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+The Project Gutenberg EBook of Heroes and Hunters of the West, by Anonymous
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: Heroes and Hunters of the West
+
+Author: Anonymous
+
+Release Date: October 19, 2008 [EBook #26965]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HEROES AND HUNTERS OF THE WEST ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed
+Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: THE WOUNDED PIONEER.]
+
+
+
+
+HEROES AND HUNTERS OF THE WEST:
+
+COMPRISING SKETCHES AND ADVENTURES
+OF
+BOONE, KENTON, BRADY, LOGAN, WHETZEL,
+FLEEHART, HUGHES, JOHNSTON, &c.
+
+PHILADELPHIA:
+H. C. PECK & THEO. BLISS.
+1860.
+
+
+
+
+Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1853,
+
+BY H. C. PECK & THEO. BLISS,
+
+in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Eastern District
+of Pennsylvania.
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTS.
+
+Daniel Boone.                                              11
+Simon Kenton.                                              19
+George Rogers Clarke.                                      24
+Benjamin Logan.                                            32
+Samuel Brady.                                              38
+Lewis Whetzel.                                             45
+Caffree, M'Clure, and Davis.                               58
+Charles Johnston.                                          66
+Joseph Logston.                                            74
+Jesse Hughes.                                              81
+Siege of Fort Henry.                                       87
+Simon Girty.                                              103
+Joshua Fleehart.                                          118
+Indian Fight on the Little Muskingum.                     129
+Escape of Return J. Meigs.                                137
+Estill's Defeat.                                          144
+A Pioneer Mother.                                         154
+The Squatter's Wife and Daughter.                         167
+Captain William Hubbell.                                  173
+Murder of Cornstalk and his Son.                          185
+The Massacre of Chicago.                                  189
+The Two Friends.                                          211
+Desertion of a young White Man, from a party of Indians.  219
+Morgan's Triumph.                                         229
+Massacre of Wyoming.                                      233
+Heroic Women of the West.                                 243
+Indian Strategem Foiled.                                  250
+Blackbird.                                                265
+A Desperate Adventure.                                    268
+Adventure of Two Scouts.                                  276
+A Young Hero of the West.                                 299
+
+
+
+
+PREFACE.
+
+
+To the lovers of thrilling adventure, the title of this work would alone
+be its strongest recommendation. The exploits of the Heroes of the West,
+need but a simple narration to give them an irresistible charm. They
+display the bolder and rougher features of human nature in their noblest
+light, softened and directed by virtues that have appeared in the really
+heroic deeds of every age, and form pages in the history of this country
+destined to be read and admired when much that is now deemed more
+important is forgotten.
+
+It is true, that, with the lights of this age, we regard many of the deeds
+of our western pioneer as aggressive, barbarous, and unworthy of civilized
+men. But there is no truly noble heart that will not swell in admiration
+of the devotion and disinterestedness of Benjamin Logan, the self-reliant
+energy of Boone and Whetzel, and the steady firmness and consummate
+military skill of George Rogers Clarke. The people of this country need
+records of the lives of such men, and we have attempted to present these
+in an attractive form.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: CAPTURE OF BOONE.]
+
+
+
+
+HEROES OF THE WEST.
+
+
+
+
+DANIEL BOONE.
+
+
+In all notices of border life, the name of Daniel Boone appears first--as
+the hero and the father of the west. In him were united those qualities
+which make the accomplished frontiersman--daring, activity, and
+circumspection, while he was fitted beyond most of his contemporary
+borderers to lead and command.
+
+Daniel Boone was born either in Virginia or Pennsylvania, and at an early
+age settled in North Carolina, upon the banks of the Yadkin. In 1767,
+James Findley, the first white man who ever visited Kentucky, returned to
+the settlements of North Carolina, and gave such a glowing account of that
+wilderness, that Boone determined to venture into it, on a hunting
+expedition. Accordingly, in 1769, accompanied by Findley and four others,
+he commenced his journey. Kentucky was found to be all that the first
+adventurer had represented, and the hunters had fine sport. The country
+was uninhabited, but, during certain seasons, parties of the northern and
+southern Indians visited it upon hunting expeditions. These parties
+frequently engaged in fierce conflicts, and hence the beautiful region was
+known as the "dark and bloody ground."
+
+[Illustration: BATTLE OF BLUE LICKS.]
+
+On the 22d of December, 1769, Boone and one of his companions, named John
+Stuart, left their encampment on the Red river, and boldly followed a
+buffalo path far into the forest. While roving carelessly from canebrake
+to canebrake, they were suddenly alarmed by the appearance of a party of
+Indians, who, springing from their place of concealment, rushed upon them
+with a swiftness which rendered escape impossible. The hunters were
+seized, disarmed, and made prisoners. Under these terrible circumstances,
+Boone's presence of mind was admirable. He saw that there was no chance of
+immediate escape; but he encouraged his companion and constrained himself
+to follow the Indians in all their movements, with so constrained an air,
+that their vigilance began to relax.
