The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1880-06-12
OLD TINE HEROIsM.

IL was sultry morning IN the mOntn
of August, 1882. Freshly the green
woods waved around the little settle
ment of Bryant Station, pitched in the
far Western wilderness, near the shin
ing Kentucky River.
The previous summer a party OF set
tiers from Lexington had built their
cabins at this place, and surrounded
them by fence of logs, called stock
ade. A deep, narrow ditch was dug,
and large, long logs were planted in it
upright and close together. when the
soil was filed in around them.
Such fence or palisade was usually
fifteen or twenty feet high, and an eff
Gent fertilization against an enemy that
had no cannon with which to destroy it.
1t was built with crooks or angles,
called bastions, and was pierced with
many loopholes, through which those
inside could discharge their rifles at
foe outside.
Ingress and egress was afforded by
heavy gate of logs, swinging on huge
wooden hinges, which, when closed,
was as strong as any part OF the walls.
There were about fifty families living
within Bryant Stockade-one hundred
and fifty souls in all. The men were
principally farmers, and their beautiful
farms lay without the fort, covered at
this time with corn, potatoes and flax
ripening for the harvest.
On those green, growing crops the
settlers were depending for their win
ter's support, and they guarded them
with watchful eyes. There was labor
and care in it, for daily the busbandman
worked in the field with his trusty rife
beside him, and night and day guard
stood sentinel in the little watch-tower
on the walls to prevent an Indian sur
prise.
1t was peculiar time on the frontier.
melted by English agents the Western
savages were waging fierce war against
the encroaching whites. The red men
were carrying devastation far and near,
burning cabins and hamlets, and put
ting their prisoners to death with cruel
torture. APPLY was Kentucky termed
i" the dark and bloody ground"
Upon this particular morning there
was unusual stir within the stockade.
All night long the men and women had
been busy cooking, moulding bullets and
making preparations for an early march
to Hays Stockade, near which they had
Just heard Captain Holder had been de-
feated by the savages. At sunrise the
whole garrison stood on the parade
ground, all armed and equipped. and
their knapsacks holding food for four
days.
The women and children were all out
saying goodbye. Captain Reynolds
had issued his last orders, and the gate
was about to be opened for their depart
ure, when suddenly every face paled
and the little children began to cry
with fear at the horrible war-cries Of
Indians.
There was rush to the picketing,
and through the portfolios the settlers
saw on the hillside, among the stand
ing corn, forty or fifty savages brand
ishing their tomahawks, firing guns and
uttering fearful whoops-
Let's out at them," cried one of
the young men. :" We outnumber and
can beat them in open fight" Instantly
thirty of the pioneers rushed to the gate;
there they were stayed by some of the
older men. Versed in backwoods life
they knew Indians too well to thus VEN
ture their lives by leaving the fort.
"Go not out for your lives" said
Captain Reynolds, an experienced front
iersman. "Yondor band of yelling In
dams is only decoy party to draw us
out where some larger concealed force
would destroy u.s."
So none left the stockade at that
time, but afterward, when it was quite
certain that large body of the saw
ages were gathered in the surrounding
woods, the settlers determined to send
some one to Lexington to warn the peo-
pie there, and to obtain assistance.
Two of the garrison volunteered to
undertake the dangerous mission. There
were horses in the fort, and mounting
two of the swiftest, the brave men
darted out of the open gate, and rode
Is fast as they could down the Lexing-
ton road.
Everybody in the stockade looked to
see them fall, shot down bv Indian bull
let's. but the concealed enemy remained
perfectly quiet, thus showing that they
counted on their presence being unsus-
pected, and were also numerous enough
not to fear any achievements that
might be sent from neighboring sta
tons.
The Indians among the corn were not
in sight of the gate or Of the road, and
they still continued to make their hor-
rible noises.
yell away!' exclaimed an old In
dian fighter. 1--WE amt fools enough
to 60 out and lose our soalps, and the
burned imps ought to know it."
The garrison now held a council in
order to consider what was best to do.
They felt that they were but handful
beside the enemy, and knew not what
heir savage foemen would attempt 1t
was determined to keep constant
watch on every side of the fort. but in
10 other way to show any suspicion of
he ambuscade in the woods.
The sun mounted higher and higher
n the heavens and its heat grew fervent.
L. A.