Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1856-02-08
season, which has set in with Sc

Of female heroism connected will
the Indian wars in this vicinity
which will compare favorably will
Revolutionary times, one of which
| here send you. 1t is well authen
ticated, and, think, worthy of rec.
ord
Soon after the Indians determin.
ed to wage a war of determination
against the whites, large party oI
them started down Rogue River
numbering men, women and chill.
dred as they came upon them. In
going a distance of ten or twelve
miles, they killed fifteen persons
and took two women prisoners,
whom they carried into captivity,
reserving them for fate far worse
than death. About ten o'clock, A.
NJ, they came to the house Of Mr..
Harris, who was at work in the
6eld,a short distance from the house,
with his son, boy about twelve
years Of age. They commenced
an attack upon him, and he fled to
the house, leaving his son behind,
who was never afterwards seen, and
whether he was murdered or carried
away a captive is not yet known
While Mr. Harris was entering his
door, he was mortally wounded by
a bullet, shot by an Indian who had
often visited his house aud ate food
from his table. As Mr.. II. fell, the
Indian sprang INTO the house. where
were Mrs. Harris, and her daughter
aged thirteen years, - and coolly
commenced loading his rifle, to FIN
iSh his work of death. Most wo-
men in her situation would have
given up in despair, and tearfully
begged for mercy, and begged in
vain; but she knew the Indian
character too we'll to expect mercy
at their hands, and for her to see,
comprehend and act, was the work
Of moment. She spraug with all
her strength upon the Indian, while
he was in the act of loading, and
pushed him from the house. He
stumbled over the prostrate body of
her husband, who was laying in the
doorway, and before he could re-
gain his feet and re-enter, she had
dragged her husband inside and
shut aud barred the door. As soon
as the Indian regained his feet, he
was rejolned by some Of his com
panions aud fearing their prey might
escape unless they could obtain an
entrance, they gave one of their un-
earthly yels,-the war whoop OF
the North American savage and
three or four of the foremost sprang
with all their strength against the
door, but it was TOO strong for them,
and yelling with rage aud disap-
poiutment they retreated short dis
tance aud commenced well direct
ed fire of mnsketry upon every
loop-hole and crevice where there
was the least chance for bullet to
eater. Mr. Harris, though mortally
wounded, was not yet dead, and he
instructed his wife and daughter
how to load and shoot the fire arms
which, fortunately for them, were
IN The house. consisting OF two rifles
and an Aliens revolver The little
girl loaded the guns, and Mrs. Ii.
discharged them at the Indians. In
this manner, they kept the Indians
at bay until about twelve O'Clock,
when the arm of her little daughter
was broken by an Indian bullet
Mrs. II. bound her daughters arm
with handkerchief to staunch the
blood, and placing her in a place OF
safety, with the groans of her hus-
band and the shrieks of her daugh-
ter ringing in her ear, she resumed
her post and kept up n steady fire
upon the Indians. About two o.
clock, all the bullets had been dis
charged, and about the same time
her husband breathed his last. Plac-
ed in her situation, there are but few
whose hearts would not have quail
ed with fear but she did not des-
pair. She had some powder left,
and loading her little revolver with
blank cartridge, she walked from
one loop-hole to another, and kept
firing at the Indians who ventured
the nearest, and in this way she kept
them at bay until dark, when they
Withdrew to distance TO hold a
consultation. Mrs. II. became sat
isied that, under cover of night,
the Indians would set the house on
fire, and that her only chance of es-
| cane was TO get to the bushes nm