+
+[Illustration: DANIEL BOONE.]
+
+On the seventh evening of the captivity of the hunter, the party encamped
+in a thick cane-break, and having built a large fire lay down to rest.
+About midnight, Boone, who had not closed his eyes, ascertained from the
+deep breathing of all around him, that the whole party, including Stuart,
+was in a deep sleep. Gently extricating himself from the savages who lay
+around him, he awoke Stuart, informed him of his determination to escape,
+and exhorted him to follow without noise. Stuart obeyed with quickness and
+silence. Rapidly moving through the forest, guided by the light of the
+stars and the barks of the trees, the hunters reached their former camp
+the next day, but found it plundered and deserted, with nothing remaining
+to show the fate of their companions. Soon afterwards, Stuart was shot and
+scalped, and Boone and his brother who had come into the wilderness from
+North Carolina, were left alone in the forest. Nay, for several months,
+Daniel had not a single companion, for his brother returned to North
+Carolina for ammunition. The hardy hunter was exposed to the greatest
+dangers, but he contrived to escape them all. In 1771, Boone and his
+brother returned to North Carolina, and Daniel, having sold what property
+he could not take with him, determined to take his family to Kentucky, and
+make a settlement. He was joined by others at "Powel's Valley," and
+commenced the journey, at the head of a considerable party of pioneers.
+Being attacked by the Indians, the adventurers were compelled to return,
+and it was not until 1774, that the indomitable Boone succeeded in
+conveying his family to the banks of the Kentucky, and founding
+Boonesborough. In the meantime, James Harrod had settled at the station
+called Harrodsburgh. Other stations were founded by Bryant and
+Logan--daring pioneers; but Boonesborough was the chief object of Indian
+hostility, and was exposed to almost incessant attack, from its foundation
+until after the bloody battle of Blue Licks. During this time, Daniel
+Boone was regarded as the chief support and counsellor of the settlers,
+and in all emergencies, his wisdom and valor was of the greatest service.
+He met with many adventures, and made some hair-breadth escapes, but
+survived all his perils and hardships and lived to a green old age,
+enjoying the respect and confidence of a large and happy community, which
+his indomitable spirit had been chiefly instrumental in founding. He never
+lost his love of the woods and the chase, and within a few weeks of his
+death might have been seen, rifle in hand, eager in the pursuit of game.
+
+[Illustration: SIMON KENTON.]
+
+[Illustration: LOGAN.]
+
+
+
+
+SIMON KENTON.
+
+
+Simon Kenton was born in Fauquier county, Virginia, on the 15th of May,
+1755. His parents were poor, and until the age of sixteen his days seem to
+have been passed in the laborious drudgery of a farm. When he was about
+sixteen, an unfortunate occurrence threw him upon his own resources. A
+robust young farmer, named Leitchman, and he were rival suitors for the
+hand of a young coquette, and she being unable to decide between them,
+they took the matter into their own hands and fought a regular pitched
+battle at a solitary spot in the forest. After a severe struggle, Kenton
+triumphed, and left his antagonist upon the ground, apparently in the
+agonies of death. Without returning for a suit of clothing, the young
+conqueror fled westward, assumed the name of Butler, joined a party of
+daring hunters, and visited Kentucky, (1773.) In the wilderness he became
+an accomplished and successful hunter and spy, but suffered many
+hardships.
+
+In 1774, the Indian war, occasioned by the murder of the family of the
+chief, Logan, broke out, and Kenton entered the service of the Virginians
+as a spy, in which capacity he acted throughout the campaign, ending with
+the battle of Point Pleasant. He then explored the country on both sides
+of the Ohio, and hunted in company with a few other, in various parts of
+Kentucky. When Boonesborough was attacked by a large body of Indians,
+Simon took an active part in the defence, and in several of Boone's
+expeditions, our hero served as a spy, winning a high reputation.
+
+In the latter part of 1777, Kenton, having crossed the Ohio, on a
+horse-catching expedition, was overtaken and made captive by the Indians.
+Then commenced a series of tortures to which the annals of Indian warfare,
+so deeply tinged with horrors, afford few parallels. Having kicked and
+cuffed him, the savages tied him to a pole, in a very painful position,
+where they kept him till the next morning, then tied him on a wild colt
+and drove it swiftly through the woods to Chilicothe. Here he was tortured
+in various ways. The savages then carried him to Pickaway, where it was
+intended to burn him at the stake, but from this awful death, he was saved
+through the influence of the renegade, Simon Girty, who had been his early
+friend. Still, Kenton was carried about from village to village, and
+tortured many times. At length, he was taken to Detroit, an English post,
+where he was well-treated; and he recovered from his numerous wounds. In
+the summer of 1778, he succeeded in effecting his escape, and, after a
+long march, reached Kentucky.
