Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1857-06-12
miscellaneous.
THE OUTPOST.
A Tale of Frontier Life.

Towards the latter part Of the year
1851, the French, aided by vast bodies
of the Huron and Iroquois Indians, had
begun to make themselves very disagree
able neighbors to the British and Ameri-
can colonists in northern Virginia, Ohio
and the northwest portions of New York
State-the French by their encroach-
ments on the frontier, and the Indians
by their numerous forays, and savage
barbarity to all who were unfortunate
enough to fall into their hands.
To put a stop to these aggressive pro-
ceedings, numerous bodies, both of the
CIRCULARS" and the colonial militia, were
dispatched to the several points assailed
and among the rest, Col. Henry Innes,
with company of thirty men, among
whom were party OF some dozen Vir-
ginia riaemen, was ordered to occupy a
small outpost, or log fort, which at this
period stood within few miles from the
north fork of the Allegheny river.
Having arrived safely at their quar-
ters, the little company set about right
ing up the old post, to make it as COM
Portable as circumstances would permit
and this being done, and order once more
restored, sentries were placed at all the
advanced points of the station, while the
strictest vigilance was both enjoined and
exercised by day and night.
Among the Virginia ridemen who had
volunteered into the company, was tall,
manly, fne-looking young fellow, who.
from his fatal and unerring skill. as a
marksman, had received the somewhat
awe inspiring nom dc plume of-Death.
But with whatever justice this name had
been applied to him for his skill, his dis
position certainly entitled him to no such
terror spreading epithet. On the con.
trary, he was the very life of the com.
pany.
His rich fund of mother-wit, large
social propensities, and constant good
nature, rendering him general favoritC
with the men; while the never. failing
stock Of game which his skill enabled
him to supply the mess-table of tho Off
GERS with, not only recommended him t.
their good graces, but caused many Q
little ''short coming" of his to be winked
at and passed over in silence, which
otherwise perhaps, he might not have
got over so easily.
The company had not been stationed
al the fort much more than a week, ere
Death, in one Of his excursions for game
discovered that at small farm house
some three miles or so distant from the
fort, there lived certain Miss Hester
Stanhope, whose equal in beauty and
amiablc qualities he had never seen be-
fore. And to render himself still more
certain of the fact, he called the day fol.
lowing, under cover of the pretence o.
having left his powder-Aask.
Death was invited to come again, BY
Farmer Stanhope, who happened to b.
from the same parish as the father Of oul
hero; and we need scarcely say that tho
invitation was both eagerly and joyfullJ
accepted, and, as often as circumstance
would permit, complied with.
The second week after this occurrence
took place, was marked by two events
which, though both affecting the welfare
Of the little community at the fort, wer'
Of widely different degrees in Importance
The first was that Death had eithe
suddenly lost all his skill as narksman
or that the game had removed to a safe
and more distant neighborhood, for tn
officers larder had been found sadl,
wanting in the items Of woodcocks
blackcocks, ptarmigan, &c., for the weel
past--and the second and most importan
Of the two events, was, that in regula
succession, four sentinels had disappear
ed from the extreme left line, withou
leaving the slightest trace TO elucidat
the mystery Of their disappearance.
This last circumstance struck sue
dread into the breasts Of the rest Of th
company, that no one could be foun