The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-12-05

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could be obtained, it was proposed tina
one of their feetest men should endeayo
to reach the house, obtain keg, and re
turn with it 10 the fort It was an enter
prise full of danger; but many Of thu
chivalric spirits then pent up within the
fortress were willing to encounter then
all. l aF ..-.
Among those who volunteered to 60 on
this enterprise was Elizabeth, the younger
sister of Colonel Zane. She was then
young, active and athletic; with precipi.
fancy to dare danger, and fortitude to
sustain her in the midst of it, Disdain.
ing to weigh the hazard of her own life
against the risk of that of others, when
told that u man would encounter less
danger by reason Of his greater heetness,
she replied: "And should he fall, his
loss will be more severely felt. You have
not one man to spare; woman will not
be missed IN the defence Of the fort"
Her services were accepted. Divesting
herself of some of her garments, rs tend
ing to impede her progress, she stood
prepared for the hazardous adventure;
and when the gate was opened, she bound
ed forth with the buoyancy of hope and
IN the confidence Of success. Wrapt in
Amusement, the Indians behcld her
spring forward, and only exclaimed, IA
squaw, squaw," and no attempt was
made to interrupt her progress. Arriv-
ing at the door, she proclaimed her en-
bassy. Colonel Zane fastened table
cloth around her waist, and empting into
it key of powder, again she ventured
forth. The Indians were no longer pas
sive Ball after ball spassed whizzing
and innocuous by. She reached the gate
and entered the fort in safety"
Another instance Of heroic daring de-
serves to be recorded here. When in
telligence of the investurc of Wheeling
by the savages reached Shepherds fort,
party was Immediately detached from
it, to try and gain admission into the be-
sieged fortress and aid i'll its defence.
Upon arriving in view, it was found that
the attempt would be hopeless and una
vailng, and the detachment consequent
" prepared to return. Francis Duke
ison-in-law to Colonel Shepherd was I'M
willing to turn his back on people
straitcncd as nc knew the bcsicged must
be. and declared his intention of endcav-
oring to reach the fort that he might
contribute TO its defence. II was useless
to dissuade him from the attcmpt-hc
knew its danger, but he also knew their
wcakncss-and putting spurs to his horse
rode briskly forward, calling aloud,
"open the gate, open the gate" He was
seen from the fort and the gate was loosed
for his admission; but he did not live to
reach it. Pierced by the bullets Of the
,avagc>, he fell, to the regret OF all. Such
noble daring deserved better tate.
During that night and the next day,
the Indians still maintained the siege,
and made frequent attempts to take the
fort by storm; but they were invariably
rrpu>cd by the deadly fire Of the garri-
son and the few brave men in Colonel
Zanc's house. On the third night, despair
ing of success, they resolved on Raising
the siege; and leaving one hundred
chosen warriors to scour and lay waste
the country, the remainder OF their army
rctrcatcd across the ONO and cncampcd
at the Indian Spring-tvc miles from
the river. Their loss in the various AS
suults upon the fort could not be aSccr-
tanned, but was doubtless very consider
able. OF the garrison none were Killed
and only two wOundcd-thc heroic
Francis Duke was the only white who
fell during the siege. The gallantry
displayed by all, both men and women,
in the defence ofthe fort, cannot be too
highly commcndcd but to the caution
and rood conduct of those few brave in
dividuals who occupied Colonel Zane ;
house, its preservation has been mainly
attributed.
In the evening preceding the depar-
ture of the suyagcs from before Wheel
inr, two white men, who had been among
them for several years and then held
commands in the army, deserted from
them. and on the mex: morning early
were taken prisoner by Colonel Swear
ingcn, vino, with nin,ty five men, was
on his way to aid in The defence OF
Wheeling fort and the cha>tiscmcnt OF
its asSaiantS. Learning from them the
determination OF the savages to with
draw from Wheeling and dctach por-
ton of their force to operate III the coun-
try, he dispatched runners in every d.
rcction to alarm the country and APP
prizc the inhabitants OF danger The i'll
tclliccncc was received 10y Jacob Miller
when some diStunC~trom home, but aP-
prchensivc that the meditatcd blow
would be aimed at the fort where he re-
sided he hastcnsd thither, and arrived IN
time to aid in preparing for Its defence,
The place against which the savagcS
directed their operations was situated on
Buffalo creek. twelve or fifteen miles
from its entrance into the Ohio, and WAS
known As Ricc'S fort. Until Miller's re-
turn there were in it only five men, the
Others having gone to Hagcrstown to cN.
change their pcltricS for salt, iron ana
ammunition. They immediately set about
making preparations t. withstand an as
suuIt; and in Il little while, seeing I'll,
savagc> approaching from every dircc
ton, forS00k the cabins and repaired Il
the blockhouSc. The Indians perceived
that they We're discovered and thinking to
take the station by storm, shouted i"rti
the war whoop and rushed tothc assault
They were answered by the fire OF The
six brave and skiliul ridrmcn in the house
and forced to take refuge behind trees
and fallen timber. Still they continued
the firing, occasionally calling on the
white, to: Give up, give up. lndi"r
too many. Indian too big. Give up
Indian no Kill" The men had mor'
faith in the efficacy Of their guns TO pur
chase their safety than in the protiere'
mercy of tho savaCcs, and instead oEcom'
plviny with their demand, called on then
n. towards skulking behind logSto leave
their covcrts and show but their yellow
hides. and they would make holes II
/ them
/ The firing was kept up by the savages
/ from their protected situation until night
/ and whenever even remote prospect o
/ calling them was presented to the whites
/ they did not fail to avail themselves OF 1t
/ The Indians shots. in the evening. wer'
directed principally against the stock a