+
+[Illustration: SIMON GIRTY.]
+
+Kenton was engaged in all the Indian expeditions up to Wayne's decisive
+campaign, in 1794, and was very serviceable as a spy. Few borderers had
+passed through so many hardships, and won so bright a reputation. He lived
+to a very old age, and saw the country, in which he had fought and
+suffered, formed into the busy and populous state of Ohio. In his latter
+days, he was very poor, and, but for the kindness of some distinguished
+friends, would have wanted for the necessaries of life.
+
+
+
+
+GEORGE ROGERS CLARKE.
+
+
+In natural genius for military command, few men of the west have equalled
+George Rogers Clarke. The conception and execution of the famous
+expedition against Kaskaskia and Vincennes displayed many of those
+qualities for which the best generals of the world have been eulogized,
+and would have done honor to a Clive.
+
+Clarke was born in Albermarle county, Virginia, in September, 1753. Like
+Washington, he engaged, at an early age, in the business of land
+surveying, and was fond of several branches of mathematics. On the
+breaking out of Dunmore's war, Clarke took command of a company, and
+fought bravely at the battle of Point Pleasant, being engaged in the only
+active operation of the right wing of the Virginians against the Indians.
+Peace was concluded soon after, by Lord Dunmore, and Clarke, whose gallant
+bearing had been noticed, was offered a commission in the royal service.
+But this he refused, as he apprehended that his native country would soon
+be at war with Great Britain.
+
+[Illustration: GEORGE ROGERS CLARKE.]
+
+Early in 1775, Clarke visited Kentucky as the favorite scene of adventure,
+and penetrated to Harrodsburgh. His talents were immediately appreciated
+by the Kentuckians, and he was placed in command of all the irregular
+troops in that wild region. In 1776, the young commander exerted himself
+with extraordinary ability to secure a political organization and the
+means of defence to Kentucky, and was so successful as to win the title of
+the founder of the commonwealth.[A]
+
+In partisan service against the Indians, Clarke was active and efficient;
+but his bold and comprehensive mind looked to checking savage inroads at
+their sources. He saw at a glance, that the red men were stimulated to
+outrages by the British garrisons of Detroit, Vincennes and Kaskaskia, and
+was satisfied that to put an end to them, those posts must be captured.
+Having sent two spies to reconnoitre Kaskaskia and Vincennes, and gained
+considerable intelligence of the situation of the enemy, the enterprising
+commander sought aid from the government of Virginia to enable him to
+carry out his designs. After some delay, money, supplies, and a few
+companies of troops were obtained. Clarke then proceeded to Corn Island,
+opposite the present city of Louisville. Here the objects of the
+expedition were disclosed. Some of the men murmured, and others attempted
+to desert; but the energy of Colonel Clarke secured obedience and even
+enthusiasm.
+
+The little band soon commenced its march through a wild and difficult
+country, and on the 4th of July, 1778, reached a spot within a few miles
+of the town of Kaskaskia. Clarke made his arrangements for a surprise with
+great skill and soon after dark, the town was captured without shedding a
+drop of blood. The inhabitants were at first terror-stricken and expected
+to be massacred, but they were soon convinced of their mistake by the
+bearing and representations of the Virginia commander. Cahokia was
+captured shortly afterwards, without difficulty.
+
+Clarke's situation was now extremely critical, and he duly appreciated the
+fact. Vincennes was still in front, so garrisoned, that it seemed madness
+to attempt its capture by direct attack. But a bold offensive movement
+could alone render the conquests which had been made, permanent and
+advantageous. A French priest, named Gibault, secured the favor of the
+inhabitants of Vincennes for the American interest, and the Indians of the
+neighborhood were conciliated by the able management of Colonel Clarke,
+who knew how to win the favor of the men better than any other borderer;
+but on the 29th of January, 1779, intelligence was received at Kaskaskia,
+where Clarke was then posted, that Governor Hamilton had taken possession
+of Vincennes, and meditated the re-capture of the other posts, preparatory
+to assailing the whole frontier, as far as Fort Pitt.
+
+[Illustration: BATTLE OF POINT PLEASANT.]
+
+Clarke determined to act upon the offensive immediately, as his only
+salvation. Mounting a galley with two four-pounders and four swivels, and
+manning it with forty-six men, he dispatched it up the Wabash, to the
+White River, and on the 7th of February, 1779, marched from Kaskaskia at
+the head of only one hundred and seventy men, over the drowned lands of
+the Wabash, against the British post. The march of Arnold by way of the
+Kennebec to Canada can alone be placed as a parallel with this difficult
+expedition. The indomitable spirit of Clarke sustained the band through
+the most incredible fatigues. On the 28th the expedition approached the
+town, still undiscovered. The American commander then issued a
+proclamation, intended to produce an impression that his force was large
+and confident of success, and invested the fort. So vigorously was the
+siege prosecuted that the garrison was reduced to straits, and Governor
+Hamilton compelled to capitulate. (24th of February, 1779.) This was a
+brilliant achievement and reflected the highest honor upon Colonel Clarke
+and his gallant band. Detroit was now in full view, and Clarke was
+confident he could capture it if he had but five hundred men; but he could
+not obtain that number, till the chances of success were annihilated, and
+thus his glorious expedition terminated. The object of the enterprise,
+however, which was the checking of Indian depredations, was accomplished.
