The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1880-06-10
OLD TINE HEROISM.

81 OLD TINE HEkOlSM. ------
81 twas a sultry morning in the month
e 4 August, 1882. Freshly the green
q ,oeas waved around the little settle
g neut Of Bryant Station, pitched in the
q sr Western wilderness, near the shin
i g Kentucky River.
Y The previous summer party of set
Y tes from Lexington had built their
. abins at this place, and surrounded
hem BY fence of logs, called stock
4 Me. A deep, narrow ditch was dug,
I'D large, long logs were planted in it
pdght and close together. when the
rl was filed in around them.
! Such fence or palisade was usually
5 ihssn or twenty feet high, and an eff
dsnt fortifcation against an enemy that
I sdsne cannon with which to destroy it.
i vas built with crooks or angles,
allied bastions, and was pierced with
nsasloepholes, through which those
!, hdde could discharge their rifles at a
!, be outside.
!, ngress and egress was afforded by a
! iayy gate of logs, swinging on huge
rseden hinges, which, when closed,
! vas as strong as any part of the walls.
fbsn were about fifty families living
Eiffin Bryant Stockade-one hundred
md fifty souls in all. The men were
!, rineipally farmers, and their beautiful
: arms lay without the fort, covered at
! IBIS time with corn, potatoes and flax
/ ipening for the harvest.
0n those green, growing crops the
sHlersswere depending for. their VIM
sfs support, and they guarded them
With watchful eyes. There was labor
! nd care in it, for daily the husbandman
! worked in the field with his trusty rifle
beside him, and night and day a guard
asod sentinel in the little watch-tower
! % the walls to prevent an Indian sur.
Prise.
twas peculiar time on the iron tier.
! hcted by English agents the Western
wages were wagingg q fierce war against
DC encroaching whites. The red men
aae carrying devastation far and near,
: aning cabins and hamlets, and put
ing their prisoners to death with cruel
alture, Aptly was Kentucky termed
The dark and bloody ground"
upon this particular morning there
ss unusual stir within the stockade.
Mnght long the men and women had
Ssn busy cooking, moulding bullets and
nasng preparations for an early march
. nay $ Stockade, near which they had
iS heard Captain Holder had been de-
fated by the savages. At sunrise the
shole garrison stood on the parade
apand, all armed and equipped, and
aea Knapsacks holding food for four
aayS e sNzzsss { -.-ss-.--
Inc women and children were all out
wing goodbye. Captain Reynolds
- issued his last orders, and the gate
'aa0out to be opened for their depart
y S.when suddenly every face paled
a aa the little children began to cry
Indians. w." io' "a
mere was a rush to the picketing,
~ through the portfolios the settlers
ss ~ On the hillside, among the stand
\ corn, forty or fifty saYages brand
ss ssas thelr toinahawks, firing guns and
sealAg q, fearful whoops.
s Lets out at them," cried one of
m young men. I. We outnumber and
- oeas them In open fight.n Instantly
Saa asf ef the pioneers rushed to the gate;
AL. ls.e 'hey We're stayed by some of the
sa.n a,i men: versed in backwoods life
10y -. Knew Indians too wellto thus yen-
4s @e shelr hves by leaving the fort.
uo not out for your lives," said
sa ssp'aln Reynolds, an experienced 'front.'
a.. sa'an, Yondor band of yelling In
st Ms sba,o = only "a, 9 decoy party to draw us
,n,,a - rhere : some larger concealed force
Sald destroy us.
~ ~ none left the stockade at that
-. 49, out afterward, when it was quite
sss a,a u that large body of the saw
NV NJ were gathered in the surrounding
n.y. sssa' : the settlers determined to send
Il lu sh one to toLexington to warn the peo-
a and to obtain assistance.
nas'. dso Of the garrison volunteered to
ssss ',ake the dangerous mission. There
|,sa n aorses In the fort, and mounting
i,.osS u the swiftest, the brave men
. ssa ~. out of the open gate, and rode
m ,sss as they could down the Lexing-
: y lyoody in the stockade looked to
IT. 4,sn leu ialL shot down bvsIndian bull
srs.as, Il oa1 the concealed enemy remained
san,a.iy siy quiet, thus showing that they
esaa aa on their presence being unsus-
ii W :, ana were also numerous enough
aish, - ! lear any reinforcements that
ass s' ..u Oe sent from neighboring sta
aSsh. aaisans y a, among the corn were not
ssse =. a.:u u The gate or of the road, and
aje na; s';a continued to make their hor-
ss sxns xnolses, z FayEas
Ian 81 81 awayn' exclaimed an old In
am snser. "We amt fools enough
s,ssa & out .; and lose our scalps, and the
nnps ought to know it.'
sdes garrison now held a council in
les 20. y consider what was hest to do.
MI .sl' y that they were but a handful
ssr sue sue enemy, and knew not what
ae toemen would attempt. 1t