Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-05-07
NO. 49,.
She Held the Fort.

There were brave girls among the
early French cOlonists of Canada The
following striking instance is related of
a mere Child defending fort seven
DAYS against assaulting sayages:-
/ One October morning in 1892, the
inhabitants OF Vercheres. a settlement
twenty miles below Montreal, were i'll
the field at work. There were but two
soldiers within the fort. The comman-
der and his wife were absent. Their
daughter, Madeleine, girl of II, stood
on the landing with hired man, when
she heard firing.
Run, mademoisellel run,' cried the
man. Here comes the IrOquoiS!n
| Looking round. the girl saw the In
dians near at hand. She ran for the
tort, and the Indians, seeing they could
not catch her, fired at her. The bullets
whistled round her, and made the
time seem very long" as she afterwards
SAID.
As soon as she neared the fort, she
cried out, TO arnS! to armsl'' hoping
that she would get assistance. But the
two soldiers were so frightened that
they had hidden in the blOck-hOu5e.
When Madeleine reached the gate of
the fort, she found two women there
crying for their husbands, who were in
the heldS and had just been killed.
Madeleine forced them in, and shut the
gate. Sne instantly went 10 examine
the defences of the fort, and found that
some of the palisades had fallen down,
leaving holes through which tne enemy
could easily enter.
She got what help she could and set
them up. Then the little commander
repaired to the block-hOuSe, where she
found the brave garrison Uf two, one
man hiding in corner. the other with
lighted match in his hand.
What are you going 10 do with that
match?" SAID Madeleine.
Light the powder, and blow US all
up" answered the soldier.
You are a miserable eoward.'' said
the girl, ''G0 out OF this place.''
People are always likely Co obey, III
time OF panic, the one person who
shows resolution and cOoIne55. the
soldier did as Madeleine bade him.
Sle then tiung aside her bonnet, puL on
a hat AMI took gun.
Her whole force" consisted of the
above mentioned soldiers, her two little
brothers, aged ~ and Il, and an Old
mAn of SO-and some wOIa4u and chIld-
Fen, wno did nothing but set up CON-
Llnual screaming, as sJOn aS the hrlng
commenced.
Let us fight to the DEATH" said
brave Madeleine to her liCtle brothers,
who seemed TO have possessed no IGJle
share of her own courage. We are
ightlng for our country and our rell-
gIon- Remember our father his taught
you that gentlemen are born 10 sued
their blood Tor the service OF God and
the king.
MAdeieine now placed her brothers
and the soldiers at The lOOp-nOIe5. wnere
Cney Iired AZ the Indians lurking and
dOdging ABOUT outside. Inc SLyage5
did NOS know nov large tue garrison
was, and therefore heSIlated t. attack
the fort; and numbers OF them fell be-
fore the wen-dIrecLed shots OF the
soldiers.
The girl-commander succeeded, after
q while, III stopping the the screaming
of the women and children, Tor sue Was
determined that The enemy should per-
eeIye no sign OF fear OF Weakness she
dew from ba5IiOn To bAstiOn 10 see that
every defender Was doing his duty; she
caused cannon to be nred from time
to time, partly to intImldaLe the saya-
ges, ana partly in hope tnat the noise
might convey intelligence OF the sItua-
tlon, and bring them nelp.
Thus the light went on, day after day,
night after nlslt, the heroic gIrl keep
ing up her vIgIlant exertIOns 50 con-
sLantly that it was As hours before she
caught wink of sleep.
For a whole week Madeleine held the
fort, with no fi.v0ring circumstances
out the stormy weather, which pre-
vented the Indians from setting IRE To
ner wooden defence5. AT the end OF
that time reinforctmenLs came down
the river and raised ths siege"