for. under
the command Of Colonel Clendenin, for
the protection Of the frontier. Here she
performed an exploit which ought to i'm
mortalize her name. Indians had for some
time been lowering in the vicinity and
the discovery Of party one morning on
the opposite side Of the Kanahwa, one of
them being shot by the commander of the
fort, gave warning that a speedy attack
might be expected. At this crisis the
terrible fact was announced that their am
munition was nearly exhausted! Wha.
was to be done ? The Colonel could not
well spare man from the fort; yet pow
der and shot must be procured, and the /
nearest place where it could be obtained
was in Greenbrier county, at the present
site of Lewisburg, one hundred miles dis
;ant-:he way a trackless forest. No
wonder every man shrank from the idea of
so perilous journey, and even small
party was unwilling to undertake it. Mrs
Bailey became acquainted with the diff
guilty, and instantly offered her services,
insisting upon going alone. Her acquain-
:ance with the country, her excellent
lorsemanship, her perseverance and fear
ess spirit, were we'll known, and the COM
nander Of the garrison a. length yielded
% her solicitations. A good horse was
furnished her; she set her face toward
Ireenbrier, armed with rife, tomahawk,
&C., and resolutely overcoming every OBJ
tacle in the ruggedness Of the way through
he woods, the mountains she had to a
ross, and the rivers to swim, undaunted I
y the perils to be encountered from wild
easts and struggling parties of Indians, t
cached the place of her destination in t
afety, and returned, leading another t
orse, laden, as we'll as her own, with the !
eeded supplies Such an instance of
eroism is scarcely parallcled, even among +
he many that abound in the history OF !
be war.
Through life prolonged beyond the y
rdinary limits, Ann Bailey retained her :.
ngular habits, and her masculine acou- =
She lived with a son by her :,
rst marriage, but was accustomed to
ander about the country, received by all :,
, privileged visiter, and supplied with !,
'od and clothing according to her need. !
he seldom failed, whenever there was
uster of the militia, to attend, armed =
ke a soldier, and march in the ranks. .
Not man of them would have put her :,
1T" said the General to me, in recount r.
g the narrative. Even the great enemy h
;oved unusually indulgent to her for, ;,
: her own account, she had numbered a,
nsiderably more than century when "
10 died. Her death took place abou, 2
Journal. l.