Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1856-10-31


twas evident knew the condition of the
Fort, but he also knew these men OF
ling-knew. that they were Virgin
lans to tie back bone-that on the south
branch IF the Potomac, amid the gorges
Of its Mountains, they had been sc6ooIed
in deeddof daring and love of liberty,
that made every man equal to legion of
Indian warriors. Astute as he was, he
knew we'll that it was, better to resort to
stratagEm, than the open field Gght.,aC
y. AT tqe hour of night he disposed of his
forces pn the ground; he concealed their
numbef, and in the, morning with a small
force Engaged the vigilance Of ,Agal and
MasonI induced them with a few. of their
men 4 open the field. Then a hundred
warrifs leaped from their concealment
and d}ne the work Of slaughter. OF the
twenT six that were in the engagement,
only hree escaped and survived. Trans
porte( with the success. of the surprise,
three hundred and eighty warriors emer-
ged fom their ambuscade to storm the
fort, which had left only the reduced
numPr OF thirty-three to defend it..
But reir shrewd and knowing Captain
was dmonished that it was better first to
reso1 to diplomacy and stratagem, than
his Indian warriors, to secure sue
cess ind triumph. He then appealed to
the fen IN the fort to save themselves
from the impending savage massacre-to
surf fnder and put themselves under his
proiction-to return to their allegiance
to fe mother country-to be conducted
by finn to Detroit and receive the protec-
ito that the proclamation of Gov. Hams
ilta held out to the rebel colonies. The
caitulation with its promised security,
orhe storm of battle with its threatened
mSsacre was now for the consideration
o9hese men of Wheeling, submitted by
Spon Girty, who stood forth as the Cap
tR OF the Indian Warriors and the ac,
kPwledged agent of, Gov. Hamilton,
II British authority at Detroit A shot
fed from one Of the indignant men in the
1T was the winged messenger that bore
dfance to rhe arrogant demand OF Girly
ID his cohorts. For one day and night
! these thirty-three men defend the fort
sainst these three hundred and eighty
hrriors and their {" great Captain. " and
last disheartened by their vigilance
pd courage, they gave up the siege and
If them in their glory and triumph.
\ Girty was no common man. He was
pol. cautious and sagacious, with cou-
'age that was controlled and tempered by
hese eudowments. which qualified him
O command the Indians and to secure
he confidence of the British authorities
n this country. '.r
At the grand Indian Council convened
1t Chillicothe, of the tribes of the North
West, he displayed eminent capacity, and
his purposes in keeping up
The organization of the Indians, after the
Of CORVALLIS, by originating
md planning the campaigns against Ken.
lucky and Northwestern Virginia.
When the Council adjourned he took
Of the six hundred Indians de-
signed to operate against Kentucky and
to execute the plan approved
and adopted by the Grand Council. His
success was attributable to his great fore
cast, adroitness and boldness. Though
be was foiled at the attack at Bryant's
Station, still at Blue Licks, when the wise
,ounsel of Bron was disregarded by the
of McGary; Girty's aptness took
advantage of the blunder and his success
and havoc was terrible. The memory of
Todd, Trigg, Harland, Bulger. Gordon,
Mcbride and young Doom, who fell on
this occasion. will long excite a shudder
at the success and cruelty OF Girty, and
the rashness and temcrity y of Nc Gary.
The forces that made the incursion
against North h-Western Virginia were
by George Girty, Simon's
brother, and were computed at three
hundred Indians, the choice Of the Dela>
wares and Shawnecs, and fifty whites of
the Queens Rangers. They marched for
and reached there Sept. 11th,
1889, with the British colors. John Lynn
a noted settler, whose fame was that " no
Indian could escape his eye, nor avoid
the aim of his bullet" swan the river
and advised the settlement Of their near
The for: was still without anv
regular garrison. and there were not TWEEN
ty effective men to defend it, The mode
Of attack and the system Of warfare
adopted disclosed the directions Of Simon
Girty. George Gir:y demanded the sur
render Of the fort with all the arrogant
of the beseigers; the response
to this was the lightning wing of the bull
let aimed at the British colors these
braves bore. The savages then opened
the attack on the fort, but neither the Bri-
tish colors, nor the cruelty Of the Girtys,
nor fire, nor cannon. all of which were
could cover these men of
Wheeling. For three days and nights
did these men stand out against the be-
seigers, and finally compelled them to
leave the field they had selected for their
plumber and carnage.
The system of warfare adopted by Cir
ty, was to strike his foes with surprise
and terror, and this was the reason that
at the onset. he sought to conceal his
forces, that the sudden emerging Of his
nninteh and hedeckeh Warriors from their