Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-10-23

reflections on the obtuSenesS or indif-
ference of men on all subjects which did
not Immediately touch their interests
or strike their vision, while Jabe con-
tentedly played with his baby.
At midnight a sentinel gave the
alarm. The gunboats from Fort From
tenac were approaching, the movements
on board and the voices of command be-
ing distinctly audible.
The news was speedily communicated
to the blockhouse. Renwick, who was Of
fcer of the watch, aroused Selwyn. ''The
gun-boats are here, Charley" he said.
'sLet's make dash at Them
Selwyn looked at his friend in sur
prise.
eyes, I know it looks like q rash
project, but consider it we'll. The night
is dark, they have just arrived, have not
seen US by daylight, and don't expect
us. We will man the canoes with thirty
rangers armed with the French muskets
and our own knives and rifles. We will
tackle the first gunbOat we reach, sweep
her decks first and then tow her up the
river here
Selwyn thought favorably of the plan
and went to lay it before Mercer, while
Renwick called for volunteers and made
preparations for the raid.
In half an hour six canoes each car
| rying five men glided through the dark
ness, keeping close together, the paddles
making no sound as they propelled the
little barks along. Soon the hulls of the
| gunboats began to loom up, and the
sound of oars indicated that some of
them were being placed in position.
| Then gun from tho foremost one pro-
claimed that the seige was begun. In
stantly the lights in the fort were ex-
tinguished, but the gunboat did not cease
| firing.
''They have got the range" thought
Renwick. Bang! went another gun al
most over his head. ''Come on, men,
he shouted, grasping tho tow rail of the
gunboat and springing to the deck, fol-
lowed by Jabe and the rest with the ex-
ception of one man to secure the canoes.
The boldness of the attack secured it's
success. and the Frenchmen. appalled, by
the apparition of a band of foemen on
their deck who poured in volley and
then charged with the bayonet, dived
under matches, jumped overheard,
or surrendered at discretion. Renwick
knew there was no time to be lost. The
nearest vessel was approaching to see
| WnaG INC uT1UX meant, anu 00 WOulU
soon have the entire fleet upon him.
| Promptly he ordered one half his force
to return to the canoes in order to tow
the prize while the others remained on
board to guard against attack. Already
objects were becoming family visible i n
the dawn of an August morning and as
Renwick measured tho distance between
the enemy and himself, he was gratificd
to observe that 1t was momentarily in
crcasing. Evidently the Frenchmen
did not quito understand the situation,
else they could have made Master Rem
wick pay dearly for his temerity. AS il
was, one of the vessels was about to
open fire with its bow-guns when JADE
spoiled the shot by dropping the gun.
ner, while his companions prevented
further annoyance by clearing its deck
with bullets which were not fired al
random.
AS soon as it was light enough to OBJ
serve the situation, Mercer in turr
opened fire on the enemy, the effect Of
which encouraged Renwick to attemp
the capture of the vessel whose guns ht
had silenced. With this view he ordered
the canoes to halt, while with the aid O.
oars he approached the second prize
and made her fast with a rope. He hai
scarcely gotten under way again, how
ever, when the enemy discovered tht
insignifcance of their antagonist ant
began to lower and man their boats t,
attack him.
t1r<N i