+Clarke afterwards engaged in other military enterprises and held high
+civil offices in Kentucky; but at the capture of Vincennes his fame
+reached its greatest brilliancy, and posterity will not willingly let it
+die.
+
+-----
+
+  [A]  Butler.
+
+
+
+
+BENJAMIN LOGAN.
+
+
+The real heroic spirit, which delights in braving the greatest dangers in
+the cause of humanity, was embodied in Benjamin Logan, one of the first
+settlers in Kentucky. This distinguished borderer was born in Augusta
+county, Virginia. At an early age he displayed the noble impulses of his
+heart; for upon the death of his father, when the laws of Virginia allowed
+him, as the eldest son, the whole property of the intestate, he sold the
+farm and distributed the money among his brothers and sisters, reserving a
+portion for his mother. At the age of twenty-one, Logan removed to the
+banks of the Holston, where he purchased a farm, and married. He served in
+Dunmore's war. In 1775, he removed to Kentucky, and soon became
+distinguished among the hardy frontiersmen for firmness, prudence, and
+humanity. In the following year he returned for his family, and brought
+them to a small settlement called Logan's Fort, not far from
+Harrodsburgh.
+
+[Illustration: LOGAN JOURNEYING INTO KENTUCKY.]
+
+On the morning of the 20th of May, 1777, the women were milking the cows
+at the gate of the little fort, and some of the garrison attending them,
+when a party of Indians appeared and fired at them. One man was shot dead,
+and two more wounded, one of them mortally. The whole party instantly ran
+into the fort, and closed the gate. The enemy quickly showed themselves at
+the edge of the canebrake, within rifle-shot of the gate, and seemed
+numerous and determined. A spectacle was now presented to the garrison
+which awakened interest and compassion. A man, named Harrison, had been
+severely wounded, and still lay near the spot where he had fallen. The
+poor fellow strove to crawl towards the fort, and succeeded in reaching a
+cluster of bushes, which, however, were too thin to shelter his person
+from the enemy. His wife and children in the fort were in deep distress at
+his situation. The case was one to try the hearts of men. The numbers of
+the garrison were so small, that it was thought folly to sacrifice any
+more lives in striving to save one seemingly far spent. Logan endeavored
+to persuade some of the men to accompany him in a sally; but the danger
+was so appalling that only one man, John Martin, could be induced to make
+the attempt. The gate was opened, and the two sallied forth, Logan leading
+the way. They had advanced about five steps, when Harrison made a vigorous
+attempt to rise, and Martin, supposing him able to help himself, sprang
+back within the gate. Harrison fell at full-length upon the grass. Logan
+paused a moment after the retreat of Martin, then sprang forward to the
+spot where Harrison lay, seized the wounded man in his arms, and in spite
+of a tremendous shower of balls poured from every side, reached the fort
+without receiving a scratch, though the gate and picketing near him were
+riddled and his clothes pierced in several places.
+
+Soon afterwards, the heroic Logan again performed an act of self-devotion.
+The fort was vigorously assailed, and although the little garrison made a
+brave defence, their destruction seemed imminent, on account of the
+scarcity of ammunition. Holston was the nearest point where supplies could
+be obtained. But who would brave so many dangers in the attempt to procure
+it? No one but Logan. After encouraging his men to hope for his speedy
+return, he crawled through the Indian encampment on a dark night,
+proceeded by by-paths, which no white man had then trodden, reached
+Holston, obtained a supply of powder and lead, returned by the same almost
+inaccessible paths, and got safe within the walls of the fort. The
+garrison was inspired with fresh courage, and in a few days, the
+appearance of Colonel Bowman, with a body of troops, compelled the savages
+to retire.
+
+Logan led several expeditions into the Indian country, and won a high
+renown as one of the boldest and most successful of Kentucky's heroes.
+When the Indian depredations were, in a great measure, checked, he devoted
+himself to civil affairs, and exerted considerable influence upon the
+politics of the country. Throughout his career, he was beloved and
+respected as a fearless, honest, and intelligent man.
+
+
+
+
+SAMUEL BRADY.
