Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1895-01-10

From fhs Giaeiasafi I
In the year 776 4 a &d<
fort was erected npon Eor
occupied by she <liy ok ng.
The fort was surre11 1he
cabins Of the settlers I'D NED
in honor of the ereai Inia
orator and patriot, Patrie 1ry.
On the morning Of f9 II
Septem Der, 1777, scou< .r<d
ut the fort, announc,uS eer
approach Of the dre4dl on
Girty with large band a .
Having the night before M
intinsasios. ofs..zz9 Ger ff,ll1 - Z q
raid. the families Of the settlers had
removed to the fort.
The fort at this time vass but
lightly garrisoned, portion Of its
forces having been sent to reinforce
posts that were more exposed. they
being in no apprehension Of danger
from British or Indian foes. Ii
was in charge of Col. Sheppard.
The dwelling of Col. Ebenezer
Zane stood about 60 yards distant
from the palisade. In this build
ing were stored supplies OF various
kinds, which it was very desirable
to preserve, and, the house occupy
ing a favorable position to aid in
resisting the attack, it was decided
to make the defense from both
points. In the dwelling. when the
attack was made, there we're but
eight persons, four men and fur
women, including the negro cook
AMI his wife.
The first attack was made upon a
accommodating party under the com
mand of Capt. Mason. The In
dians were ambushed short dis
tance from the fort and fell upon
the little band without moments 9
warning. More than one-hAlf Of
them perished. Capt. Ogle, With
l2 men, hurried out to the iissis-
tance of Mason, and only for- ct
his men ever returned. TbSothe9 e
were ruthlessly butchereS by ouiitt;
and tomahawk. The garrison vas
| now reduced to mere handfa<5f
determined defenders, mostly young
men. They numbered about q,
with the brave Col. Sheppard and
Ebenezer and Silas Zane at their
head.
The women and children we're
huddled together inside the picIsets,
overwhelmed with grief and Tear,
for all hope for the safety Of the
fort now seemed lost. At this crit
zeal moment Simon Girty appeared
with a white flag and demanded the
unconditional surrender OF thefort.
Although the besiegers out-nnm-
bered the besieged thirtyfold, the
Indians numbering over 800, the
beleaguered garrison resolved q, re-
sist for they well knew what their
fate would be if they fell into the
hands of the treacherons nt'nd,
Girty. Col. Sheppard promptly
told the scoundrel that the fort
would never be surrendered to him
nor to any other man while there
was person left to defend it.
Girty became enraged and order
ed an attack. "Girty," said the
historian Losing, twas the Of
spring of crime. His father was a
settler in Pennsylvania, an outlaw
and sot, and his mother w,ls a
disgrace to the SEX" Simon. with
his two brothers, when youths, slers
captured by the Indians. His
brother james was adopted by the
Delawares and became the iierceet
savage of the tribe. Simon wsa
adopted by the Senecas. becama a
great hunter and finally a powerfnl
leader among the Indians, exers;is-
ing his innate wickedness 70 the
fullest exteLt and declaring eternal
enmity toward his own race. For
many years the name of Simon
Girty was terror to the settlers oi
the northwest. lie was - blood
thirsty and unrelenting as stiger,
excelling the sayages 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 mp an ineffectural FIRE aea;nss
the fort and dwelling from The
cabins in which they were sheltered.
Whenever o red-skin showed him.
self the never falling rsza * -