The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-10-20

crossing the bottom.
All ut once became activity and bus
tie within the fort. The men prepared
for an energetic defence, each arming
ing knife and spear. The women were
busy in running bullets, securing the
children, etc. The whole number of
fighting men within the stockade did
not exceed eighteen, while the number
of women and children was about
1 forty.
Shortly before the enemy appeared, u
! perogue loaded with cannon balls, de-
I signed for Gen. Clark, at Louisville, in
charge of man named Sullivan, and
two others, landed at Wheeling, to re-
main over night. Sullivan was a
shrewd and experienced soldier, well
versed in Indian cunning; and on this
account was selected to manage the
affairs OF the fort during the seige, as
the commandant, Capt. Boggs, had
gone for succOr Immediately on the
alarm of the enemy's approach, Sulli-
courage, and well qualified for the
post of commander. His shrill voice
could be heard ut all hours, urging on
the men, and consolinR the women.
But at length he was wounded, and for
u time had to give way.
About sundown, Girty madea second
demand for surrender, declaring that
.
ing, if they refused, that the fort would
be stormed, and every soul massacred.
He WAS answered by taunts of defiance;
said they remembered too we'll the fate
of Col. Crawford, TO give up, and be
butchered like dogs. Girty replied.
that their doom was sealed-he had
taken their express. and all hope OF
safety might be given up. Sullivan in
quired what sort of a looking man the
messenger was? "a fine, smart, active
young fellow" answered the outlaw
chief "That's d-d lie," said Sulli-
van. 'the Is an old gray-headed man."
Finding all attempts to lntimidate IN
vain, Girty led on his white and red
army OF savages, and attempted to car
ry ont his threat of storming the fort.
Near the centre Of the stockade, and
at point sufficiently elevated to clear
the pickets, was small French can
non, which the enemy could at times
see, but which they tauntingly said was
"wood," and dared them to "shoOt."
Having approached within a conve-
nient distance, and just as the whole
party was pressing up In deep columns,
the "hull dog" was let off, cutting a
wide passage through the ranks of
wondering and affrighted savages.-I
Captain Pratt, who had heard guns,
and knew how they sounded, cried out
to his swarthy comrades, "Stand back
by G., there's no wood about thatW
The Indians and the Changers" gave
way at the first discharge, butts ral-
lied and returned. Girty divided his
force into small parties, and attacked
the fort at different points; now at
tempting to storm it; and again to fire
IL. In this manner the seige WIS kept
up during the whole night; and but
few such nights were ever passed upon
the frontier.
One of the bastions having given
way, but two were of use, and these
the men occupied in turn. The women,
during the whole OF that long and per-
ilOus night, proved the mselves herOines
of no ordinary type. They stood at
their posAs like soldiers OF a dozen |
campaigns, cooling and loading the |
rifles of their husbands, brothers, and 4
lovers. Such women were worthy the |
love and devotion OF men like these. |
No timid shrieks escaped them; no |
maidenly fears cansed them to shrink |
from their self-impOsed and most ouer- |
GUS task. Such were the pioneer l
mothers of the west-women whose |
souls and bodies were sorely tried in /
the fierce fire of our Indian wars
Through the whole OF that long and |
terrible night, without food and with
out rest, did these brave and noble
women stand 10 their duty, regardless
of fatigue, but uerving their hearts to
the contest, and auimutinG the men
with hope and COuTage. The Greek
matron, who urged her son 10 the con-
hict, charging him to return with his |
shield or upon il, displayed no more |
zeal, devotion, and true courage, than
these hero.wOmen of the west, History
Is full of examples of female heroism.
Israel had her Judith and Deborah;
France Rlories in her Joan and Lava
lette;-two of them unse&ed them
selves in the excitement of baitleSSone
ingloriously stained her hands in hu-
man gore, and the other had nothing to
lose by her successful efforts; hut the
western heroiues, without the ecLdt OF
female warriors, displayed more true
courage throughout the long and |
and exhibited more of the true spirit OF
heroisnn, than any example in ancient |
or modern history.
AT an early hour in the evening the |
Indians deserted the perogue already |
referred to, and at once resolved to try |
the sport of cHnnonading. Procuring |
a stout log of sufficient size and length,
these sitnple-minded men split it open,
and having cut out the centre with |
their towahawks, fastened the parts to-
gether with iron bands, and chains, |
found in a smith-shop belonging to n |
man named Reikart. They then
charged it heavily with powder and |
ball, and first announcing that their ar |
tillery had arrived, applied the torch. |
when instantaneously "A half-dOZen OF |
the gaping sayages, who had clustered |
around to witness the discharge, were |
blown into eternity. Their frail gun |
had bursted, scattering death and con-
sternatiOn all around.
During the night, large number of
Indians posted themselves in the lott of
"a house which stood thirty or forty |
yards north OF ths,fort. These amused |
yelling, making night hideOus |
with their hOrrid noise. Thinking to |
dislodge them, several Intellectual at |
tempts were made 10 do so with grape |
shot; but failing, "A full-siZed ball was |
fired, which cut of u sleeper, and let
the whole mass down together This |
disaster frightened The assailants of
for n time.
The cannon was fired sixteen times |
during the first night, doing more or
less execution at each discharge. Ii
was managed by man named John |
TAFT, shortly afterwards killed and
partly eaten by the savages, on Dtllie's |
Bottom, opposite Grave creek.
At the time of the Indian visitation |
in HI, it will be remembered, they |
burned all the houses, killed the cattle, |
etc. Similar outrages were again at |
tempted in l7Sl, and then Colonel 4
Ebenezer Zane resolved, that should |
the savHges again visit the settlement, |
he would remain in his house and per- |
ish, sooner than abandon 1t to the torch |
OF the enemy. On the reappearance of
the Indians, Colonel Zane continued in 1
his house, and declared his fixed deter |
mination to defend it to the last. In |
the house with him were several men, |
bers of his family, including his broth |
er Silas. There were also two brothers !
named Green, and u black servant, by |
the name of Sam. So constantly did |
these iour keep up the fire against the !
enemy, that they were slow to approach |
within range OF the guns.