+
+
+Captain Samuel Brady was the Daniel Boone of Western Pennsylvania. As
+brave as a lion, as swift as a deer, and as cautious as a panther, he gave
+the Indians reason to tremble at the mention of his name. As the captain
+of the rangers he was the favorite of General Brodhead, the commander of
+the Pennsylvania forces, and regarded by the frontier inhabitants as their
+eye and arm.
+
+The father and brother of Captain Brady being killed by the Indians, it is
+said that our hero vowed to revenge their murder, and never be at peace
+with the Indians of any tribe. Many instances of such dreadful vows, made
+in moments of bitter anguish, occur in the history of our border, and,
+when we consider the circumstances, we can scarcely wonder at the number,
+though, as Christians, we should condemn such bloody resolutions.
+
+[Illustration: GENERAL BRODHEAD.]
+
+Many of Brady's exploits are upon record; and they are entitled to our
+admiration for their singular daring and ingenuity. One of the most
+remarkable is known in border history as Brady's Leap. The energetic
+Brodhead, by an expedition into the Indian country, had delivered such
+destructive blows that the savages were quieted for a time. The general
+kept spies out, however, for the purpose of guarding against sudden
+attacks on the settlements. One of the scouting parties, under the command
+of Captain Brady, had the French creek country assigned as their field of
+duty. The captain reached the waters of Slippery Rock, without seeing any
+signs of Indians. Here, however, he came on a trail, in the evening, which
+he followed till dark, without overtaking the enemy. The next morning the
+pursuit was renewed, and Brady overtook the Indians while they were at
+their morning meal. Unfortunately, another party of savages was in his
+rear, and when he fired upon those in front, he was in turn fired upon
+from behind. He was now between two fires, and greatly outnumbered. Two of
+his men fell, his tomahawk was shot from his side, and the enemy shouted
+for the expected triumph. There was no chance of successful defence in the
+position of the rangers, and they were compelled to break and flee.
+
+Brady ran towards the creek. The Indians pursued, certain of making him
+captive, on account of the direction he had taken. To increase their
+speed, they threw away their guns, and pressed forward with raised
+tomahawk. Brady saw his only chance of escape, which was to leap the
+creek, afterwards ascertained to be twenty-two feet wide and twenty deep.
+Determined never to fall alive into the hands of the Indians, he made a
+mighty effort, sprang across the abyss of waters and stood rifle in hand
+upon the opposite bank. As quick as lightning, he proceeded to load his
+rifle. A large Indian, who had been foremost in pursuit, came to the
+opposite bank, and after magnanimously doing justice to the captain by
+exclaiming "Blady make good jump!" made a rapid retreat.
+
+Brady next went to the place appointed as a rendezvous for his party, and
+finding there three of his men, commenced his homeward march, about half
+defeated. Three Indians had been killed while at their breakfast. The
+savages did not return that season, to do any injury to the whites, and
+early in the fall, moved off to join the British, who had to keep them
+during the winter, their corn having been destroyed by General Brodhead.
+Brady survived all his perils and hardships and lived to see the Indians
+completely humbled before those whites on whom they had committed so many
+outrages.
+
+[Illustration: MASSACRE OF MRS. WHETZEL AND HER CHILDREN.]
+
+
+
+
+LEWIS WHETZEL.
+
+
+The Whetzel family is remembered in the west for the courage, resolution,
+and skill in border warfare displayed by four of its members. Their names
+were Martin, Lewis, Jacob, and John. Of these, Lewis won the highest
+renown, and it is doubtful whether Boone, Brady, or Kenton equaled him in
+boldness of enterprise.
+
+In the hottest part of the Indian war, old Mr. Whetzel, who was a German,
+built his cabin some distance from the fort at Wheeling. One day, during
+the absence of the two oldest sons, Martin and John, a numerous party of
+Indians surrounded the house, killed, tomahawked and scalped old Mr.
+Whetzel, his wife, and the small children, and carried off Lewis, who was
+then about thirteen years old, and Jacob who was about eleven. Before the
+young captives had been carried far, Lewis contrived their escape. When
+these two boys grew to be men, they took a solemn oath never to make peace
+with the Indians as long as they had strength to wield a tomahawk or sight
+to draw a bead, and they kept their oath.
+
+The appearance of Lewis Whetzel was enough to strike terror into common
+men. He was about five feet ten inches high, having broad shoulders, a
+full breast, muscular limbs, a dark skin, somewhat pitted by the small
+pox, hair which, when combed out, reached to the calves of his legs, and
+black eyes, whose excited and vindictive glance would curdle the blood. He
+excelled in all exercises of strength and activity, could load his rifle
+while running with almost the swiftness of a deer, and was so habituated
+to constant action, that an imprisonment of three days, as ordered by
+General Harmar, was nearly fatal to him. He had the most thorough
+self-reliance as his long, solitary and perilous expeditions into the
+Indian country prove.
+
+[Illustration: INDIAN CHIEF.]
