The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1852-03-11

AL her late tremors were uow explained
The hostile savages, instead Of being IA
distant, were close ut hand. The very
warriors she had just seen nigh, have in
'erccpicd her lover; and his scalp nigh. b,
even now at the girdlo Of one Of .hem.-
Al this horrible idea she clasped her hand.
shadderingly over her eyes, and, for an in
stant, forget her misery in oblivion.
| Bot this lasted only for moment. Liz
Izy Zane was no weak, timid girl, whom
danger rendered burden 10 her friends
on the contrary, hers was soul cast in The
heroic mould Of Joan fare, and others ol
the brave and dauntless other sex. Has
|tily sprinsing to her feet, she cried: 9TH.
tremnr is childish. What If Francis is
dead, since peril surrounds my parents, am
not only them, but the whole settlement
The Indians have waited till the moon wa.
down TO commence their attack, hoping te
surprise US; and the two have seen ar,
doubtless outluying scouts, who, fortunate.
/ " for US, have shown themselves too soon
| will rouse father at once. Il will be time
TO weep for The dead, when my duty TO the
living has been fulfilled
With these words she hurried from the
chamber, though no. ill she had taken an.
other guarded look from tho easement
This time not living soul was in sight
She rightly judged tha, the scouts had
gone to bring up their companions, and
lost no lime consequently in arousing the
| household.
At,hat period in the history ofthe West.
oycry frontier mnn slept, as il were, on bis
arms. But the present summons was SC
unexpected, and the assault Of the sayages
might be looked for so soon, that prepara-
l,ions for defense could not be made with
the usual care. Col. Zane on being arous-
ed, despatched servants TO summon his
ueighbors 10 the contiguous fort, which
stood about forty rods from his own dwell
ling. Abou; twenty men answered the
call, bringing with them their families, but
necessarily abandoning their stock and
Everything else 10 the chances Of war
He determined himseIfto hold his mansion
it being fayorably situated as an ous-pos,
and cont aiming large stores ofammunition
accordinsly retaining three men to assist
him, he ordered the remainder of his peo-
lple TO repair 10 the fort. IN vain did his
daughter entrcat to remain with him; he
bade her remember that while duty made
him stay, il would be criminal temeri,y
for her 10 remain; and, delugcd with tears
she obeyed his commands.
Scarcely had the gates Of the fort been
closed, less than baltan hour had elapsed
since the first alarm, when tho army o
savages appeared emerging from the forest
II was not long before they saw that ihci,
approach had been discovered and that The
fort was in readiness 10 receive them; 50
with yell OF rage and hate, they rushed
TO the assault.
keep cool, my men, said the command
ant Of the fort, on uncle Of our heroine
.and fire only when you can clearly make
gu, an Indian. 1t is easy 10 coniound the
dusly red skins with the shadows; and this
they know; SO take care and waste no am
muni,on. The women will load for you
when the hounds come to close quarters
and quick firing is necessary; foriunatel.
We have plenty Of muskcts, so that fresl
ones can be handed TO you as fast ns you
require them. will set you an example
and my niece will load for me, and show
how an American woman can assist in the
hour OF peril
His words were cut short by the neces
sity for instant exertion. The Indians had
by this time, crossed the field in front OF
the fort, and were approaching, partly un-
der cover of trees. toward the entrance,
hoping to force their way in. Instantly
from the house Of Col. Zane, as well us
from the fort, heavy discharge Of musket
ry was opened on the savage nssailanis
Every man, in each edifice, know that he
was fighting, not only for his own life, bu,
for those dearer than life. Their wives
daughters and other female relatives, con.
scious Of the same truth, heroically nssis
ted them, loading the nuskets as rapidly
as they were discharged and praying 81
lently for aid from heaven.
'IIa! they recoil,' shouted the command
ant, the red skins can't stand the fire ol
desperate men. The colonel is giving il
to them CALAMITY from bis house. Hark
that is his hurrsh. Let US give him back
a cheer. That was . truo Virginia shout
God be praised they run. Huzz, for vic
tory
With EXPLANATIONS like these tho old sol
dier sustained the spirits Of his men during
that short but terrible conflict, until, as hi'
last words betokened, The assailan,s were
lin full fight; and then another shout went
up from the fort, which was answered back
as sturdily from the outpost, where witt
his three assistants, Col. Zane kept biz
dwelling against the savages. II wal
worth peril unto death 10 hear and partici
pn,e in that huzza.
i But if the defenders of Wheeling fatter
ed themselves that they had achieved I
permanent triumph, they were soon des'i
ned to discover the mistake. The Indians
though repulsed, were not defeated, and
after n slight interval, were seen agail
rushing TO the assault. Again, at the com
manda nt's injunction, the men withheld
their fire till the savages were close to ,h'
walls. Again the muskets blazed in al
almost continuous stream; again the wo
men moulded bullets and loaded the still
smoking guns; and again the lion.like. yoc'
> Of the comma ndant rose over the shnrl
crack Of the rifles, encouraging his subor
idinates. while the loud, Joyous huZza o