Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1890-10-18


for many hours. 1t had been daylight
for an hour when we awoke, and we
were then aroused by the voice of Mrs.
Webster saying:
"Children! children! The Indians are
comingw
While l was dressing heard the yells
and whoops of Indians about the house.
There was gang of about forty of them,
and as soon as I looked out through a
loophole saw great smoke from the
residence of Mrs. Websters house. Just
as was dressed there came pounding
on the door, and the voice of an Indian
called out:
"Huh! Somebody in herel Open
door, quicl!"
"What do you want1" asked Mrs.
Webster.
''Indian hungry-want food. Indian
good friends with Mrs. Bliss"
was watching the crowd at the door,
and I saw that all were armed. Two or
three were crouched ready to spring at
the door the instant it was unbarred.
$50 away-you can't come in" re-
piled Mrs. Webster.
''Indian want food"
"We have none for YOU"
''Indian want whisky"
''There is no whisky in the house."
"Then Indian want to talk"
swell, what do you want!"
They had expected to take US by sur
prise, and the fact that they had not up
set their calculations for time. They
retired a short distance to talk it over,
and during this interval we made ready
for what was coming. Making as little
noise as possible, six Indians laid down
their guns and picked up piece of four
by-four scantling, which father intended
to use as one of the sills for dairy
house over the spring. They were ap-
preaching the door with this battering
ram when fired from the left-hand win
dow and Mrs. Webster from the right,
both of us using shotguns. fred at the
mems legs and she at their heads. had
but one barrel, while she had two.
As all six went down l thought at first
we had killed them all. Not so, how
ever, though it was plain that all were
hit. Two lay on the ground under the
scantling, while the others got up to
limp away. We had opened the battle,
and got in the first knock-down blow.
For a moment the II dians were stupe-
fed. Then they uttered their war
whoop, and the fight was on.
l think 1 should have made good
fight of it without Mrs. Webster, as had
been brought up on the frontier, and had
the nerve of man, but it was well that
size was there. While she was pale-faced
and anxious her voice was steady, and
she took things coolly. Sister Mamie
was greatly frightened at first, but after
a few minutes she overcame it and asked
for the rifle, with which she was a toler-
ably fair shot.
The first move of the indians was to
take possession of the log barn, which
stood about 200 feet away. There was
little Or nothing in it, and if they fired it
the distance was too great to endanger
the house. They opened fire on the two
rear windows, and we kept away from
them. Now and then one of their bull
lets came through loophole, but we
were out of range. The Indians must
have known that father was gone, and
they probably hoped to scare US with a
great noise. They continued shooting
for half an hour, and then one of them
stepped out from the barn and waved Il
white rag and asked for ''talk." In
reply Mrs. Webster fired a charge of
buckshot which knocked him over, and
we saw his body dragged around the
corner of the barn.
The Indians now scattered and encir-
cleo the house, and dropping down when
ever they could find cover they opened a
steady fire. By sitting down on the floor
we were safe from any bullets which
might enter tie loopholes. They simply
wasted their powder, and after an hour
all but four of them started off down
the road. Their impotence was too
great to permit them to tarry longer.
There were hundreds of other settlers
who had received no warning and made
no preparation, and were waiting, as it
were, to be plundered aud murdered.
The four who remained stood Just out Of
rifeshot to watch the door, and we did
not see another Indian until nearly sun
down. Then a band of about seventy
five came along. Some were on stolen
horses, some on foot, and about thirty of
them were packed into two wagons which
they had taken from white men.
From the yelling, shouting and shoot
ing INDUCED in one would have thought
our chances very slim. A part of the
force occupied the barn, so as to COM
mand the rear windows, while the rest
made sort of rifle pit to command the
front. The two who had been killed in
the morning still lay where they had
fallen, and as darkness came on we made
ready to receive anyone coming after the
bodies. 1t was a starlight night, and
about 8 o'clock l caught sight of two
warriors creeping up to the spot. 1
called Mrs. Webster's attention, and by
the time they were up we were ready for
them. As they were moving the scant-
ling off the body we fired upon them,
and neither one moved yard after being
hit.
Now came full hour during which
not shot was fred or a shout uttered.
Then the Indians began firing blazing
arrows at the roof, and l have no doubt
that twenty or more alighted thereon.
That danger had been provided for, how
ever, and when they found they could
not burn us out they fell back on another
plan. From one of the back windows
saw them carrying a long pole to the
front of the house. There were several
Of these lying near the barn, ard it was
now plain that they were going to try
the power of battering rams. Isaw one