+
+In the year of 1782, Lewis Whetzel went with Thomas Mills, who had been in
+the campaign, to get a horse, which he had left near the place where St.
+Clairsville now stands. At the Indian Spring, two miles above St.
+Clairsville, on the Wheeling road, they were met by about forty Indians,
+who were in pursuit of the stragglers from the campaign. The Indians and
+the white men discovered each other about the same time. Lewis fired
+first, and killed an Indian; the fire from the Indians wounded Mr. Mills,
+and he was soon overtaken and killed. Four of the Indians then singled
+out, dropped their guns, and pursued Whetzel. Whetzel loaded his rifle as
+he ran. After running about half a mile, one of the Indians having got
+within eight or ten steps of him, Whetzel wheeled round and shot him down,
+ran on, and loaded as before. After going about three-quarters of a mile
+further, a second Indian came so close to him, that when he turned to
+fire, the Indian caught the muzzle of his gun, and as he expressed it, he
+and the Indian had a severe wring for it; he succeeded, however, in
+bringing the gun to the Indian's breast, and killed him on the spot. By
+this time, he, as well as the Indians, were pretty well tired; the pursuit
+was continued by the remaining two Indians. Whetzel, as before, loaded his
+gun, and stopped several times during the chase. When he did so the
+Indians treed themselves. After going something more than a mile, Whetzel
+took advantage of a little open piece of ground, over which the Indians
+were passing, a short distance behind him, to make a sudden stop for the
+purpose of shooting the foremost, who got behind a little sapling, which
+was too small to cover his body. Whetzel shot, and broke his thigh; the
+wound, in the issue, proved fatal. The last of the Indians then gave a
+little yell, and said, "No catch dat man--gun always loaded," and gave up
+the chase; glad, no doubt, to get off with his life.
+
+Another of this daring warrior's exploits is worthy of a place beside the
+most remarkable achievements of individual valor. In the year 1787, a
+party of Indians crossed the Ohio, killed a family, and scalped with
+impunity. This murder spread great alarm through the sparse settlements
+and revenge was not only resolved upon, but a handsome reward was offered
+for scalps. Major McMahan, who often led the borderers in their hardy
+expeditions, soon raised a company of twenty men, among whom was Lewis
+Whetzel. They crossed the Ohio and pursued the Indian trail until they
+came to the Muskingum river. There the spies discovered a large party of
+Indians encamped. Major McMahan fell back a short distance, and held a
+conference when a hasty retreat was resolved upon as the most prudent
+course, Lewis Whetzel refused to take part in the council, or join in the
+retreat. He said he came out to hunt Indians; they were now found and he
+would either lose his own scalp or take that of a "red skin." All
+arguments were thrown away upon this iron-willed man; he never submitted
+to the advice or control of others. His friends were compelled to leave
+him a solitary being surrounded by vigilant enemies.
+
+[Illustration: LEWIS WHETZEL'S SINGULAR ESCAPE.]
+
+As soon as the major's party had retired beyond the reach of danger,
+Whetzel shouldered his rifle, and marched off into a different part of the
+country, hoping that fortune would place a lone Indian in his way. He
+prowled through the woods like a panther, eager for prey, until the next
+evening, when he discovered a smoke curling up among the bushes. Creeping
+softly to the fire, he found two blankets and a small copper kettle, and
+concluded that it was the camp of two Indians. He concealed himself in the
+thick brush, in such a position that he could see the motions of the
+enemy. About sunset the two Indians came in, cooked and ate their supper,
+and then sat by the fire engaged in conversation. About nine o'clock one
+of them arose, shouldered his rifle, took a chunk of fire in his hand, and
+left the camp, doubtless in search of a deer-lick. The absence of this
+Indian was a source of vexation and disappointment to Whetzel, who had
+been so sure of his prey. He waited until near break of day, and still the
+expected one did not return. The concealed warrior could delay no longer.
+He walked cautiously to the camp, found his victim asleep, and drawing a
+knife buried it in the red man's heart. He then secured the scalp, and set
+off for home, where he arrived only one day after his companions. For the
+scalp, he claimed and received the reward.
+
+Here is another of Lewis Whetzel's remarkable exploits. Returning home
+from a hunt, north of the Ohio, he was walking along in that reckless
+manner, which is a consequence of fatigue, when his quick eye suddenly
+caught sight of an Indian in the act of raising his gun to fire. Both
+sprung like lightning to the woodman's forts, large trees, and there they
+stood for an hour, each afraid of the other. This quiet mode of warfare
+did not suit the restless Whetzel, and he set his invention to work to
+terminate it. Placing his bear-skin cap on the end of his ramrod, he
+protruded it slightly and cautiously as if he was putting his head to
+reconnoitre, and yet was hesitating in the venture. The simple savage was
+completely deceived. As soon as he saw the cap, he fired and it fell.
