Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-09-02

| grandfather OF our townsman and father Of
| Rev. George Sloan who resides with his son,
| and the Capt. John Sloan referred to in the
| article his father. The article was
was written in 1919 and has never before
| been published-East Brady Review.
In the fall of 1890 Capt. John Sloan,
John Wallace and two other men by
the name of Hunt and Knott formed
themselves into small company for
the purpose of making an exploring
tour through the western country.
Their residence was in Westmoreland
county, in the vicinity of Latrobe on
| the Loyalhanna creek The four men
had two horses to carry their provisions,
riding and walking alternately. On
their journey they stopped at Fort
| Washington where Cincinnati now
stands. 1t appears that they got along
without any particular occurrence up to
that time. They had a particular OBJ
ject in view: to see the Miami country.
Some twenty miles west of Fort Wash
ington they camped for the night on
the bank near the big Miami river.
In the morning after eating of what
they had, it come Capt. Sloan's and
| Knots time to ride After they got
into their saddles and made start they
were fired upon by party of about thirty
Indians Knot was shot dead off his
horse and Capt Sloan was
shot through the left side
and through his shot pouch on
his right side, but did not fall. Hunt
and young Wallace being on foot they
ran for their lives Hunt was caught
and made prisoner. An exciting scene
now took place, Young Wallace who
was running from thirty Indians,
tripped and fell his whole length, his
gun few ont of his hand at which time
his pursuers nearly had him in their
grasp. He was on his feet in an instant
and seized his rifle, calling at the top
of his voice, ''Oh uncle don't leave
me Captain Sloan by this time had
caught the horse that Knot was shot
off for the purpose Of getting Wallace
on. Wallace by this time was pretty
well run down and made an effort to
get on the horse but failed. His comrade
holding his horse in check, Wallace got
up a second time and his uncle told HIM
to get him his gun and with his help got
on and outrode their pursuers. 1t ap-
pears that the Indians then gave up the
pursuit. When they got clear of tie
Indians Wallace says to his uncle,
Uncle you are wounded. The blood
was running down the side of the horse
and dropping off its belly. Their
object was to make their way back to
Fort Washington. They knew of Fort
Hamilton on the banks of the Big
Miami and thought it their duty to IN
form the garrison of the Indians being
in the neighborhood Accordingly they
called at the fort. The inmates of the
fort were much alarmed on getting the
information, and insisted on their stay
ing over night. So they put up at the
fort and were up early next morning to
get back to Fort Washington, where
Imedical aid could be had, as Capt. Sloan
was suffering from his wound When
the gate of the fort was opened about
break of day they found the fort
surrounded by about three hundred
Indians. The fort was a weak one,
containing about twenty men, women
and children, and there was young
officer had charge of it. The Indians
through their interpreter-de demanded
a surrender. The young officer said
that they could not hold the fort
against such an army of Indians, and
thought it best to surrender mo,
said Captain Sloan, I'VE will not give
up the fort" Well, said the young
officer, you must take the responsibility
and take command of the fort He
agreed to do so and went up on top of
the fort in full view of the enemy and
had talk of about an hour on the sub
lject of surrender. Now it Is to be
observed that any prisoner in possession
of the Indians under such c1rcum-
stances, if surrender is not made, the
persons are to meet immediate death.
Hunt, whom they had captured, was
with them and standing alongside the
interpreter, pleaded with all the elo-
quence in him with Captain Sloan to
give up the fort, knowing well what
would be his fate if they did not sur
| render The Captain at length told
them to come on, that they had anu
milton and provisions and they would
fight them as long as they thought
proper, and stepped down that instant
out of sight before the interpreter gave
| the information to the chief; their
| guns went off at the instant like clap
of thunder, accompanying the Indian
war whoop which was kept up during
the fight The writer heard Captain
Sloan say that he never felt fear at the
time of the coversation with them or
during the fight. At night the Indians
made an effort to burn the fort but
could not succeed, as they fired on
them from the fort. During the siege
an Indian took Capt. Sloan's horse out
of the stable and had ON the Captain's
cooked hat that he had lost the day be
fore in the scrimmage, and rode in
circle far enough to be out of danger
from the fort. But the Indians took all
the horses with them when they left.
Now / will inform YOU how Capt. Sloan
took scalp off one of their braves or
probably the chief or commander.
During the fight large Indian got
pretty close 10 the fort behind II corn
crib, under cover from the guns of the
fort 1t seems he got tired of his
situation and wished to get away.
Capt Sloan was sitting on a block at a
port hole unable to load his gun, but
had man to load it, and kept his eye
on the Indian behind the cri b. The
Indian put the barrel of his gun out
past the end OF the crib in order to get
some one to shoot that he might bounce
/ out and so get TO a more safe situation.
The moment he made jump from the
crib and turned to make off the Captain
shot him between the shoulders and he
fell dead in his tracks. Well, the fight
continued for twenty-four hours when
! for some reason, probably because
| they were afraid of a reinforcement from