The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1877-10-10
A Canadian Heroine .

'eiS'ne e4pioils as military
, commander IN the defense Of the fort Of
'ercheres, near Quebec:
'On the moraing of the 22d of Oct
the inhabitants We're at work in the
neids. and nebody was left in the place
} but two soldiers, two boys, an old man
OF eighty. and a nuanber of women and
children The seigniOr was
On duty at Quebec; his wife was at
Montreal; and their daughter Made
ielne. fourteen years of age was at the
landing place not far from the gate of
thc Tort. Suddenly she heard
hring from the direction where the set
tiers We're at work. and An inst ant after
Lavolette cried ont, Run. mademoi
sei!e. run. here come the Iroouois,'
she turned aud saw forty Of fif,v OF
them at the distance Of pistol shot.
i ran to the fort she says in her own
account of the affair." commending nv
self to the Holy Virgin. The
Two soldiers In the fort were so scared
that they had hidden in the blockhouse
At the gate found two women CRYING
for their husbands, who had Just been
Killed. made them go in, and then
shut the gate. l next though. what
could do to save myself and the few
people with me. went to inspect the
tort. and found that several palisades
had fallen down and left openings by
which the enemy could easily get in.
ordered them to be set up again, and
helped to carry them myself. When the
breaches were stopped | went to the
blockhonse where the ammunition is
kept. and there | found the two soldiers.
one hiding In corner and the other
with lighted match in bis hand
What are you going to do with that
match;' asked. He answered. Light
the powder and blow us all up You
are miserable coward said |, $50 ont
OF tins place l spoke so resolutelv
that he obeyed. l then threw off NV
bonnet. and. after putting Oh a hat and
taking gun, l said to my two brothers
Let US fight to the death We are
fighting for our country and our reli-
gion. Remember that our father has
taught You that gentlemen are born to
shed their blood for the service Of God
and the hing.
The boys. who were ten aud twelve
years old, aided by the soldiers. whom
her words had inspired with some little
courage. began to fire from the loop
holes upon the Iroquois. who, ignorant
OF the Weakness of the garrison. showed
their usual reluctance to attack a for /
titled place. and occupied themselves |
with chasing and butchering the peo-
pie In the neighboring fields. Made
la'on .-1..-.a- -. ~~.,..,n - T., g al ---.I-. !
to warn some of the soldiers, who were /
hunting at distance. The women aud
childred in the fort cried and screamed |
without ceasing She ordered them to |
stop. lest their terror should encourage |
the Indians. A canoe was presently /
seen approaching the landing place.
1t was settler named Fontaine, try |
ing t. reach the fort with his family. |
The Iroquois were still near; and Made
leine feared that the new corners |
would be killed if something was not !
done TO aid them. She appealed to the
soldiers. but their courage was not |
equal to the attempt; on which, as she |
declares. after leaving Laviolette to
keep watch at the gate, she herself went
alone to the landing-place. i thought
the savages would suppose it to be
ruse to draw them toward the fort, in !
order to make sortie upon them.
They did suppose this, and thus |
was able TO save the Fon&ainc family /
When they were all landed l made
them march before me in full sight of
the enemy We put so bold u face on
it that they thought they had more to
fear than we. Strengthened by this
reinforcement. ordered that the enemy |
should be fired on whenever they !
showed themselves After sunset a !
violent northeast wind began to blow.
accompanied with snow and hail, which /
told us we should have a terrible night. /
The Iroquois were ali this time lurk-
ing about us; and ! judged by their !
movements that, instead of being de- /
TERED by the storm. they would climb
into the fort under cover of darkness.
| assembled all my troops-that is to
say six. persons. and spoke to them
thus: God has saved us to-day from
tho hands Of our enemies. but we must
take care not To fall into their snares
tonight AS for me, ! want you to see
that am no; afraid will take
! charge II the fort with an old man of
. eighty and another who never fired
gun; and You. Pierre Fontaine. with
j La Bonte and Gachet (our two seldiers)
will go to the block-house With the
women and children. and if am taken
don't surrender. even If l am cut 10
pieces and burned before your eyes.
The enemy cannot hurt you in the
block house Il you make the least
show of fight l placed my young
brothers on two of the bastions, the old
man on the third. and took the fourth;
aud all night. in spite of the wind.
snow and hail, the cries of Ais well
were kept up from the block house 10
the fort, and from the fort to the bleck
house. One wouii have thought that
the place WAS full Of soldiers. The lro-
Quois thought so and were completely
deceived, as they confessed afterwards
to NJ. de Galleries. mag say
with truth that did not sleep sr eat
for twice twenty tour honrs. did not
once ~ into my fathers house, but kept
always on the bastion, or went 10 the
block house To see how the people there
were behaving. always kept . cheer
ful. smiling face. and encouraged my
little company with the hope of speedy
succor.
I'VE were q week in constant alarm,
with the enemy always aboat us. Al
-. H.n.,.,x A Ia Mouparie n lieu-