Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-01-03
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STRIP
my father fought at Quebec"
answered slowly.
What of 1t? Your father and my IA
tther fought for England. They were
Englishmen. Let s,swho are Amerf-l
cans. initiate our fathers by fighting
for America. q ssi
Isl have not made up my mind to
fight our king / answered slowly,
but have determined to fight his
deputy, Lord Dunmore.,'
"Oh, l think you will march with us
when the time comes, said Cresap,
with one Of his rare smiles, and he led
the way out OF the stockade, caution
ing us to step clear'sof the powder
Cut a time fuse for the train and
bring It to me at the barracks. ;, he
said to Corporal Cloud, and, saluting
us thoughtfully, he entered the case
mates, where the women and children
were gathered in fearful silence.
4 heard him tell the poor creatures
that their homes had gone up in
smoke; that for the moment twas
necessary to retire to Fort Pitt. and
that each family might take only such
household implements and extra cloth
Ing as they could carry In their arms.
The day wore away In preparation
for the march. X had nothing to pre-
pare. III had lost my rife and ammu-
milton when q prisoner among the
Cayugas, and my spare clothing and
provisions when Boy inn was burn
ed. Fortunately, Boyd had buckled on
my money belt for safe keeping. and
the honest old man delivered it to me,
condoling with me for the loss Of my
clothing and food and never q word of
complaint for his own loss Of home
and bed and everything he owned in
the world, nor would he accept a shil-
ling from me to aid him toward new
beginning in life.
One thing that Mount told me arous-
ed my anger and contempt. There was
now not a Tory left among Cresap's
people. All had fed when Greathouse
fed, proving clearly that If all had not
aided in the slaughter Of Logan's chill
dren they at least had been informed
of the plot and had probably been
warned that the murderous deed would
be laid at Tory doors. =
Toward dusk our scouts began to
come in, one by one. with sad stories
concerning the outlying settlements
and lonely farms. One Of them vowed
that the Oneidas had Joined in. and he
exhibited a moccasin that he had
found as proof, but when l saw the
1t troubled me greatly, yet did not
inform Cresap, because i could not
believa our Mohawks had risen.
At 8 o'clock the postern was opened
quietly, and the first detachment of
rifemen left the fort stealing out into
the starlight, weapons at n trail. When
| the scouts returned to say that the
coast was clear tho column started in
| perfect silence,
When the rear guard had disappear
led in the darkness Cresap, Mount,
| Cade Renard and / holted the gates,
drew up the drawbridge, locked 1t and
dropped the keys into the moat. Then
] Cresap and Mount ran across the pa
rade toward tie magazine, while we
| tied a knotted rope to the southern
| parapet and shook it free so that 1t
hung to the edge of the counterscarp
below
Presently Mount came hurrying back
across the parade and up the scarp
to where we Stood bidding US hasten,
for the fuse was afire and might burn
| more quickly than we expected.
Down the rope. hand over hand, tum-
bled the Weasel. and then, Mount mo-
| toned me to go. Down l scrambled
all ran as though the Six Nations were
at our heels. After ten minutes at top
speed we joined the rear guard and
fell in with the major, painting. A roar
shook the solid forest; crimson flame
shot up to the stars; then thunderous
Z darkness buried US.
Now that the forts exploded, look
out for the Iroquois," said Mount
steadying his voice with an effort
i Cresap had given me rifle l halted
to load it, then ran on to join Mount
and Renard. We plodded on in silence
for awhile. Presently Mount asked
me what meant to do in Pittsburg.
81 mean to see Lord Dunmore." re
piled quietly.
Mount pretended to fear for his lord
ships scalp. but was in no humor FOL
Testing and said no more. had beer
looking ahead along the line Of wagons
where lanthorn was glimmering, an6
as l approached l was surprised to SCI
tall Indian standing beside Cresap
mufaed to the chin in his BLANKET. s;
Cardigan" said Cresap, my scout.
found this Indian walking ahead in th,
trail all alone. He made no resistance
and they brought him in. He seems t.
be foolish or simple minded. can