Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-03-12

10 Fort Pitt, leaving Col. John
Gibson with command Of one
hundred and fifty men to protect
the fort until spring. The Indians
were soon acquainted with the e1-
istence of the fort, and soon con
vinced our people, by sad expert
ence. of the bad policy of building
and attempting to hold n fort so far
in advance OF our settlements and
other forts.
The first annoyance the garrison
received from the Indians was
some time in the month OF January.
In the night time they caught
most Of the horses belon glng to
the fort, and taking them off some
distance into the woods, they took
off their bells, and formed an am
buscade by the side OF path lead
ing through the high grass of a
prairie at little distance from the
fort. In the morning the Indians
ratified the horse bells at tho further
end of the line OF the ambuscade.
The plan succeeded; = fatigue OF
sixteen men went ont for the
horses and fell into the snare.
Fourteen were killed on the spot,
two were taken prisoners, one OF
whom was given up at the close OF
the war, the other vas never after
wards heard OF.
Gen. Benjamin Biggs, then a
captain in the fort, being officer of
the day, requested leave of the
coloucllto go out with the fatigue
party, which fell into the ambus-
cade. "No," said the colonel, "shls
fatigue party does not belong to a
captaln's command. When ! shall
have occasion to employ one of
that number, | shall be thankful
for your service; at present you
must attend to your duty IN the
fort On what trivial circum-
stances do life and death some
times depend
In the evening Of the day Of the
ambuscade, the whole Indian army,
in full war dress and painted,
marched in single Gle through a
prairie in view OF the fort. Their
number, rs counted from one OF
the bastions, was eight hundred
and forty.seven They then took
up their encampment on an elcvat-
ed piece Of ground at a small dis
tance from the fort, on the OppO-
site side Of the river. From this
camp they frequently held con-
versation with the people of our
garrison. In these conversations,
I they seemed to doplore tho long
continuance Of the war and hoped
| for peace; but were much exaspcr-
ated at the Americans, for attempt
! ing to penetrate SO far into their
country. This great body Of In
dians continued the Investment of
the fort, as long as they could OBJ
tain subsistence, which was about
six weeks.
Anold Indian by the name of
John Thompson, who was with the
American army in the fort, ire
qnently went out among the In
dians during their stay at their
encampment, with the mutual con
sent Of both parties. 4 short time
before the Indians left the place,
they sent word to Col. Gibson, by
the old Indian, that they wera de
sirous OF peace, and that if he
would send them barrel Of flour
they would send in their proposals
tho next day; but although tho
colonel complied with their request,
they marched off without fulfilling
their engagement.
The commander, supposlng the
whole number of the Indians bad
gone off, gave permission to COL
Clark, of the Pennsylvania line,
to escort the invalids, to the mum
Der of eleven or twelve, to Fort
MrIntosh. The whole number OF
this detachment was fifteen. The
wary Indians had left party be
hind, for the purpose of doing mis-
chief. These attacked this party
of invalids and the escort, about
two miles from their fort, and kill
ed tho whole of them with the ex
ception of four, amongst whom
was the captain, who ran back tc
the fort. On the same day a de
tachment went ont from the fort
brought in the dead. aud buried
them with the honors of war, in
front OF the fort gate.
In three or four days after thii
disaster, a relief Of seven hundred
men, under Gen. M'Intosh, arrived
at the fort with supply of provi
sions, great part Of which was lost
by an untoward accident. When
the relief had reached within one
hundred yards Of the fort, the gar
rison gave them a salute of gen
eral discharge of musketry, at the
report OF which the pack horses
took fright, broke loose and scat
tered the provisions m every direc
ton through the woods, so thatthC
greater part Of them could never be
r recovered again.
Among other transactions which
took place about this time, was that
4, r.t.