Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1872-06-28
Gclcttc0 AlisfeIlanD.
Indian Strategy.

The first white settlers of West Virginia ex.
perienced dark and troubous times in eiIcclinp
a permanent Judgment on the banks of The
| ONO. The Indians, being subsidized by the
| English, were hostile, and conflicts were inevi.
table whenever colonst met a native. Tc
protect the pioneers of this then far remote re-
gion, stockade was constructed at Wheeling
somewhere about the close of the Revolution.
airy war, and a small garrison placed within
1t, which was more than once unsuccessfully
heseiged by the northern tribes of red men
Its neighborhood became the scene of many
personal deeds Of daring perilous encounters.
| hand-to-hnnd fights and hair-breadih escape
on the part of both soldiers and settlers. Some
OF the immediate descendants of the actual
participants in these scenes were living thirty
years since, when the writer was soiourning in
that interesting section of country, and from
them be learned many facts proving conclu-
slvely the skill and bodness of those early adj
venturers, and the price they paid in hazard,
suffering and blood, in establishing an owner
ship TO the banks of La Belle Rivere. Among
the incidents related was the following
Game OF various kinds, particularly wild
| turkeys, ahounded in the vicinity of the fort,
and was sometimes hunted by the soldiers of
| the garrison TO relieve the tedium of their mo-
notonous life and vary their ordinary rations
On one occasion the seeming call of one of
these birds from a rocky ledge not far TO the
| rear of The stockade, prompted soldier to 90
out at carly morning in search, who, at the
expiration of his leave of absence, had not re-
turned. The Autumnal sun declined and set
in the hazy forests beyond the Ohio, and still
his quarters in the fort were vacant nor did
he ever again fill them. Known to be of a
restless disposition, it was snrmised that,
weared of his confined garrison life, he had
taken the opportunity to desert. day or
two after, the same bird called from the same
direction, inviting n more trusty soldier TO
solicit permission TO 20 out to hunt. The re-
port Of rifle was heard anon in the direction
toward which he had gone, and his comrades
began TO look for his return, successful or
otherwise. But he, too came not, nor was he
ever after seen alive. These disappearance
we're accounted very singular and parties were
sent out for the missing but in vain. Before
The excitement thereby occasioned had sub
sided, squad Of recruits to make good the
places of men whose enlistment had expired,
arrived from Pennsylvania. Among them was
one Louis Wetze, n veteran Indian hunter, ac-
quanted with all the subtleties of Indian STRAIT
egg, and of a bodness equaled only by his sue
cess. Learning the recent mysterious occur
rences he quietly remarked that he thought
he could solve them if the like invitation TO
hunt should happen and leave to do so be Civ
en- him.
Fortunately he had not long TO watt for
one foPgy morning the same sound echoed
through the eastern forests, and Wetzel stole
forth on his perilous exploration An hour
passed on sufficiently tedious to his intensely |
excited comrades in the fort, and then the |
sharp crack Of a rifle broke the stiffness Of the |
wood
That's Wetzel's gun p exclaimed the
new corners. ave should know it among |
Shortly the long 1.-THE figure of its owner
stalked out of the forest into the clearing, and |
rs he drew nearer a bloody scalp was seen
dangling by its single gray locks of hair from
the muzzle Of his rife A rousng cheer well
coined his return through the sallyport, and
the 1ale he told was in this wise:
Ever suspicious of Indian subtety, and fer
tile in his eXpedicnts to meet it, he went out
believing that the omnous oirdcall issued from
wary biped without feathers, and was utter
I'd to bring some unsuspecting victim within
he reach Of his deadly tomahawk. A repeti-
ion of it having enabled him to fix more de-
intely its direction and distance, he slung bis
gun over his shoulder and climb a tall pine
which gave him a view Of the ledge Of rocks
rom which the second seemed to proceed
Shortly from between the branches Of his lofty
perch nc espied the gray scalp-lock of an old
indian warrior ensconced behind large rock
over which ne was cautiously peering to watch
he result Of bis stratagem. Instantly covering
he mark with his unerrIng rifle, Wetzel drew
he trigger, when the head dropped upon the
'ock and then disappeared behind it. He had
obtained too sure an aim to distrust the sue
,ess Of his bullet and waiting only for q few
moments TO ascertain whether the enemy were
single or not he descended, and taking cir
:uit SO as to bring him above the rock, got an
observation into kind of cavern behind it
where lay the wild turkey with perforated
brain. fastening down he secured the rifle
and other weapons Of his foe; found attached
10 his belt the scalps Of the two missing hun
ere, TO which he Immediately added that of
heir murderer, and returned to the fort.