Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1894-12-28
A HEROINE.

In the year 1776 small palisade for
was erected upon the site now occupied
by the city Of Wheeling. The fort wa
surrounded by the cabins of the settler
and was named in honor of the grea
Virginia orator and patriot. Patricl
Henry.
On the morning Of the LIST of Sep
TENDER, 1777, scout appeared at TIN
fort, announcing the near approach O
the dreaded Simon Girty with a larg
band of savages. Having the night be
fore received an intimation of DANCE
from an Indian raid, the families o
the settlers had removed to the fort.
The fort at this time was but light.
garrisoned, portion of its forces hav
ing been sent to REINFORCE posts tina
were more exposed, they being in III
apprehension of danger from British O.
Indian fees. 1t was in charge Of Colo
mel Sheppard.
The dwelling of Colonel Ebeneze:
Zane stood about go yards distant from
the palisade. In this building were stor
ed supplies of various kinds, which i
was very desirable to preserve, and, thu
house occupying favorable position t.
aid in resisting the attack, it was decid
ed to make the defense from both points
In the dwelling, when the attack wa
made, there were but eight persons
four men and four women, including
the negro cook and his wife.
The first attack was made upon rec
onnoitering party under the comman.
of Captain Mason. The Indians were
anlbushed short distance from the for
and fell upon the little band without ;
moments warning. More than one-hal.
of them persisted. Captain Ogle, will
IL men, hurried out to the assistance @
Mason, and only four OF his men eve
returned The others were ruthlessl.
butchered by bullet and tomahawk. Th'
garrison was now reduced to mer.
handful of determined defenders, most
ly young men. They numbered about
IL, with the brave Colonel Sheppard
and Ebenezer and Silas Zane at theil
head.
The women and children were hud
died together inside the pickets, over
whelmed with grief and fear, for al
hope for the safety Of the fort now seem
ed lost. At this critical moment Simon
Girty appeared with white flag ant
demanded the unconditional surrender
of the fort. Although the besiegers out
numbered the besieged thirtyfold, ths
indians numbering over 800, the belea
guered garrison resolved to resist, fol
they we'll knew what their fate would
be if they fell into the hands of tht
treacherous fiend, Girty. Colonel Shep
pard promptly told the scoundrel thai
the fort would never be surrendered tt
him nor to any other man while there
was person left to defend it.
Girty became enraged and ordered III
attack. ''Girty, said the historian Loss
ing, twas the offspring Of crime. His
father was settler in Pennsylvania,
an outlaw and sot, and his mother
was a disgrace to her sex - Simon,
with his two brothers, when youths,
were captured by the Indians Hi
brother James was adopted by the Del
awares and became the fiercest savage
of the tribe. Simon was adopted by th'
Senecas, became great hunter anf
finally powerful leader among the In
uians, exercising his innate wickedness
to the fullest extent and declaring eter-
nal ennity toward his own race. Fol
many years the name of Simon Girty
was terror to the settlers Of the north
west. He was as bloodthirsty and unre-
lenting as tiger, excelling the savages
in the cruelty he inflicted upon those
who fell into his clutches. Male and
female, old age and helpless infancy.
suffered alike.
The besiegers for several hours kept
up an Intellectual fire against the forl
and dwelling from the cabins i'll which
they were sheltered. Whenever red
skin showed himself, the never failing
rifle of the sharpshooter was sure tt
bring him down. Several times the In
dams advanced upon the gate of tn
palisade, hoping to be able to force it,
but each time We're compelled to retrea-
under CALLING fire. The few men il
the fort were enabled to keep up con
slant firing, for the women nodded tbs
bullets and loaded the guns as fast a:
they could be used. Night coming Oh.
the firing ceased. Quietness now reign
ed, and the darkness became intense.
About midnight the attention OF the
negro cook, Sam, was attracted by &
small stream of light that found it
way through crevice in the kitchen
wall from the outside. An investigation;
revealed an Indian with lighted brant
to set fire to the kitchen
Sam, watching his chance, sent bullet
his red hide.
Early the following morning the In
dams renewed the attack with much
vigor. Having procured hollow maple
log, they converted it into a cannon,
it around solidly with chains
obtained from the houses of the set
tiers. After placing a heavy charge OF
powder in it and filling it to the muz-
zle with cannon balls, captured the day
before from fatbo.t that was passing
down the river from Pittsburg, in great
triumph they conveyed it to within GO
OF 70 yards of the fort and pointed it at
the gate. Then. with shouts of exulta-
ton, which meant, We've got you
now," they touched it off. To their ut
ter amazement and CONSERVATION, the
log burst into a Thousand fragments.
flying in every direction, killing and
several of their own number
During all this time the rihe,nen III
the fort and dwelling were picking them
off at rapid rate, and when the smoke
from the explosion had cleared away
the ground was found strewn with dead
savages.
The disaster and the disappointment
arising from it SO exasperated the Indi-
ans that they madly threw themselves
against. the gate with heavy battering
rams made Of logs, determined to force
an entrance. Above the din and confu-
sion the voice of Girty was heard urging
the savages on, but he was nowhere to
be seen, being shielded from the deadly
rifles of the patriots in the fort, who,
be we'll knew, would rejoice to get a
shot at him. The constant fire poured
upon the savages from the fort and
p L