The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1881-03-29
ELIZABETH ZANE.
How a Beautiful Girl Check
mated Simon Girty.

mated simon G1rty.
The wickedest white man of the early pc
Rod of Ohio history was Simon Girty, who
sided with the British in the war of the revo-
which were induced to fight against the colo
nists. Girty was as cruel as the worst red
savage, and there are many traditions in the
Sciota and Sandusky valleys of his raids and
outrages. In 1777 Fort Henry. which was
situated ON the Ohio river, near Wheeling,
suddenly attacked by Girty with a force OF
400 Indians.
He succeeded in ambuscading ard slaught-
ering thirty Of the garrison, leaving but twelve
to defend the fort. Among the women and
children was young Elizabeth Zane, a beauti-
full girl of II. The twelve soldiers, COM
manded by Col Shepherd, were good marks
men, and, knowing that surrender meant
death for their wives and children as well as
for themselves, they resolved to fight to the
last. But, alas! bravery availed them little,
for it was not long before the small stock of
pON IL Glic lOtG was dlLuUSt cALduSIcu, dllu
only a few charges lemained to each man. In
despair the colonel called his brave little band
together, and told them that at a house some
sixty yards outside the fort, which their enc
mics had not yet dared approach, there was a
key Of powder. Who ever should try to bring
it into the fort would be in peril of his life
from the IndiaI s. He had not the heart to
order any man to such a task, but the pow
der was their only ope, and therefore 1t was
his duty to ask if any one Of them was brave
enough to volunteer the undertaking. In
stantly three or four men avowed themselves
ready, but only one man could be spared.
But, while they were generously disputipg
among themselves ft the p%erilous errand,
Elizabeth Zane app, cached the colonel and
! begged that she mig ht be allowed to 60 for
the powder. Her request was promptly re-
fused, but she persisted earnestly, even
against the circumstances and entreaties of
her parents and friends.
In vain they pleaded and reasoned with
her, urging more than once that a young man
would be more than likely to succeed through
Aio po"SA vi hApl "1iOiS SlC lCpllSo
that she knew the danger, but that, if she
failed, her loss would not be felt, while not a
single man could be spared flom the little
garrison. Finally, it was agreed that she
should make the first trial. When all was
ready the gate opened and Elizabeth walked
rapidly aeloss the open space toward the
house where the powder was stored. Those
inside the fort could plainly see that the eyes
Of the Indians were upon her; but, either
from curiosity or mercy, they allowed her to
pass safely and to enter the house. Her
friends drew a breath of relief, and, watching
even more anxiously for her temperance,
saw her come out soon, bearing the powder in
a table cloth tied around her waist.
By this time the Indians suspected her bur-
den, and i'll a moment moce, as she was hast
ening toward the fort, they sent after her a
shower of bullets and arrows. They all, how
ever, whistled by her harmless, and with wild,
startled eye, but undaunted heart. she sped
on with her treasure through the deadly mis-
siles, until at last she bore it in triumph
inside the gate. BY the aid of the powder
and the enthusiastic courage which Eliza
beth's selt-sacritice inspired, the little garri-
son was enabled to hold out until relief came
to them. AM so the noble act of a Young
girl saved the lives of all within the fort ana
vanquished its 500 dusky assailants. The
Zane family became well known in southern
Ohio, and gave their name to the beautiful
city Of GAINESVILLE.