The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-05-06

oliosl Sos, - and ~ Fourteenth stree
LAsl BATTLR OP Tll RGYOLVlION.

LAST BATTLE OF TIE REVOLUTION,
II Was Fought at whssling-The Siege Q
Old Fort HsuTy-Eyents that Led to II
First and Last Attack,
Correspondents Catholic Mirror
The first attack made onthe Wheeling
fort by the Indians in large number
took place September !, TIT. The SAINT
month relnforcehents arrived from thu
East under Captain Foreman, who, learn
ing that some Of the enemy were still In
the neighborhood, decided, with forty
Ave Of his command, to explore theil
strength. Descending the Ohio twelve
miles he encamped, when suddenly the
red men opened fire, killing twenty.one,
Foreman aad his two sons among them,
and disabling nearly all the rest. The
main body OF the savages then Withdrew
across the Ohio, leaving the smaller
bands to keep the Panhandle region In
a state OF alarm for the next eighteen
months. Then (l7S0) took place the
second Indian invasion OF Northwestern
Virginia, the raiders dividing into two
bodies OF $50 each, one crossing the Ohio
close below Wheeling, the other higher
up the river, both to meet at Catfish
town, now Washington, Pa, from which
point the whole country to the Ohio was
to be laid waste. Both divisions made
detours to escape collision with the
larger forts, picking up prisoners In
passage. Learning from these last that a
concentration OF troops was going on at
Wheeling TO intercept them, orders were
given to kill the prisoners, which was
done with the utmost barbarlty, Foiled
in their main object, both divisions re-
crossed the river, bent on an early re-
turn Ia greater numbers,
In the meantime Colonel Brodhead
proceeded up the Allegheny at the head
OF q large force, among them many from
the Wheeling settlements, TO chastise
tue Senecas and their allies, whose
depTedatlons along the Pennsylvania
and Virginia borders had kept the set.
tiers in constant alarm. During this ex-
petition several Indian towns were des-
troyed, and upwards OF five hundred
acres Of corn and other crops. Its date
was 1910, and starting point, Pittsburgh,
Another expedition soon followed, or
ganized at Wheeling, where three hun,
dred Indian fighters with grievances to
revenge had assembled under Colonel
Brodhead, with destination to punish
the Muskingum Delawares, II was In
the spring time, with high rivers To
cross, but for which they would have
surprised the bulk Of the enemy, part OF
whom were taken and fifteen sCalped by
orders OF the council; the rest, some
twenty in number, being carried of.
After acknowledgement Of theirtowns,
with great quantities Of poultry and
other stores, and killing about forty head
OF cattle, the army faced homeward
through the Tuscarawas Valley. In his
official report, the colonel says: 1.-THE
troops were kindly treated by tho Chris.
tim Delawares met In that valley, who
supplied meat and corn sufficient TO sub
sist the men and horses to the Ohio
river. The plumber sold at Wheeling
by the troops brought ESQ"
In return for their fidelity to the colo.
nists, Colonel Brodhead urged these
Christian Indians TO remove to tho cast
side OF the Ohio, "instead OF living be.
tween iwo fires, with certainty Of being
understood by both the belligerent
parties" But they failed 10 act on his
advice, ninety OF their number being
maasacred soon after by body Of Penn
sylvania settlers in tho belief that they
were llostiles In disguise. While tho
colonials were thus engaged on the
Western borders fighting the savage
allies Of the British, news Of the sue.
cesses Of their brethren In tho East
reached them, which gavethe red nations
much alarm.
1t was now the year Of the Yorktown
surrender, which by anticipation was al.
ready reported. Agraud council Of the
head chiefs Of the Wyandotts, Shawan.
csc, Miamis, Pottowatomies, Delawares,
and other nations was thereupon sum.
moned TO meet at Ohillicotle, when the
question OF peace or war, In any event,
was discussed. The council was unani-
NOUS for war, and for the putting In the
field Of an army Of one thousand braves,
OF whom six hundred were to operate in
Kentucky, the balance to not against
Northwestern Virginia.
The decision led, the year following,
to the third invasion OF the Panhandle
region by the savages In force, when, as
In 1777, Wheeling was again selected as
their chief point Of assault. On this &C.
casion the attacking army consisted OF
nearly three hundred savages and a
small number Of British regulars, the
siege lasting thirty.six hours, with such
heavy losses as to compel It's abandon:
ment and the sudden disappearance Of
the enemy across the Ohio. As has
been already narrated, oil four Of the
desperate attempts to carry the fort by
storm had been defeated by the we'll
directed FIRE Of its. defenders. "This
SIEGE" says the historian, was in real
ity the last battle OF the Revolution,
and 1t Is certain that the last shot fred
by a British soldier In that war was fred
at old Fort Henry in Wheeling.