The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1894-02-16
AT FORT BOBOLINK.

proctor and TecImseh have abandoned
the siege of Fort Mcigs, and their forces are
coming this wayp
These words were shouted by man who
rode through the Maumee forests one day
in the summer of 1913. They blanched the
cheeks of every listener.
The rider bestrode a fleet horse, whose
TANKS gave evidence of hard riding, and as
he galloped from cabin TO cabin with the
terrible announcement mothers seized
their children and nvOluntarily pressed
them to their bosomS.
For some time y large force of British
and Indians under the joint leadership of
General Proctor and the cruel Tecumseh
had besieged Fort Meigs on the Maumee,
but the gallant defense made by General
Harrison had shown the allies that it was
not to be taken by either assault or strate
gem.
Now that the seige had been abandoned,
the allies would turn back enraged over
their discontinue, and the tomahawk and
scaIping knife would devastate the Maui
NEE country.
proctor and rccumseh coming" cried
boy who heard the news from the mounted
messenger sent ahead 10 alarm the frontier.
81 will run down TO the fort to see if it is
in trim for siege"
The fort" mentioned by the backwoods
boy was log cabin W hich had been aban-
doned by its original builders. Owing to the
presence of boboiinh 5 nest near they had
called it Fort BOboink, and the boy settlers
i =. 81 Il, - 1,,r.E
extremity" When Nrd Talcot reached
Fort Bobolink, the sun was setting, and
after brief inspection he ran back to the
settlement, where he found all in a state of
alarm
A hurried council Of war between the
seven boys of the settlement and the wom-
en- was held.
1--WE can't defend the scattered cGbins
| We may altogether defend Fort Bobolink,'
said Ned. "There is no telling how soon
| the allies will show mp in this section, but
if they really have abandoned the siege they
are liable to be here this very night"
/ The council Of war al once decided unani-
mously to go at once to Fort Bobolink, and
so, taking all the guns in the settlement,
with other things which they thought
would be needed, they marched down to the
fort and prepared for the expected attack.
The sun went down, and the long shad
ows of twilight stole through the forests.
Captain Ned had stationed his guards
within the fort with military precision
and every few minute. ba made the rounds
to see that waCchitlue~7 was not abated
The mothers had put the youngest children
to sleep and now with watchful eyes they
waited in the dark nes- for the foe.
AT 10 O'Clock a bright moon in its third
quarter made its appearances This gave
some light and enabled the boys to see the
outlines of the trees.
Suddenly one of the Young seutres, look
ing through loophOie, discerned moving
figures where moment before he had seer
but waving grass. lie signaled Captain
Ned and they watched the figures together
1.-The enemy have comeI' said the boy az
he turned back and faced the women.
In an instant the seven young defender.
of the cabin stood at the loopholes will
rifles in their hands.
Gradually the skuRing figures drew
closer, till at last they matted among tn,
stumps just in front Of Fort Bobolink
They were savageS, A. the boys could nov
see by their dress. They wore feathers il
their scalp locks and carried guns in TIN
hollows of their naked arms. 1t was til,
advance force OF he frontier scourges, anC
the boys of the Matinee knew that bofor
daylight the bloody work would begin
Half dozen braves were within easy riff,
shot of the fort, and the boys watched
them they put their heads together ant
pointed toward Fort BobOlink, while the,
talked in tones 100 low 10 be distinguished
The six Indians had separated and wer
crawling through the grass toward the fort
taking good care TO keep in the shadows O
the stumps of the clearing, but now ant
then the watchful boys caught sight o
dark red bodies that seemed to possess tn
movement and the cunning of serpents.
1t was moment of suspense to all on th
inside, and babe that cried just then wa
seized by it's mother and hastily hushed
Don't firel" said Ned. LET them shoy
their intentions. We are on the inside
with 10 good rifles aud stanch logs aroun,
, u.s."
Five minutes later one of the savage
rose and ran up to the door In anothe
moment he had struck it with the handl
of his tomahawk
The blow sounded like knell of doom t
the women huddled in the little fort.
white squaw openi' exclaimed the In
dian. News from white soldiers with Han
rison."
This was too evidently a stratagem to ge
the door open, and it did not succeed. Afte
a silence the Indian was heard to growl t
himself as he fell back To his companions.
Now for it, said Captain Ned as he say
all six Indians rise aud rush forward
The door had been well barricaded wit
frong planks, but still the defenders of tn
pabin feared that the savages might Gu
through, and they would hen have them a
their mercy.
Without their usual yell the Indian
dashed upon the fort. but that instant the
were met with sheet of flame which SCENE,
to SINCE their cheeks
1t was the first vOlley in defense of For
Bobolink, and right rovally had it beel
given.
Three of the Indians threw up thei
hands and fell back in the grass, while tn
others stood for moment apparently be
reft of reason.
When the living foes realized what hap
pened, they dropped to the ground an
wriggled back to the main badly.
Silence followed that first volley frol
the loopholes of Fort Bobolink, and IL
boys, strain their eyes as they might, conl