Plymouth banner. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1852-1855, 1854-11-16

II W do nO Hldlttl Ol SUI prise tO Duuitp
that Captain Welles should have again
offered his services to the crown; but he
wondered much what provision he had
made for the security of Ellen, who was
an only child. and who had long before
been deprived of her parent. But had he
been SO disposed, he might have solved
, the curiosity BY direct appeal to the
object of it; for Ellen Welles at that mo-.
ment stood before him. She was accom-
panied by single domestic. who bore a
few articles of value in his hands; and
her department gave token of alarm and
agitation. Her answers TO his hasty in
qniries were exactly what he had expect
! ed to hear. Her father was absent from
home; there were rumors OF expected at
tacks from the Indians, and she was has
+ tening to place herself under the protec-
t:on Of neighboring family; for although
Captain Welles was we'll known TO be
/ loyal in his sentiments. his house was too
secluded and presented too many tempta.
tionS to the plundererS to be a safe abode
/ for an unprotected female. That Dudley
al once became her escort, that he stroye
! in every way TO soothc her alarm. although
/ for froI considering it unfounded, and
that h promised such protection as he
could give. were quite matters Of course.
On arriving at the house which Ellen had
selected for refuge, its inmates were found
to be in a state of alarm nearly equal to
her own. The intelligence Of the expect
ed attack had spread like wildfre through
the li;ile community. where the merciess
character Of these outslaughts was well
understood. The owner of the house,
Mr.. Lee, who was a well known patriot.
was. together with his sons, busily engag-
! ed in making such hasty preparations for
defence al the time allowed. Doors and
windows were barricadtd, ammunition pre-.
pared. and weapons put in order with all
that bustling. activity which such an
emergency might we'll be supposed to
create. The panic in the vicinity had
become general, and several Others OF the
immedia e neighbors, whose houses Were
considered less defensibe than Lees were
soon Aocking to his little FORT with their
arms and ammunition, and such Of their
more valulbe effects as they could con
venien,ly transport. Lees reputation as
bold and resOlute man contributed not
! little to produce this result. although
it might be considered very questiona-
| bic prudence which sought shelter under "a
roof rendered, BY the very reputation OF
| its owner, so prominent an object oil
hospitality. The work of defence now
went more rapidly forward. A breast
work of logs was soon thrown up in front
of the house. and another opposite the
postern door: upon the roof OF the bull.
ding, blankets saturated with water, were
spread as protection from that most
formidable engine of Indian warfare, the
! firebrand. Dudley having become con-
vinced Of the reality Of the danger, has
tened TO summon to Lees such other OF
the neighbors as did not choos. rather to
seek the shelter OF the forest, being CON
scious that their chief hope Of safety
must consist in thus consolidating their
strength. He had no immediate relatives
in the vicinity 10 awaken his solicitude
and was a BILE to act the more efficiently
for the whole. With many injunctions
! to regard his personal safety. and one
from voice which he fondly fancied to
be Ellen's, he departed on his mission.
/ He found the neighborhood everywhere
alarmed. Some were secreting their eff
fects. preparatory to fight; some were
/ barricading their premises. deter mined
10 die. if necessary. Oh their own hearth.
stones; and others. in small bands, were
fleeing to the forest. bearing their chill
dren IN their arms. and upholding the tot
tering steps Of the sick and aged. The
scene was one to draw tears from the
stoutest heart, but .he necessity for speedy
action left little room for contemplation.
Dudley had word of encouragement and
hope for all. and although numbers glad
ly accepted his proposal and fastened TO
accompany him, the majority preferred
to trust to the hiding places Of the will
derness. He was more successful, how
ever. in gaining refugees than recruits.
Women and children would add but lit
tie to the effective force of the garrison,
and he was, therefore not little delight
ed at the acce ssion TO his numbers Of four
or five mbers of the half organized
band. bearing the imposing title Of the
Life Guard These wcgc Il! yonng men.
well armed. and, by the presence and
peril OF those mos; near and dear TO the m.
furnished with the loftiest incentives TO
action.