The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-05-22
OLD TIME HEROISM.

IL WAS a sulrv morning IN the month q
August, 1872. Freshly the green woods way
ed around the little settlement Of Bryant Sta
ton. pltched IN the far western wilderness
near the shining Kentucky river
The previous summer party OF settlers IRON
Lexington had built THEN cabins at TINS place
and surrounded them by a fence OF logs, calIcc
stockade A deep, narrow ditch was dug
and large, long logs were planted in it upright
and close together, when the soil was ilIIed III
around them.
Such IA fence or palisadc was usually fifteen
or twenty feet high, and an efficient iortliica
ton against an enemy that had no cannon
with which to destroy It, II was bullt with
crooks or aprlcs, called bastOns, and was
picrccd with many loop holes thro' which
those inside could discharge their rifles at n
foe outside.
Ingress and cgrcss was afforded by heavy
gate of logs. swinging on huge wooden hinges
which when closed, wa, Is strong as any part
of the walls.
There were about fifty families living within
BRYANT Stockadc-Onc hundred and fifty souls
in ALL The men were principally farmers and
their beautiful farms lay without the fort, GOV
cred at this time with corn, potatoes and !laX
ripening in the harvest
On those green growing crops 'hc settlers
were depending for their winters support oGd
they guarded them with watchiul oyc>. loorc
were labor and care in it, for dully The nus
bandman worked in the field with his lru-ly
rise beside HIM, and night AMI daya g"a'd
stood sentinel in the little watch tower On TIE
walls to prevent an Indian surprise.
II Was peculiar lime on the frontier In.
cited by English agents the western saYages
were waGing i fierce var against the cncroach.
ing whites The red men were carrying dcvas.
tation far and near, burning cabins and ham
lets. and putting their prisoners 10 death with
cruel torture APPLY was Kentucky termed
the dark and bloody ground,
Upon hi, particular morning there was I'M
usual stir within the ,tOckadc All night long
The men and women had been busy cooking,
moulding bullets, and making preparations
fvr an carly march To lleys StOckadc. near
which they had Just heard Captain Holder
had b,cn defeated by the savages. At sunrise
the whole garrison stood on the parade ground,
all armcd and equipped and their knapsachs
holding food for four days.
The women and children were all ont saying
good-byc. Captain Reynolds had issued his
last orders and the gate was about TO be open
ed for their departure, when suddenly every
face palcd and the little children began to cry
with fear at the horrible war cries of Il band
of Indians.
There was a rush 10 the pickcting, and
through the portfolios the settlers saw on the
hillside, among the standing corn, forty or IF
ty savagcs hrandshlng their tomahawks, firing
guns and uttcring fearful whOops.
Let, out on them" cried one of the young
men. Instantly thirty of the pioneers rushed
TO the gate there they were stayed hy some of
the Older ones. Ncrsed IN backw0ods life.
they knew Indians too well to thus venture
their lives by leaving the fort.
eco not out for your hves,' said Captain
Reynolds an cY fenced ironticrsman. "lon-
der band Of y NJ Indians Is only IA dccoy
party % draw mt where some larger con
ceaed ,orrcw Il destroy us"
So none left ne stUckade at that time, but
afterwards, when ii was quite certain that IA
large body Of the ~ayages were gathered IN the
surrounding woods the settlers determined to
send some one to Lexington to warn the people
there and obtain assistance.
Two of the garrison volunteered To under
take the dangerous mission. There were
horses "a the fort, and mounting two of the
swiltc.t. The brave men darlcd out the opened
gate and rode n, fast rs they could down the
Lexington road.
Everybody in the stoCkadc looked tC see
them fall, shot by Indian bullets, but the con.
ceacd enemy remained perfectly quiet, thus
showing that they counted on their presence
being unsupported, and were also numerous
enough not to fear any rcinturCcmcnts that
might be sent from neighboring stations
The Indians among The corn were not IN
sight Of the gate or of the road, and they sill
continued 10 make their horrible noises
"GeI' away" exclaimed an old Indian fight
er We amt fools enough to 20 out and lose
our -calps, and the turned imps ought to
know 4 30
4 :. /
to con, der what was best to do They tell
that they were but handful beside the enemy.
and knew not what their savage ioemen would
attempt II was determined To keep con
slant watch on every side of the fort. but IN no
other vay to show any suspicion of the ambu
scadc la the woods
The sun mounted higher and higher in the
heavens and It's heat grew fcrvent. The men
on guard began Ia be very thirsty. The garr
son va, confronted by dilemma of "A very
alarming nature There was no water inside
the stDCkadC.
The last drop had been used during the
night "a preparing for the march so suddenly
interrupted The spring within the enclosure
had given out weeks before. and through the
long, hot summer the garrison had depended
for their supply on a spring some ten or doz.
en- RODS from the stOckade, and near the bushes
where the sayages were supposed to be con
ceale0
There was no knowing how long the siege
might continue. II might hold out for several
week. but even if it continued twentyfour
hours there we're fears that the pioneers would
perish from worse tate than the blood thirsty
savsge- Something must be done, and that
Immediately
\ long discussion took place Several plans
were proposed, but none seemed feasible. If
The meh went out IN any number, il was al.
mo- certain that they would be shot down.
and rush made Tor the fort. What could be
done:
Il oil go out alone,' said the commander
at last THE redskins will not fire upon \
single man. aud can bring water enough "a
save Us FROM death by thirst"
MAY that should not be cried a dozor