+Whetzel then sprang forward to the astonished red man, and with a shot
+from the unerring rifle brought him to the ground quite dead. The
+triumphant ranger then pursued his march homeward.
+
+But it was in a deliberate attack upon a party of four Indians that our
+hero displayed the climax of daring and resolution. While on a fall hunt,
+on the Muskingum, he came upon a camp of four savages, and with but little
+hesitation resolved to attempt their destruction. He concealed himself
+till midnight, and then stole cautiously upon the sleepers. As quick as
+thought, he cleft the skull of one of them. A second met the same fate,
+and as a third attempted to rise, confused by the horrid yells, which
+Whetzel gave with his blows, the tomahawk stretched him in death. The
+fourth Indian darted into the darkness of the wood and escaped, although
+Whetzel pursued him for some distance. Returning to camp, the ranger
+scalped his victims and then left for home. When asked on his return,
+"What luck?" he replied, "Not much. I treed four Indians, and one got
+away." Where shall we look for deeds of equal daring and hardihood?
+Martin, Jacob, and John Whetzel were bold warriors; and in the course of
+the Indian war, they secured many scalps; but they never obtained the
+reputation possessed by their brother, Lewis. All must condemn cruelty
+wherever displayed, but it is equally our duty to render just admiration
+to courage, daring, and indomitable energy, qualities in which the Whetzel
+brothers have rarely if ever been excelled.
+
+[Illustration: LEWIS WHETZEL'S STRATAGEM.]
+
+General Clark, the companion of Lewis in the celebrated tour across the
+Rocky Mountains, having heard much of Lewis Whetzel, in Kentucky,
+determined to secure his services for the exploring expedition. After
+considerable hesitation, Whetzel consented to go, and accompanied the
+party during the first three months' travel, but then declined going any
+further, and returned home. Shortly after this, he left again on a
+flat-boat, and never returned. He visited a relation, named Sikes, living
+about twenty miles in the interior, from Natchez, and there made his home,
+until the summer of 1808, when he died, leaving a fame for valor and skill
+in border warfare, which will not be allowed to perish.
+
+
+
+
+CAFFREE, M'CLURE, AND DAVIS.
+
+
+About 1784, horse-stealing was as common as hunting to the whites and
+Indians of the west. Thefts and reprisals were almost constantly made.
+Some southern Indians having stolen horses from Lincoln county, Kentucky,
+three young men, named Caffree, M'Clure, and Davis, set out in pursuit of
+them. Coming in sight of an Indian town, near the Tennessee river, they
+met three red men. The two parties made signs of peace, shook hands, and
+agreed to travel together. Both were suspicious, however, and at length,
+from various indications, the whites became satisfied of the treacherous
+intentions of the Indians, and resolved to anticipate then. Caffree being
+a very powerful man, proposed that he himself should seize one Indian,
+while Davis and M'Clure should shoot the other two. Caffree sprang boldly
+upon the nearest Indian, grasped his throat firmly, hurled him to the
+ground, and drawing a cord from his pocket attempted to tie him. At the
+same instant, Davis and M'Clure attempted to perform their respective
+parts. M'Clure killed his man, but Davis's gun missed fire. All three, _i.
+e._ the two white men, and the Indian at whom Davis had flashed,
+immediately took trees, and prepared for a skirmish, while Caffree
+remained upon the ground with the captured Indian--both exposed to the
+fire of the others. In a few seconds, the savage at whom Davis had
+flashed, shot Caffree as he lay upon the ground and gave him a mortal
+wound--and was instantly shot in turn by M'Clure who had reloaded his gun.
+Caffree becoming very weak, called upon Davis to come and assist him in
+tying the Indian, and directly afterwards expired. As Davis was running up
+to the assistance of his friend--the Indian released himself, killed his
+captor, sprung to his feet, and seizing Caffree's rifle, presented it
+menacingly at Davis, whose gun was not in order for service, and who ran
+off into the forest, closely pursued by the Indian. M'Clure hastily
+reloaded his gun and taking the rifle which Davis had dropped, followed
+them for some distance into the forest, making all signals which had been
+concerted between them in case of separation. All, however, was vain--he
+saw nothing more of Davis, nor could he ever afterwards learn his fate. As
+he never returned to Kentucky, however, he probably perished.
+
+[Illustration: A SOUTHERN INDIAN.]
