Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-06-24
A HEROIC GIRL.
By u Courageous Act She saved the
Fort and Her Friends,

In the year 1777. when the British troops
In the Middle States were marching on to
Philadelphia. and Washington, at the head
OF the Colonial Army. was doing all he
could to keep them from entering the city,
General Burgoyne led his forces from the
North by way of Lake Champlain and
landed near Crown Point. Here he met
large body Of Indians, who went with his
army to Grown Point and Ticonderoga.
These Indians. cruel, cunning and saw
age In their nature. were the most terrible
enemies the American soldiers and coun-
try people had to fear. They We're worse
than the Hessldns, the Tories and the
British regulars all put together.
body OF troops under Colonel Shepherd
held Fort Henry against the British and
the Indians, but the garrison was gradually
diminished to a few hundred men They
were daily looking for re-enforcements
and the majority of the men, going one
day to meet them and bring them through
the enemies lines, were cut on by a band
OF the Indians, who prowled about In every
direction.
Within the stockade surrounding the fort
the farmers, who were also soldiers, had
driven their horses and cattle spared by the
Invaders; and their wives and children.
with their household goods, were safe in
side the fort. At the approach OF the
Indians the little garrison OF twelve brave
men, under command Of Colonel Shepherd.
determined to sell their lives as dearly as
possible, and not knowing how far of or
how near the re-enforcements might be, they
hoped for the best
But their powder was nearly exhausted
and there was no chance OF keeping the
savages at bay by any other means. Some
one then remembered that in a small build
ing Just outside the stockade there was n
| kCR of nnpyhpr hal haH
when the other effects had been carried in
side the fortified place. But who would 20
Tor II. or who could be spared from the
small garrison?
every man was needed at such a time.
Their leader was brave and a generous
man, but he knew that his place was there
ms uuty was to protect the fort and save
the helpless women and children from the
savage cruelty Of the enemy Several az
hts best men offered to 20. but he could not
make up mis- mind to lose one Of them, so
great seemed TO him the risk of venturing
| within range OF the Indians tomahawk
cannot command any man to go for
the powder" he said, III there be any
one willing to take the risk he must as
sumo all responsibility OF the venture''
What was to be done? The powder thew
must have. Soon 1t would be TOO late. for
the saysges were coming nearer all the
| time Three OF the men were eagerly dis
cussing which OF them could best do tho
hardy deed, when a brave girl. whom his
| tory knows as Elizabeth Zane, approached
Colonel Shepherd as ho stood listening 10
the arguments OF the men.
Let me TO- said she. 81 can brinr ,ha
powder as we'll as any one else. and II 7
| do not come bnck with it why. Won viii ba
no worse on than you are now, II would
not DO like losing a man" 'N
After much hesitation they let bsr 10
tuihklns the indians would be less likely 10
attack her than man. Very eareiI,,,S
they watched her-thoss inside the f o~iH
as she crossed the open space herorc I,
until she reached the house in which The
| powder was. "eN Tue
No doubt, II the savasas had rpshsa
upon her. the gates Of the stockade wo,Id
nave been opened and the men wonla ~.
defended with their last breath the hrs,e
slIl that had 50 nobly riskeA her lIfe
But she reached her destinstlon ha,o-.
the sayages had fairly seen what was m
object OF her expedition outside Inc .sae
1 ns the s1oekade. Returning. she araIn bss
| to cross the opan space. ''Au
Perhaps the weight Of the lez nj ron,,..
made her footsteps slower. Perbans ~
Indians had suspicion Of what IL ~rss ,t.s
| Elizabeth carried In her homesnun s, s.,.s-
for with wild whoop they let AZ sh rSu.
OF arrows round her head.-not one ot wh,ch