Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-11-21

.s.-f.} iBYFDR J,Fo HuPP. H
Tho Siege or. nIlIer'S %BI0ck.hohss.
In, the Spring ef-l7s2 Indian hostilities
commenced much earlier than usual along
the! western frontier.
AS early as the month of March hordes
of ssysges were ascertained to have crossed
the Ohio and were making their way into
theisettlements. y,,--t.-.s-.
The settlers thus threatened with the
massacres, plunderings, burnings and cap
tivfties, with which they had already be-
come too familiar, were filled with spirit
stirring excitement, commingled with
alarm. ~ ~ ION -r.. v.a.r-
In this predieament of apprehension and
danger, the settlers along the Buffalo val
ley 'betook themselves, with their families,
to the forts and bleck-houses:
About three miles north east of West
Alexander, Washington county, Pa, on the
right bank of the SD Datch Fork" of Buffalo,
is q peninsula formed by the meandering
creek on the one side and Miller's run on
theiother. The isthmhs next to the run is
skirted by narrow strip of bottom land
which expands to many acres towards the
creek aud its confluence with the run.
The side of the isthmus washed BY the
creek has q bold and precipitous bluff.
On this isthmus was located Miller's block
houses which was besfeged by a party of
about seventy Shawanees on Easter Sun
day, 1892. r. o. -.
With their characteristic cunning and
caution the Indians arrived in the vicinity
the!night previous, distributing themselves
in ambush around the block-house and
along the paths leading thereto. ~. "a
Thus lying concealed among the bushes
or apea vines" behind trees orfallen tim
ko.i .ha, o,va; ;had the onRration of circum.
stances. Bt -
Nearly all of the men were absent from
theiblock house on this occasionj some of
them being at Rice's Fort which was about
two miles further down the creek. OF this
fact the Indians most likely were apprised
and ON, this account the attack on tho
block house is supposed, to. have been defer
ed and the ambush protracted in order to
destroy the men on their return hither:
r Of those who were Id this rude shelter
on that fatal Sabbath morning were John
Hupp's wife and four children, Mary, Mar
garet, John and Elizabeth; Jacob Miller
and several. of his family; the family OF
Edward Gather, and an old man named
Matthias Ault. -,t5,-.y~.
cenaed with it's -wonted fervor to the Faith
er Of -Mercies for, preservation and Protec-
ton. The sun had appeared above the
eastern -tinging with its feeble rays
the submits Of the lofty trees of the dense
forest that surrounded this primatiye place
of Defense The qufetude Of the woods
was undisturbed save by the occasional
chifp of the wooded sougster carolltng his
morning anthem. srf..a:s
One Of the matFons of the block house
had fearful forebodings that some terrible
calamity WAS about to befal her husband
1 and followed him to the door entreating
him not to carry into execution his de-
termination to accompany bis friend on
fthat morning in search of colt that had
i estrayed.. The night previous che had
dreamed that cooper snake" struck,
fastening its fangs into the palm of her
hnsband's, hand and that all her efforts to
to detsGh the venomous reptile were una
vailing-this vision she interpreted as
tomnious of evil TO her husband. But not
! lwithstanding the eutresties and importn-
1 niti4s of his wife John Hupp set out in
1 company with his friend Jacob Miller in
search of the estrsy. ....a
They entered the path leading across
the run and through the woods in north
I easteriY direction and were soon out OF
,soon the auietude OF the woods was dis
j.tuFbed tov the crack of q rifle quickly fol-
IiovSd bv. a savage war whoop issuing from
| that norton of the forest into which Hupp
and IEfflfst had entered, This alarm filed
/ the minds of the women with consterna'
ton aud approximations as to their fate
IBut Hupp being in the prime and yigor o.
manhood, fleet and=athletic, If merely over
powered by numbers his prompt return to
the block-honse was confidently expected
Bot he had fallen victim TO the foe thai
laay concealed patiently awaiting the ap'
Epfosch Of some Ill. fSted person. s5i.,
I The,two unsuspecting men were allowed
Ito follow the ambushed path uumolested
till {hey reached the second little ravine or
llsnd now owned by W lillian Miller, Esq. -
Here from his conceaIment behind faIleI
/ timber5a savage fred upon Hupp wound
ing him mortally; he however, after he wal
1 shot, ran sixty or seventy yards and sanl
lto5rise no more. Miller being, an elderly
d man was boldly rushed upon by the merci
Hess wretches, with loud and exultant Yell
i and tomaha Wk6d on the spot.
4 Flushed with success the ssvsges nov
I1eft their hapless victims scalPed and Pill
lfered of all clothing to join in the belea
l euering of the block.honse.
while this trsgtC scene was- being en-
acted the wild excitement and contusior
ameugst the women and children IN th'
block house, with no male defender ou
therold man A1lt, 'cSnlbe more Feadiiy im
Il sgined than described - - -
u Butat this trying moment Providenc
.lpanoplied q female hero with q. courage
4 lanfh heiently unfaltering for ths dire emer