The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1879-02-20
4 REAL HEROINE.

Early on the morning Of the 2Ith OI
May, 1913, the garrison in charge oi
Fort George, on the Canada side of the
mouth of the Niagara, was alarmed by
the report that a large American force
was approaching the place, in boats with
the intention of attacking it.
The troops Of the garrison were com
manaed by General Vincent. The at
tacking party Of Americans was led by
General Boyd and Colonel MiIler.
Scarcely had the latter commenced land.
ing, under the fire Of the British soldiers
drawn up in a line along the beach, than
| Vincent, foreseeing that the place would
fall into the hands of the assailants, di-
rected that the houses of the town should
be set on fire, hoping, under the cover
of the confagration and the consequent
confusion of the distressed inhabitants,
to make good his own retreat to the
! woods in the rear. For this unnecessary
and barbarous order, the memory Of the
British general is to this day held in de-
testation by the people of the place.
The first notice the inhabitants (mostfy
women and children, the men being alb
| sent in the service of the government)
| had, was the red flames bursting from
the dwellings about them; ana many Of
/
| them without clothes, as they leaped
! from their beds, rushing from their
| burning houses, to return afterwards to
| heaps of smothering ruins.
One of the doomed dwellings,, which
stood apart from other buildings, was
occupied by family named Leach. IT
consisted Of Mrs. Leach, (her husband
being absent with the Provincial troops }
her daughter Margaret, about sixteen,
and some young children. Besides
these, an old lady, relation of the fam
ily, for many months unable to leave her
bed, was Ill an upper room of the house.
The first intimation this family had of
what was going on about them, was q
heavy crash at the front door. which
aroused them from sleep; and springing
from their beds, they found n number
of soldiers slready in the house. They
carried brands of fire; and hastily warn
ing the occupants to leave the house,
| they broke up the furniture and piled it
in the middle of the room, where it was
soon in blaze.
Seeing this, Margaret, who was a
beautiful and courageous girl, ran to the
outer room, and returned with pail of
water, dashed It upon the flames before
the soldiers could interfere TO arrest her.
At that moment another soldier entered
the house with burning brand. But
before his comrades could reach him, TO
rekindle the splinters from it, the brave
girl snatched it from his hand, and strik-
ing the soldier across the face with it,
threw it into a puddle in front OF the
door,
All this had been done before a word
had been spoken by the terrified Mrs
Leach. She now inquired the meaning
Of this outrageous conduct in British
soldiers, who she supposed were among
them as protectors, and not to burn
their houses over their heads.
1T is the order, madam, said one Of
the soldiers. THE Yankees are landing,
ana will soon be in possession of the
place. "Run, Jack, he continued, turn
ing to one of his comrades, run to the
last house and get another brand. We
must obey orders boys, if the women
don't like it."
This was said to the fellow Margaret
had 50 unceremoniously assaulted with
the burning torch. He instantly disap-
/ peared, but soon returned with bundle
of smoking faggots, which were thrown
upon the burning rubbish; and falling
upon his hands and knees, the soldier
commenced to blow the fnggots into a
blaze. As the room was filing with
smoke, rendering it uncomfortable for
| the other soldiers to remain, they, not
/ doubling that all would soon be wrapped
in confatration, withdrew to join other
parties of incendiaries, busy in their
work of destru elton.
In the mean time the fearless Marga-
ret Leach, who had fastened to the well
for another pail of water, returned, and
finding the soldier still engaged in kind
| ling the fire, dropped her burden, and
catching up an iron from the empty fire.
place, struck the man a blow with it on
the back of the head, which knocked
him senseless with his face upon the
flames. Dragging him partially from
! the fire. she again dashed the contents
Of the pail upon it, and once more the
flames were ezinguished.
She now called to her mother, who,
almost frantic with fear, was assisting
. her younger children to escape from the
house.
The fire is out. mother" she shouted.
"but come here quick. 1 want your
help !"
Mrs. Leach returned to the room. and
found her daughter alone with the BODY
of the soldier, which she was trying tC
drag toward the door opening upon tht
cellar.
"My God what have you done, Mar