Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1853-08-26
EBENSBURG, FRIDA

e--ANA
one Of the loop-holes. There is an Indian stan
ding right by the oak, but all the rest are on tt;
right of it, and if we can put the one out q the
way, George can get through said Mr.. Bisch,
turning around to the settlers who were await
I ing the result of his scrutiny.
Wei, leave that to me !" said hardy b elk
woodsInan. g When you fire a .volley to cali lie
attention of the. other Indians, viii fire yslley
and call his attention p
= iiis w. agreed to, and at the moment Of lie
simultaneous reports g,lr ae Inv The OK ~
'wes seen fan vftffout IIrT5ffIls sser-, an 4.
simultaneously George issued forth from the pls-
sage, and disappeared up the creek, without be-
! ing noticed by the sayages
/ The night came on, and the Indians now set
fire to the deserted dwellings of the settlers, VINO
/ were obliged to witness the destruction of tltir
/ property without the power to prevent it bat
the sharp crack of rife ever and anon, would
/ tell that they were on the watch, and wheneyera
dusky form was seen sufficiently exposed to prs-
sent fair mark, it was sure to be Instantly usel
! as such, and seldom did the marksman fail The
/ Indians, too, had guns furnished them by the
British agents, but they could not be brought IN
/ to use, as the settlers were secure behind the
heavy walls Of the church.
! And where was Jenny Birch all the time, and
what was she doing? At the first moment of
the attack, she had, with wonderful presence Of
mind, assisted in soothing the fears of the females.
and from that time till dark had not taken
a moments rest. Most OF the time she was en-
gagged in moulding bullets, preparing refreshments
for the hungry ones, and doing sundry other little
matters for the convenience of all.
After the fears of the women had somewhat
subsided, they assisted Jenny in her kind Office,
and when night came on, all insisted that she
should take some rest. She yielded to their de-
slres, but sleep visited her not that night-nor
We're there many in that little castle it did visit
Morning came, and not an Indian was to be
scen-all had dispersed! The settlers were some
what surprised at this, although the most expert
. enced backwoodsmen pronounced that they were
preparing for a desperate struggle.
SentineIs Were stationed, and meals were ser
we'd to the weary men. Preparations were made
for desperate defence. Each man sharpened
well his dirk knife, and large quantity Of bullets
were moulded.
AIl was quiet till eleven o'clock, and the sci
tiers began to think the Indians had left for cer
tain, when the shriu war-whoop ringing out in
the pure air gave warning that terrible strug-
gle was at hand. Instantly every man was at
his post. In a moment the Indians rushed on
the church, and notwithstanding the murderous
discharge Of firearms that greeted them, carrying
death to many of their number, commenced fl-
rios attack on the door with their hatchets.
The settlers continued to pour a CALLING fire on
the bTt aft L
made through the heavy oak door, sufficient to
admit the body of man, when a savage leaped
through. He was scarcely inside the church
when his head was cleft by an axe in the hand of
Mr.. Pierson.
The Indians now poured through the apper-
ture, and, although they met with desperate
resistance, were fast accumulating inside the
door. The door was unbarrcd by those who had
reached the inside and all rushed in eager for
blood. But they were opposed by men fighting
for their loved ones and homes
The settlers no longer used rifles but resortod
to their knives, and the manner in which they
We're used showed that it was no new weapon in
their hands.
But it was evident that this unequal contest
could not last much longer. Although none Of
the settlers had as yet been killed, scarcely one
but was severely wounded. The savages out
numbered them two to one. Seeing the despe-
rate state of things, Jenny Birch seized a toma-
hawk which had been thrown down, and rushed
into the thickcst of the fight, and for moment
that tomahawb was suspended in the air and
when it descended it carrieda messenger Of death
to bloody savage whose tomahawIl was pending
over her fathers head.
This was seen by the savages, and for mo-
ment hostilIties were suspended, and squaw Il
squaw burst simultaneously from the lips of
each one.
At this moment a shout proceeded from the
creek, and Edwin Pierson sprang to the rescue
with his brave followers. Ondega caught sight of
Jenny as she stood with bloody tomahawk still
in her hand, and with fiendish whoop and up
lifted tomahawk, he sprang towards her to strike
the deadly blow. \ rife shot sped through the
air, from the unerring rife of Edwin Pierson, and
Ondega was stretched IiGeless on the foor. His
followers, now without a leader, were easily con-
quered.
We ewill not attempt to describe the happy scene
which followed. Husbands clasped wives and
children to their breasts the goodpastor, although
severely wounded in the conflict, llnelt down and
Offered up thanks to God for their deiyerance-
Jenny hadswoonedf from over excitement, and was
in the arms ofEdwin Pierson, who at length sue
ceeded in restoring her to consciousness.
The wounded were kindly cared for, and in time
0ndega received decent burial, as
did the rest of his followers who had been
killed