Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-06-05
THE OUTPOST.
A Tale of Frontier Life

towards the latter part Of the year I75I, the
French, aided by vast bodies of the Huron and
lroquOis Indians, had begun to make them
selves very dIsagreeable neighbors to the British
ana american oOlOnists in northern Virginia,
Ohio, and the northwest portions of New York
stste-the French by their encroac hme mt on the
frontier, and the Indians by their numerous
fOrays, and savage barbarity to all who were
unfortunate enough to fall into their hands
10 put a stop to those aggressive proceedings,
numerous bodies, both of the regulars" and
the colonial militia, were dispatched to the sew.
eral points assailed; and among the rest, a Col.
Henry lnnes, with q company Of thirty men,
among whom were party Of some dozen VIr-
glnia rIfemen, 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 quarters. the
little company set about righting up the old
post, to make 1t aS comfortable as circumstances
would permit; and this being done, and order
once more restored, sentrics were placed at all
the advanced points of the station, while the
Strictest vigilance was both enjoined and exer-
cised by day and night.
Among the Virginia rifemen who had volun-
teered into the company, was tall, manly, fine
looking young fellow, who. from his fatal and
unerring skill as marksman, had received the
somewhat awe inspiring HODI de plume Of
Death. But with whatever Justice this name
sitiOE certainly entitled him to no such terror
spreading epithet On the contrary, he was
the very life of the company.
Ills rich fund of mOther-wit large social
prOpensitieS, and constant good nature render
Iny him a general favOrite with the men: while
the never-failing stock of game which his skill
enabled him to supply the mess table of the Of
hcers with, not only recommended him to their
good graces, but caused many a 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 ut the
fort much than 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 a certain Miss Hester Stan
hope, whose equal in beauty and amiable quail
tiles he had never seen before. And to render
himself still more certain of the fact, he called
the day following, under cover of the pretence
of having left his pOwder-fask
Death was invited to come again, by Farmer
StandhOpe, who happened to be from the same
parish as the father of our hero; and we need
scarcely say that the invitation was both eager
ly and Joyfully accepted, and, as often as cir
cumstances 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 eommu-
nifty at the fort, were Of widely different de-
grees in Importance.
Inc nrst WAS that Death had either suddenly
lost ali his skill as a marksman or that the
game had removed to a safer and more distant
nelghbOrhOOd, for the officers larder had been
found sadly wanting In the items of woOdeOcks
blsckcOcks, ptarmigan, &c, for the week past
and the second and most important of the two
events, was, that In regular succession, four
sentlnels had disappeared from the extreme
left line, without leaving the slightest trace to
elucidate the mystery Of their disappearance
This last Circumstance struck such dread into
the breasts OF the rest of the company, that no
one could be found willing to volunteer to take
pOst-well knowing that ii would be only like
sign ng their own death-warrant to do so; and
Col lnnes, not wishing to wilfully sacrifice the
lives or his men by compelling them to 90. en-
joined double caution to the remainder of the
sentlnelS, and left the fatal post unOccuped for
night or two.
Two OF three reconnoitering parties had been
dispatched on round the neighborhOod in the
hope OF finding some clue TO the mystery or of
obtaining some intelligence of the enemy but
they had each Of them returned az wise as they
started. with No reward for their trouble save
weary bones.
Ii was on the third night Of the desertion Of
the post, that our hero, Death, was returning to
the tort, after paying visit to Stanhope Farm
The moon was up, but her light was nearly all
oIscured by the dense masses of clouds which
at every few minutes were driven by a pretty
stIH breeze over her face; while the huge trees
now all In full leaf, creaked and groaned and
bent their tall forms to and fro as the heavy
gusts rushed whistling in among their branches
Our hero had approached within a hundred
yards OF the termination Of the forest that skirt
ed the small open space in which the fort stood,
when suddenly he paused, and crouching down
on Ills hands and knees, crept cautiously for
ward few PAGES. Having remained in this
position for several minutes, ne again stealthiy
Tetreated In the manner he had advanced: and
Plunglng into the forest again, emerged at a
Ppnt considerably lower than where be had in
tended to leave it before.
Col. lnnes sat reading, alone, in his private
apartment, when an orderly entered and in
formed him that one Of the men wished to speak
70 him.
" Send him in, said the colonel; and at the
next minute our friend, Death, had entered.
and made his best bow to his commanding officer
Well, what scrape have you been getting
into now said the colonel, when he saw who his
yisiter was
= None, colonel replied Death; " but have
come to ask favor
" Let Us hear IL, +" said the colonel " and we
Will then see what We can do"
&" Well, colonel, il is simply this-if YOU will
put the " rifles under my orders to night, and
let me occupy the deserted post will not only
clear up the mystery of the disappearance of
the four sentries, but make the post tenable
for the future
:. But how" said the colonel, in intense sur.
prise.
% guess, colonel" answered Death, you
had better let me have the men, and order us
on, and l ii tell you the whole affair after 1
promise you that not one shall receive even n
scratch that is if they will follow my directions
implicitly
- You are q strange man." said the colonel.
. but think L will let you have your own way
this time. When do you intend TO start?'
:" In about an hours time" answered the
elated Death.
Very well, will give the necessary orders,
so that you can start when you think proper
And what Is mere. IT you perform all that you
have promised, and don't cause me TO repent
having humored you, you shall have poor Camp
bells place"
Hector Campbell was brave but very head