Year: 1879




who had been captured when he was a
boy by the Indians, and Joined their
tribes and became one of them. He
was very great rascal, and for some
reason hated the Americans. The at
tack on Wheeling was therefore in
trusted to him, and collecting together
about five hundred Indians he marched
southwark for the great lakes toward
Kentucky. This was meant to deceive
the whites. The route taken by Girty
was not in'the direction of WheeliHg.-
But when he reached the Ohio river, a
little above Cincinnati, he turned to the
left, and hurried up the river to surprise
Fort Henry.


In this he did not succeed. The woods
were full of hunters at the time, who
kept their eyes on the Indians, and the
people at Wheeling were promptly in
formed that the enemy was coming to
attack them. At this all was commo-
ton. The women and children left
their homes in the village and fastened
into the fort. The men followed them
and closed the gates, and this was no
sooner done than Girty and the sayages
made their appearance.


Every one knew now that desper-
ate fight would take place, and there
seemed very little probability that the
whites would be able to hold out against
their assailants. They had only forty
two fighting men, even counting old
men and boys, and the Indian force was
about five hundred. What was worst
of all was the small supply of gun-pow-
der in the fort. A keg containing the
main supply had been left by accident
in one of the houses Of the village and
this, as you will see gave rise to the
brave action which l will now relate.


The whites were commanded by Col
onel Shepherd, who seems to have been
cool and determined man. He kept a
keen lookout for the Indians, who were
known to be in the woods near the fort,
and an accident at once took place which
showed that they were ready to attack
him. Two men, one Of them white and
the other black man, were sent out on
some errand. They left the fort and
were passing through field of corn,
when suddenly large Indian started
up from the midst Of the corn and
knocked the white man down with the
butt end Of the musket. The negro at
once turned back aud ran for his life,
and as soon as he reached the fort told
Colonel Shepherd what had happened.


Everybody knew now that the Indians
were upon them, and Colonel Shepherd
determined to send out party to attack
them. This was done. Captain Sam
Mason, with fourteen men, marched
out of the fort and into the corn-feld,
but the Indians were nowhere to be
seen. This was, however, only proof
Of their cunning. They saw Captain
Mason and his men as they passed
through the corn-feld, and when they
had gone some distance closed in on
their rear aud thus cut them of from the
fort.


A desperate fight followed. The Ia :
dians started up from the brushwood in
all directions, and opened FIRE on the
party. The hunters did not finch
They returned the fire, aud then club
bing their rifles, rushed on the swarm oil
savages to break through them and re-
gain the fort. They knocked down and
killed number of them, and made a
brave resistance but the Indians were
too many for them-they had at least
thirty to their one and the desperate
struggle was soon over. Captain MAJ
son was wounded and almost all his
men killed. The few remaining fought
on but they saw that there was no hope
for them. Mason was shot = second
time, but he turned on the Indian who
was close 10 him, and knocked him
down with his gun. He then ran into
the brushwood, and crawled into pile
of logs, where he concealed himself and
remained safe until the end Of the battle.
Two of his men did the same and these
three were all that escaped with their
liyes.


This was followed by another incident
eq1ally unfortunate. a party OF thir-
teen men had rushed out to help their
friends, but these also fell into a trap,
and eight of them were killed. The In
dams then came out Of the woods and ad
vanced on the fort.


The Indians advanced in two ranks,
in open order,' lodging behind the
trees, and ready to attack.


Girty was at the head of them; but
he first resolved to summon the place
to surrender. He therefore went into
a log cabin which was not far from the
gate of the fort, and opened a small
window, waved a white flag, which
meant that he had something to say
At this the whites ceased firing, as they
had begun to do, and listened, and Girty
read a paper 10 them. This was g
proclamation from Colonel Hamilton
ordering them to lay down their arms
and surrender. # they did so, be
promised that no harm should happen
to them; but if they refused, the fort
would be attacked and the Indian;
would put them all to death.


Girty read to the end Of the paper
and then asked what they meant to do
The reply was prompt. Colonel
Shepherd called out from the fort thai
,bav naver maant IN surrender To \