Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1888-02-17

had been up to the day before He had
put in no less than three powder mines
in the vicinity, running slow match TO
each one. The only cover the Indians
could have in the neighborhood was in
the rear of the fort, where we had mined
the rock We had left big hole, which
was natural rife pit, and our loopholes
did not command it. They won be
sure to occupy this place, and the men
prepared torpedo holding fifteen pounds
of powder, and hid it under the rocks
and dirt on the brink of the pit. \ trench
was then dug to and under the wall of
the milk house, and by means of boards
train of powder was laid. When the
earth had been filed in again no one
could have told it had been disturbed.
We were as ready as we could be at
six O'Clock, but the sun was just going
down when we saw the Indians approach
ing. By that time more than 5000
settlers had been butchered or driven
from their homes, and the war which
was to sweep over an extent of country
200 miles long and go broad, and alarm
80, 900 settlers. had opened in all its
ferceness The band which now ap-
preached numbered only sixteen war
riors, and as soon as they saw our
strength they fired a few shots at long
/ range and passed on to the east. At
dark we entered the fort arranged the
goods and provisions to give US all the
room possible, and by and by turned III
to sleep while one man was left on
watch. This was Miller. He was to
watch until midnight. and then call one
of the young men, but at eleven o'clock
he quietly aroused the garrison and
whispered the news that large number
of Indians had arrived. We were
scarcely awake before being made aware
that our fort was being closely inspected
by spies. When we had carefully pulled
the plugs from the loopholes we could
see and hear them moving about in large
numbers. By and by we heard a num-
Der of them on the roof. They were
probably investigating to see how to burn
us out Alta signal from Miller we took
up our guns, carefully poked the muzzleS
through the loopholes in the planks, and
at another signal all fired. We killed or
wounded two Indians by the volIey, and
the others hastily departed. Half an
hour later two or three of the reds crept
up to the barricade in front of our door
with arms full of light wood and started
a fire. The posts were only half sea-
soned, and all that afternoon | mad kept
them wet with water. They charred a
little under the flames, but the fire would
not take hold. From the number of In.
dams we could see, and to judge by the
yells of those out of sight, our enemies
numbered at least fifty. After trying us
with fire they drew off to wait for day
light, and the most of them probably
went to sleep.
When daylight came our enemies were
REINFORCED by band of twelve, and
tIor
settlers teams and wagons and three
prisoners. Two of the prisoners, a man
and a woman, were killed soon after
coming up. l knew the man. He lived
about eight miles away, and had fire.
quently called at our house. The third
prisoner was settler none of US knew.
About an hour after daylight the Indians
sent him forward with a white flag to
demand our surrender. He came up
within thirty feet of our barricade, and
then halted and told US what he had been
commanded to do. A dozen or more In
dians had their rifles on him, ready to
shoot in case he attempted to play them
false. He was big powerful fellow, and
l never saw such grief and anxiety in a
human countenance. In a voice loud
enough for the Indians to hear, he de-
manded our surrender, but in whispers
uc WdluSO Us uOG ", DIS every OuC VI us
would be butchered Miller replied to
him from loophole, telling him to go
back to the Indians and ask their best
terms. When he returned he was to
come as close as possible, and at signal
he was to spring forward, and the door
would be open for him. He was pretty
cool fellow, in spite of all his sufferings.
He returned to the Indians, consulted
for a few minutes, and when he came
back to us he approached within twenty
five feet before they shouted to him to
halt. Then he told US hat we would be
permitted to take one of the teams and
leave the country; that the Indians all
loved US; that all they wanted was their
land. We had our guns ready to cover
him, and / saw him draw long breath
just before the signal came. AS Miller
uttered whistle one of the men pulled
open the door, and at the same instant
the stranger made spring for shelter. 1t
was veritable spring for life. The In
dians fired at him, but too late, and he
pitched in among us without scratch.
Then began siege which lasted nine
days, and in which over forty Indians
were killed or wounded. They gathered
in the quarry, as expected, and Miller
exploded the torpedo and killed four
and badly wounded a dozen. They
tried every possible way to burn US out,
and on one of these occasions, while