The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-20
SIZE FOUGHT THE INDIANS.
SISGLE-HANDED A WOMAN HELD THE
REDSKINS At BAY
A Story Of the Peril of q Pioneer Family in
Old Missouri-Feathers Utilised as One Of
Her Chief Means OF Successful Defence.

A Story Of the Peril Of a Pioneer Family in
Old Missouri-Feathers Utilised ms One Of
Her Chief Means OF Successful Defence.
From, the 81. Louis RspuHte
On the southern slope OF a hillside. about nifty
Ave miles west from st Louis and midway be-
tween tho Missouri and Mississippi rivers. IL the
ruin-and even that has almost disappearod-of
q quaint, heavily built log structure, known la
the early days OF the white mans advance into
Missouri as Fort Kennedy. This outpost OF the
westward march OF civilization was tho scene OF a
battle waged on one side by party OF maurading
Indiana on the other by woman. and the result
Of which was the woman's victory. II was the
battle OF woman for her home and little ones,
and for her own life, too. The fort was years
alter superseded by q substantial tarm-hous the
forest has given way 70 tho axe, and what was
once thick woodland is now divided into pasture
and grain fields A railroad runs across
ner OF the farm. and in sight OF the house has
grown up o thriving Missouri town. The de-
sccndant" OF tho woman who fought and won the
battle still own, but do not live on, the farm.
II was autumn and the Osagcs tue tribe OF
Indians that inhabited the territory at that
time, were rowing about In bands hunting, the
game season being at Its zenith. The redmen
were not friendly with the ever increasing pale
faces and in fact, locke on them az their In
unient with in erest and collisions with hunting
parties OF Indians were frequent Al tho time
mentioned, maraudings and murders by the In
dams had been more frequent than usual.
i was not strange, therefore that Mother
hennedy, Standing at the front door Of tho
Tort should feel apprehensivc as she peered down
the visa in front, nankcd upon either side by
long MES OF giant oaks and hickories She and
her three small children were the only persons
att o fort Her husband had gone out that
morning with his dogs and ride in quest Of game,
salt pork and dried venison having become a
uresomo diet He mad said he would return in
tne afternoon, but had not come.
Muslng on the probability OF her husba nd IS re.
turn, fearing what might have happened, yet
daring not ~ think on what she feared Mother
KENNEDY began doing the chores that evening
brings about farm house She noticed as she
come up from the range earlier tnan usual and
huddled about the pens and feeding places in
followed her about impauently. II was al
most dark when Mother Kennedy an
,shed NE evenings worx and entered tho
fort The evening meal over, the anxious
though. she sppf1 Hs nUned Of her husbands rs
CHEEKY man, or the barking Of the dogs She
waited until II grew quite dark, and then sud;
the ss sans Of Gas hid Ssy Fl anS we
: she said Thar AIM ben mary painter round
framed g. ss' 81 this a%s e.psesing Nc
s O. H ss t nsI Of thu. vas animal fno
cry this time was nearer. too In an instant It
was repeated on another side Of the house, some
distance away. but still nearer than the frst.
better get things ready fer the varmints.'
to tho woodpiie in the yard and secured her hus.
bands axe. returned and re-entered the fort
as aims. tie wall to be- e for me @ S
!a 4. i was * we'll loaded She leaned saH !;
view deo the H6E F Then SR
This done, she looked. or, rather felt about for
something else To do. There seemed nothing
Sns ,ss o, The sss CRY very
OF the fort, Mira Kennedy iancied she could sec
forms OF Indians gathering on the edge OF the
raised her rifle. II It were a panther, to ERE
would frig hten the animal away.
ii the forms she thong ht she saw were real
shot would warn the India IS that the inmates Of
the fort were aware OF their presence and pro.
pared to receive them. IL. indeed none were hit
safer to stay away than to attack. She Was al
occurred 10 her h.t tho Tort being darI-~she
had not the alSw Indians
one was there. and would 20 away again IN
nearer until she could listing Wish ono
aimed and fred. A form eaped into the ar,
there shrek OF pain and hurrying of foot
steps back W the she ter Of the trees Mrs Ken
nedy quickly reloaded her rife and. knowing the
tactics Of the Indians. made circuit Of the room
and looked out Of the poItholes-t were four.
proach was attempted from any other point
She could see nothing, Another contingency
it than she emptied the mattress on her bed OF its
stufings Of geese and turkey feathers, into
she Der ones ,S' and
made them stand near the door ready to run for
the timber Y ~ should be necessary 10 attempt 70
portfolios was made. but nothing was developed.
After a few minutes shots were fred in front Of
the fort M iIs Kennedy rushed to the portfolio
she did no. ara She waited for one Of
those dark forms to appear. 80 that she mig ht
OF the Indians was effective. and one or two Of
their number reached the fort from the rear and
the roof Mrs Kennedy understood what il
meant, and the fact that the reds were daring
RsS He asS s ss
sprang from the portfolio TO the fireplace. flint
and steel in hand There was fl ash and flames
and pungent smoke from the feathers rolled up
Howls Of disgu st and a quick clamhering from
| successful--tho Indians who had started down
| the chinpcy Ietrea,ed from tho heat and sliding
Mr., Se sq1 k n e bs h o
might escape into the darkness with her little
ones while the the sssaiIen's were temporarily
on the table In the centre OF the room whom there
came a battoring at the door OF the fort The
Indians in front OF the place had taken advantage
q the opportunity offered by the ruse OF the reds
| on the roof 10 secure large timber and
| charge against the door in an attempt to
batter it In. AT the third blow the lower half Of
the plank in tho centre Of the door gave way.
man crawling through Mrs Kennedy sprang
| TO one side OF the door and stood with appraised
axe A painted face appeared at the aperture
| but as Mrs Kennedy stood close 10 the wall and
| on one side and the children on the other ali
keeping quiet. the little ones obeying every sign
| OF their mother and Ike young partridges, ready
| 10 run and hide at her signal. The warrior saw
| nothing. The painted face was thrust further
| into tho opening and seeing nothing the Indian
started boldly through tho broken door.
| Mrs. Kennedy compressed her lips until blood
| was 70 reed from hem, and when tbs Indian had
got we'll within tho room and was about to draw
| his tomahawk she brought down tho axe With
crushing force on his skull. then hastily puIle i
| him aside while death quieted him. The Indians,
thinking that there was no danger, their com.
| Tade having uttered no sound, started another OF
their number through; But he caught sight OF
| back. uuerng wild yell Mrs. Kennedy struck
at but only wounded him. He ran OF yelling
| at the top OF his voice. Shots from another
| quarter at this moment caused a stampede OF