Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-04-14
Old Time Her0ism.

August, 1882. Freshly the green woods
waved around the little settlement of Bryant
Station, pitched in the far western wilder
ness, near the shining Kentucky river.
The previous summer party of settlers
from Lexington had built their cabins at
this place, and surrounded them by fence
of logs, called stockade. A deep, narrow
ditch was dug, and large long logs were
planted in it upright and close together,
when the soil was filled in around them.
Such fence or palisade was usually fifteen
or twenty feet high, and an efficient fortif-
cation 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 a
foe outside.
Ingress and egress was afforded by a
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 with
out 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 winters support,
and they guarded them with watchful eyes.
There were labor and care in it, for daily
the husbandman worked in the field with
his trusty rifle beside him, and night and
day guard stood sentinel in the little
watch-tower on the walls to prevent an In
dian surprise.
1t was peculiar time on the frontier. In
cited by English agents the western savages
were waging fierce war against the en-
croaching whites The red men were car
rying devastation far and near, burning cab
ns and hamlets, and putting their prisoners
to death with cruel torture. APPLY was
Kentucky termed 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 prep
aratons for an early march to Hays Stock
ade, near which they had just heard Cap
| tain Holder had been defeated by the saw
ages. 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 say
ing goodbye. Captain Reynolds had issued
his last orders and the gate was about to be
opened for their departure, when suddenly
every face paled and the little children be-
gan to cry with fear at the horrible war
cries of Indians.
There was rush to the picketing, and
through the port-holes tho settlers the
hillside, among the standing corn, forty or
| fifty savages brandishing their tomahawks,
| firing guns and uttering fearful whoops.
"Let's out at them" cried one of the
| young men. ave 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 back-woods life, they knew Indians too
well to thus venture their lives by leaving
the fort.
"Go not out for your lives" said Captain
Reynolds, an experienced frontiersman.
" Yonder band of yelling Indians is only a
decoy party to draw us out where some
larger concealed force would destroy u.s."
So none left the stockade at that time,
but afterwards, when it was quite certain
that large body of the savages were gath
cred in the surrounding woods, the settlers
determined to send some one to Lexington
to warn the people there and to obtain as
sistance.
Two of the garrison volunteered to under
take the dangerous mission. There were
HolScS III tuc lOIt, anu uouuliuB WV VI Tue
swiftest, the brave men darted out of the
opened gate and rode as fast as they could
down the Lexington road.
Everybody in the stockade looked to see
them fall, shot down by Indian bullets, but
the concealed enemy remained perfectly
quiet, thus showing that they counted on
their presence being unsuspected, and were
also numerous enough not to fear any rein
forcements that might be sent from neigh
boring stations.
The Indians among the corn were not in
sight of the gate or of the road, and they
still continued to make their horrible noises.
"Yell away " exclaimed an old Indian
fighter 1--WE amt fools enough to go out
and lose our scalps, 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 their savage foe
men would attempt 1t was determined to
keep constant watch on every side of the
fort, but in no other way to show any sus-
picion of the ambuscade in the woods.
The sun mounted higher and higher in
the heavens, and its heat grew fervent. The
men on guard began to weary, and what was
worse, they began to be very thirsty. The
garrison was confronted by dilemma of an
alarming nature. There was no water in
side the stockade.
The last drop had been used during the
night in preparing for the march so sud
denly 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 spring
some ten or dozen rods from the stockade,
and near the bushes where the savages were
supposed to be concealed.
There was no knowing how long the siege
might continue 1t might hold out for sew
eral weeks, but even if it continued twenty
four hours there were fears that the pioneers
would perish from worse foe than the
bloodthirsty savages. Something must be
done, and that Immediately.
A long discussion took place. Several
plans were proposed, but none seemed feas-
ible. If the men went out in any number,
it was almost certain that they would be
shot down, and rush made for the fort
What could be doneY
al will go out alone" said the commander
at last "The redskins will not fire upon a
single man, and can bring water enough to
save us from death by thirst"
"Nay, that should not be-" cried a dozen
voices. Take any of us, but don't 60 your
SELL captain. The risk Is too great and we
cannot spare you"
"Why need a man go at all 2" asked
girl standing by "Let the women go after
the water as they always have done. Prob
ably we could go TO the spring and return in
safety. The Indians surely will not forfeit
their hope of taking the stockade by sur
prise just for the sake of killing a few
women"
Captain Reynolds bronzed face grew pale.
1t was his daughter who spoke-a brave
young thing scarcely seventeen, whose lover
was one OF those heroes who had risked their
lives to go to Lexington.
Lass, thou art too forward" answered
the commander, sternly. "When the men
lose their courage then the women can go
and risk their lives"
Others opposed the bold project. Those
brave men had no heart TO see their wives