The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-12-16

gan to fall around US. The British and
Indians were in sight, and General
Proctor sent 1lag Of truce demanding
surrender.
Major Croghan's ensign approached
the messenger with a flag in reply.
The women gathered their children
as chickens under shelter. All in the
fort were cheerful, and the men joked
with the gush Of humor which danger
starts in Americans. / saw then the
ready laugh that faced in Its season
what was called Indian summer, be-
cause the Indian then took advantage
Of the last pleasant weather to make
raids Such pioneers could speak light
y even of powwowing time, the first
pleasant February days, when savages
held councils before descending on the
settlements.
Major Croghan and I watched the
parley from one Of the blockhouses
that Fashioned the place. Before it
ended q Shawanoe sprang out Of ra-
vine and snatchcd the cnsign's sword.
He gave it back reluctantly, and the
British la bearer hurried the Amer
lean within the gates.
General Proctor regretted that so
fine a young man as Major Croghan
should fall into the hands Of savagea
who were not to be restrained
"When this fort is taken" said Gro
CHAN on hearing the message, there
will be nobody left in it to kill"
British gunboats drawn up on tho
Sandusky river and howitzer on the
shore opened fire and cannonaded all
day with the poor execution Of long
range artillery. The northwestern an
gie Of the fort was their target. Gro
CHAN foresaw that the enemy's 1nten-
lion was to make breach and enter
there. When night came again his one
G FOUNDER ives moved with much la-
Dor from that angle into the southwest
blockhouse as nolselessly as possible.
He masked the embrasure and had the
piece loaded with a double charge Of
slugs and grapeshot and half charge
Of powder. Perhaps the British
thought him unprovided with any
heavy artillery.
They were busy themselves bringing
three Of the Intellectual 8 Founders
and the howitzer under darkness with
in 25O yards Of the fort, giving q back
ground Of woods TO their battery.
About dawn we saw what they had
been doing. They concentrated on the
northwest angle, anG still Croghan re-
piled only with musksts, waiting for
them to storm.
So it went on all day, the gun proof
blockhouse enduring its bombardment
and smoke thickening until it filed
the stockade as water fills well and
settled like fog between US and the en-
emy. An attack was made on the
southern angle where the cannon was
masked.
''This Is nothing but a feint" Go
CHAN said to the younger officers.
While that corner replied with mus
kerry be kept q sharp lookout for the
safety Of the northwest blockhouse.
One soldier was brought down the
ladder and carried through the murky
pail tcl the surgeon, who could do moth
Ing for him. Another turned from a
loophole with blood upon him, laugh
ing at his mishap, for the grotesque-
ness and inconvenience Of wound are
sometimes more swiftly felt than its
pain. He came back presently with
his shoulder bandaged and resumed
his place at the loophole.
The exhilaration Of that powder at
mosphere and its heat made soldiers
throw off their coats, as if the eI-
panding human body was not to be
confined in wrappings.
In such twilight Of war the twilight
Of nature overlook US. Another feint
was made to draw attention from q
heavy force Of assailants creeping
within twenty PAGES, under cover Of
smoke, to surprise the northwest block
house.
Musketry was directed against them.
They hesitated. The commander led a
charge and himself sprang first into
the ditch. We saw the fine fellows leap
ing to carry the blockhouse, every man
determined to be first in making
breach They filed the ditch.
This was the instant for which Gro
CHAN had waited. he opened the port
hole and unmasked his exactly trained
cannon. It cnfladed the assailants,
sweeping them at distance Of thirty
feet; slugs and grapeshot Kissed,
spreading fan rays Of deathl By the
fash Of the reloaded G FOUNDER we
saw the trench filed with dead and
wounded.
The besiegers turned
Croghan's sweating gunners swabbed
and loaded and fired. roaring like lions.
The Indians, Of whom there were
nearly a thousand. were not in the
charge, and when retreat began they
went in panic We could hear calls and
yells, the clatter Of arms and thump-
ing Of the earth; the strain Of men tug
ging cannon ropes; the swift Wltn-
drawal of a routed force.
Two thousand more Indians, ap-
preaching under Tecumseh, were turn
ed back by refugees.
Croghan remarked as we listened to
the uproar, "Fort Stephenson can hand
" be called untenable against heavy
artillery"
Then arose cries in the ditch which
penetrated to women's ears. Neither
side was able to help the wounded
there. But before the rout was COM
plete Croghan had water let down In
buckets to relieve their thirst and or
dered q trench cut under the pickets Of
the stockade. Through this the poor
wretches who were able to crawl came
IN and surrendered themselves and had
their wounds dressed
By 3 o'clock in the morning not q
British uniform glimmered red through
the dawn. The noise Of retreat ended.
Pistols and muskets strewed the