The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-12-05
ATTACK UPON WHEELING
BY INDIANS IN 1882.
AND OTHER INCIDENTS.

From the chronicles OF Border Warfare.
On the first of September, 1882, JOIN
Lynn, IA celebrated spy and the sam
who had been with Captain Foreman Il
the time of the fatal ambuscade at GRAY
Creek being engaged in watching tn
warriors paths, north of the Ohio, dis
covered the Indians marching with grca
expedition tor Wheeling, and hastenin:
to warn the inhabitants of the DANCE
which was threatening them, swan tn
river, and reached the village but Il littl'
while before the savage army made it
appearance. The fort was at this tim
without any regular garrison, and de
pended for defence exclusively upon tn
cxertions of those who sought sccurit,
within its walls. The brief space Of tim
which elapsed between the alarm b,
LYNN and the arrival of the Indians per
mitted only those who were Immediately
present to retire into it, and when The
attack was begun to be made, there wer,
not within its palisades twenty effective
men to oppose the assault. The dwelling
house of Col. Ebenezer Zane, standing
about forty yards from the fort, contain
ed the military stores which had beer
furnished by the government of Nir
ginia; and as it WAS admirably situated
rs an outpost from which to annoy tn,
savages in their onsets, he resolved OF
maintaining possession of 1t, as well t
aid in the defence of the fort, rs for thu
preservation of the ammunition. An
drew Scott, George Green, Mrs Zane
Molly Scott and Miss McCulloch wcr,
all who remained with him. The kitchen
(adjoining) was occupied by sam 4
negro belonging to Col. Zane and Kat
his wife-Col. Silas Zane commanding
the fort.
When the savage army approached
the British colurs were waving over them
and before shot was discharged at thu
fort they demanded the surrender of The
garrison. No answer was deigned L
this demand, but the firing of scvcra
shots (by order of Silas Zane) at tn
standard which they bore; and the sava
ges rushed To the assault. a well direct
ed and brisk fire, opened upon them from
Colonel Zane's house and the fort, sooI
drove them back Again they rusheC
forward; and again We're they rcpulsed
The number of arms in the house an,
fort, and the great cxertlonS oil the wo
men in moulding bullets, loading gun
and handing them to the men, enabled
them to fire so briskly, yet so etlectuaIly
as to cause the savagcS to rccoll iron
every charge. The darkness OF nigh
soon suspended their attacks, and AFFORD
ed Il temporary repose to the beSi'Seo
Yet were the assailantS not wholly lnact
i've. Having suffered severely by til
CALLING fire poured upon them from tn
house, they determined on reducing II L
ashes. For this purpose, when ali VIA
0uietness and silence, a savage, with
fire brand in his hand, crawled to tn
Kitchen, and raising himself from tn
ground, waving his torch to and fro I
Tekindle its flame, and about to apply
| to the building, received shot VINE
forced him to let fall the engine OF de
struction and hobble bowling away. IN
vigilance of Sam had detected him II
time to thwart his purpose.
On the return of night the savage
were seen yet envirOnlng the fort, An
although for some time they delayed |
renew their suspended assault, yet II wa
evident they had not given over It's co"
templated reduction. They were en-
yaeed in making such preparations
they were confident would ensure success
to their eXertionS. >.
Soon after the firing of the preceedin
DIV had subsidized, smaH boat, proceed
ing from Fort Pitt to the Falls "i III
ONO, with cannon balls for the use q
the troops there put I" shore at " nee
! in. and the man who had charS" "i hcl
! slthouph discovered and slightly wound
ad by the savagcs, reached the poster
and was admitted to the fort. The oo"
of course. lellinto the hands OF the ehSi'!
and they resolved on using the Dali
aboard for the demolition otthe tortres
To this end they procured log wan
cavity rs nearly corresponding win l"
siz. of the ball rs they could and oih0
inc it closely with some chains take
from 4 shop hard by, charged 1t heaHil!
and pointing it towards the tort, III III
ar;nation bchcld its walls tumbllnG mi
min and the garrison bleeding under u
strokes and cashes of their tomahawS
and scalpins knives. All things BEN
ready. the match was applied. y Hrc"'
full explosion ensued. Iheir cam"
hurst. its slivers few in every director
and instead OF being the cause OF rum
the fort, was the source of injury only
.ho,,seIvcs Several were killed, man
wounded. and all dismayed by the even
Recovering from the shock, they preSetl
Iv returned with redoubled animation
the charge. Furious With disapP't'
ment, exasperated with the uniores''
ya, fatal result, they pressed 10 the II
sau1t with the blindness OF trensy. OH
they were received with fire 80 col
slant and deadly that they were aga
forced TO retire, and most oppoi'uhe'
for the garrison. ,, .bo.
Indian army Was approaching, the 10
having been for some time unorcupiea
a Garrison, and Colonel Zane house o
inc used AS a magazine, those who retir'
;nto the fortress had to take with tnen,
sunnlv of ammunition for its defence.
snnply of powder, deemed ample at u
time, by reason Of the long eSnslhua an,
oftbe ssysges and the repeated endeavo
msde by them 10 storm the fort, was no
almost entirely exhausted few i"a
only remaining. In this emergency,
became necessary to replenish the
stnck from the abundance OF that srtic
n Colonel Zsne's house. During Z
continuance of the last assault appr's