Year: 1872

cinnati now stands; and it appears
they got along so far without any
particular occurrence taking place.
But they had particular object in
view, and a strong desire to see the
Miami country, some twenty miles
] farther west of Fort Washington.
They continued their journey, and
encamped for the night on the bank
near the big Miami river. In the
morning, after eating of such food
as they had, it became the turn Of
Captain Sloan and Mr.. Knott's to
ride. After they had mounted their
horses and rode some distance, they
were fired into by q party, as they
supposed, Of about thirty Indians.
Knott was shot and fell dead of his
horse. Captain Sloan was shot
through the left side, and another
shot passed through his shot pouch
on his right side, but he did not fall.
Hunt and young Wallace, being on
foot, ran for life. Hunt was caught
and made prisoner. Wallace ran on
at the top of his speed, and at this
time an exciting scene took place;
young Wallace, running for life,
hotly pursued by thirty Indians.
He kept his distance ahead ofthem,
until unluckily, he tripped and fell
his whole length on the ground, his
gun at the same time flew out of his
hand, at which time his pursuers
nearly had him in their grasp, but
he was on his feet in an instant, and
seizing his rifle, called at the top Of
his voice, 80, uncle don't leave me-"
Captain Sloan, by this time had
caught the horse that Knott fell
from when shot, and was holding
him ready for Wallace to mount
when he came up, and by that time
he was nearly run down. Wallace
made an effort to mount into the
saddle, but failed, his uncle still
holding his horse in check; he then
gave his gun to his uncle, and with
help he got seated in the saddle, but
not moment too soon, for the In
dians we're by this time close upon
them. But there was no need of
urging their horses into q gallop, for
they appeared to be frightened at
the report of guns and savage yells
as they advanced to either kill, or
take the two prisoners, and, as taught
by instinct, went off in double quick
time, and very soon left their pur
suers far behind. The Indians then
gave up the chase.


When they got clear of the In
dians, Wallace said to his uncle,
you are wounded The blood was
at the time trickling down the
horses side and dropping of his
belly. Their object was then to
make their way back to Fort Wash
ington. They knew of Fort Hamil-
ton, standing on the bank ofthe big
Miami, and also knew it was their
duty to inform the garrison of the
near approach of the Indians then in
the neighborhood. Accordingly
they called at the Fort, and the in
mates became much alarmed on get
ting the information, and insisted on
them staying at the Fort over night.
They agreed, and did stay as re-
quested. They were up early next
morning, anxious to get back to Fort
Washington, where medical aid
could be had, as Captain Sloan was
suffering from his wound. But they
soon found their chance was small to
get to Fort Washington, for on
opening the gate cf the Fort about
break Of day the next morning, they
found it surrounded by about three
hundred Indians. Fort Hamilton
was but weak at the time, as it con-
tanned but about twenty men, women
and children, and a young officer
who had charge of the Fort.


"The Indians demanded a surren-
der. The young officer said to Cap
tain Sloan that they could not hold
the Fort against such a vast number
of Indians and thought it best to
surrender. No. said Captain Sloan,
we will not give the Fort WELL
said the yonng officer, you must
take the responsibility and the COM
mand of the Fort Also Captain
Sloan agreed to do 50, and went up
to the top of the Fort, in full view
of the enemy, and had talk Of near
an hour on the subject of surrender.
And here it may be well to observe
that any prisoners in possession of
the Indians, under such circum-
stances, if a surrender is not made,
are sure to meet immediate death.
1 Hunt, whom they had made priso-
ner the day before, was with them,
and standing along side of the inter
prefer pleading with all the elO-
| uence in him, for Captain Sloan to
give a. the Fort, knowing well what
would be his fate if no surrender was
made. Captain Sloan told them the
garrison had no fear of what they
could do; that they might come on ;
that they had ammunition and pro-
visions plenty, and would fight as
long as they might think proper,
and then stepped down that instant
out of view, before the interpreter
gave the information to the Indian
chief. Their guns, the next instant,
went off like a clap of thunder, ac-
companied by the Indian WarwhoOp,
which was kept up during the fight.
The writer heard Captain Sloan say
he never felt the least fear at the time
of the conversation with the Indian
interpreter, nor at any time during
the fight. At night the Indians
made an effort to burn the Fort, but
did not succeed, as they were fired
upon. During the siege an Indian
took Captain Sloan's horse out of
the stable, and had the Captain S
cooked hat on, which he lost the day
before in the skirmish at the time he
was wounded in the left side. The
Indian rode around in a circle far
enough to be out of danger from the
guns of the Fort. The Indians took
all the horses with them when they
left.


The way Captain Sloan took a
scalp off one of their braves is wor.
thy of notice. 1t occurred during
the fight. A large Indian got in
pretty close to the Fort, behind a