Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-08-24
THE SCOUTS REVENGE.
story of Whitehall in its early Days
BY II. I. STORIAN.


the aboriginees and their scarcely less
savage allies the Tories, of which White
hall and its surroundings have been the
theater, in "that time that tried mems
souls" Yet so it is and there are plen-
ty of incidents, were they dug up from
the dark mines of the past, to furnish
material for many story, as exciting,
and far more truthful, than those whose
plots are laid among the snow capped
Sierras or on the plains of the far West
The incidents of the following story
were related to me when mere boy, by
that kind and good old man, the favorite
of all children and the story-teller of the
neighborhood, Israel Warner; ne having
received it from his father, who was one
of the actors in many of the startling in
cidents which go to make up the early
history of Whitehall, Colonel Seth War
ner.
There are people living among US, who
can remember when the marsh at the
northern extremity of our village, was OF
sufficient depth to allow the sloops and
schooners, or any sailing craft whose draft
of water was not more than ten feet, to
deliver their freight at the very places
where now the laundering locomotive,
with shrek like that of q fend. dives
into the earth at the foot of Church
street.
At the time of which I write, this
marsh, as we'll as the one on the east OF
our harbor, formed with the now narrow
channel of Lake Champlain, one vast bay
or harbor. Those sand bars, upon which
are now piled millions of feet of lumber,
and occupied by saw and steam planning
mile, offices and dwellings, were known
as Cookies Island and Cookies Island was
indeed an island at all times of the year
and it is with this island that my story is
connected. Reader, upon this spot hap
pened one of the most bloody tragedies
in the unwritten histories of those early
settlers.
On this island the early settlers had
built small wooden fort, or block house,
and from which cause the island was
named Block House Island. 1t was sur
rounded by high wall, built closegto the
edge of the water, on all sides except the
west, this being protected by perpen'
dicular cliff some forty or fifty feet in
hight, which was washed at the base by
the water of the lake.
This place was selected by them On &C.
count of it's natural fortifcation, ard be.
cause it commanded view of the whole
harbor, as place of safety for the women
and children of the settlement, to which
they fed at the time of danger.
Now the war of the revolution had be-
gan and this place was garrisoned by a
small force, who, at the approach of the
enemy was reinforced by the settlers, who
had removed the most valuable parts OF
their property to the fort.
The armament was small, consisting OF
four old brass six Founders.
There may still be seen upon tho sum
NIT of this island, remains of that old
fort, which are just as fresh to day as they
were twenty years ago, while ether places
of a like nature, in our vicinity, have been
ploughed up or built over, and every YES
| tige of their existence destroyed. But
here thanks to the veneration of its pres
ent proprietor, ". W. Cooke, for every
! landmark of that time when the young
American Eagle plumed its winga, and
wet its beak and claws for it's great strug
gle with the British Lion), no Que has
dared to defaoe or destroy those old re.
maiua, which point with silent though
past. Aud who can tell but the spirits
of these patriots who died upon that isl
and, in defence of colonial liberty, joined
their spirit hands and danced around the
fl az staff which was erected by Mr.. Cncke
in the center of those old works during
the late rebellion. when our starry b,nner
at it's peak proclaimed that Richmond
had fallen, and we, their descendants, had
defended with our lives, and preserved
with our blood, the sacred legacy which
they had left us.-the American Union.
| Captain William Stuart. who was a
that time in command of Block Hous-
I-laud. was informed by a scout and :
hunter. whose namo was Perkins, tha
General Frazer with one thousand Britisf
TROOPS had attacked Colonel Warner a
HubbArdton, ard the coloni-ts, after {
severe fight, became demnrtlzad, arc
fed in all directions He also ststed tina
five hundred Indians aud Tories were
coming by the way of East By t
| Skeensboro, with a view to its desfruG
ton.
Scarcely had the commandAnt gathered
in the women and children OF the settle
ment, and make his arrangements to re
pei the attack, when night set in, cleaI
and cloudless.
At about eleven o'clock tho enemy was
reported in sight. They were coming
from the direction of East Bay, in l4rg'
number of canoes and batteaux. while
upon the land some of the force VS. de
ployed as scouts. The whole force of the
Americans was about three hundred, one
half of whom were on the i-land, and tbs
| - i, ~
tain side, just below Ke-hosh quanue
Falls. No sound, either at the fort or or
shore, indicated that the settlers were
aware of the approach of the enemy.
On came the fleet of boats. silently dip.
ing their oars, hopeful of surprising the
settlera, and elated at the thought of the
easy victory and rich spoil that awaited
them for this was q depot of supplies
for large extent of country.
Our scout, Thomas Perkins, was look
ing through loop-hole in the fort, watch
ing the movements of the fact, until. a;
the enemy drew near, he turned to hi
commander with a flashing eye, and hisa
ed through his clenched teeth:
az say Captain Stuart, do you see that
boat ahead thar ?"
eyes, Tom" he replied. "What OF it ?
This of it," replied the scout; "if jim
Parce amt in that boat, hang me for q
consumed fabbergasted Tory "
"Jim Pierce " said the Captain, che i,
one of our friends, and I believe he has
our good at heart, Notwithstanding hi;
rough nature. He was here yesterday
and dined with me. I think you are
mistaken"
"Dined with you, Captain, did he
Did ye warm that rattlesnake that's now
ready to strike ye He's Tory spy
one of Burgoyne's most valuable
scouts"
81 harbored Pierce, certainly" said The
Captain. 81 thought him friend to OUT
cause and he was recommended to me as
faithful scout, by my superior, Colonel
Warner"
Captain" said Tom, 81 don't swear
cos Lucy Morgan axed me not to; but,
Jerewsalem wouldn't I like ter rip out
now ? 'twuld dew me good. Has that
darned skunk imposed onIthe Kernel tew
[ must put an end to your des4it, Jim
Price; for I have got the pill in old
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