+
+M'Clure, finding himself alone in the enemy's country, and surrounded by
+dead bodies, thought it prudent to abandon the object of the expedition
+and return to Kentucky. He accordingly retraced his steps, still bearing
+Davis' rifle in addition to his own. He had scarcely marched a mile,
+before he saw advancing from the opposite direction, an Indian warrior,
+riding a horse with a bell around its neck, and accompanied by a boy on
+foot. Dropping one of the rifles, which might have created suspicion,
+M'Clure advanced with an air of confidence, extending his hand and making
+other signs of peace. The opposite party appeared frankly to receive his
+overtures, and dismounting, seated himself upon a log, and drawing out his
+pipe, gave a few puffs himself, and then handed it to M'Clure. In a few
+minutes another bell was heard, at the distance of half a mile, and a
+second party of Indians appeared upon horseback. The Indian with M'Clure
+now coolly informed him by signs that when the horseman arrived, he
+(M'Clure) was to be bound and carried off as a prisoner with his feet tied
+under the horse's belly. In order to explain it more fully, the Indian got
+astride of the log, and locked his legs together underneath it. M'Clure,
+internally thanking the fellow for his excess of candor, determined to
+disappoint him, and while his enemy was busily engaged in riding the log,
+and mimicking the actions of a prisoner, he very quietly blew his brains
+out, and ran off into the woods. The Indian boy instantly mounted the
+belled horse, and rode off in an opposite direction. M'Clure was fiercely
+pursued by several small Indian dogs, that frequently ran between his legs
+and threw him down. After falling five or six times, his eyes became full
+of dust and he was totally blind. Despairing of escape, he doggedly lay
+upon his face, expecting every instant to feel the edge of the tomahawk.
+To his astonishment, however, no enemy appeared, and even the Indian dogs
+after tugging at him for a few minutes, and completely stripping him of
+his breeches, left him to continue his journey unmolested. Finding every
+thing quiet, in a few moments he arose, and taking up his gun continued
+his march to Kentucky.
+
+[Illustration: CAFFREE KILLED BY THE INDIAN.]
+
+
+
+
+CHARLES JOHNSTON.
+
+
+In March, 1790 a boat, containing four men and two women, passing down the
+Ohio, was induced by some renegade whites to approach the shore, near the
+mouth of the Sciota, and then attacked by a large party of Indians. A Mr.
+John May and one of the women were shot dead, and the others then
+surrendered. The chief of the band was an old warrior, named Chickatommo,
+and under his command were a number of renowned red men. When the
+prisoners were distributed, a young man named Charles Johnson, was given
+to a young Shawnee chief who is represented to have been a noble
+character. His name was Messhawa, and he had just reached the age of
+manhood. His person was tall and seemingly rather fitted for action than
+strength. His bearing was stately, and his countenance expressive of a
+noble disposition. He possessed great influence among those of his own
+tribe, which he exerted on the side of humanity. On the march, Messhawa
+repeatedly saved Johnson from the tortures which the other savages
+delighted to inflict, and the young captive saw some displays of generous
+exertion on the part of the chief which are worthy of a place in border
+history.
+
+[Illustration: MESSHAWA.]
+
+The warriors painted themselves in the most frightful colors, and
+performed a war dance, with the usual accompaniments. A stake, painted in
+alternate stripes of black and vermilion, was fixed in the ground, and the
+dancers moved in rapid but measured evolutions around it. They recounted,
+with great energy, the wrongs they had received from the whites.--Their
+lands had been taken from them--their corn cut up--their villages
+burnt--their friends slaughtered--every injury which they had received was
+dwelt upon, until their passions had become inflamed beyond control.
+Suddenly, Chickatommo darted from the circle of dancers, and with eyes
+flashing fire, ran up to the spot where Johnston was sitting, calmly
+contemplating the spectacle before him. When within reach he struck him a
+furious blow with his fist, and was preparing to repeat it, when Johnston
+seized him by the arms, and hastily demanded the cause of such unprovoked
+violence. Chickatommo, grinding his teeth with rage, shouted "Sit down,
+sit down!" Johnston obeyed, and the Indian, perceiving the two children
+within ten steps of him, snatched up a tomahawk, and advanced upon them
+with a quick step, and a determined look. The terrified little creatures
+instantly arose from the log on which they were sitting, and fled into the
+woods, uttering the most piercing screams, while their pursuer rapidly
+gained upon them with uplifted tomahawk. The girl, being the youngest, was
+soon overtaken, and would have been tomahawked, had not Messhawa bounded
+like a deer to her relief. He arrived barely in time to arrest the
+uplifted tomahawk of Chickatommo, after which, he seized him by the collar
+and hurled him violently backward to the distance of several paces.
+Snatching up the child in his arms, he then ran after the brother,
+intending to secure him likewise from the fury of his companion, but the
+boy, misconstruing his intention, continued his flight with such rapidity,
+and doubled several times with such address, that the chase was prolonged
+to the distance of several hundred yards. At length Messhawa succeeded in
+taking him. The boy, thinking himself lost, uttered a wild cry, which was
+echoed by his sister, but both were instantly calmed. Messhawa took them
+in his arms, spoke to them kindly, and soon convinced them that they had
+nothing to fear from him. He quickly reappeared, leading them gently by
+the hand, and soothing them in the Indian language, until they both clung
+to him closely for protection.
+
+No other incident disturbed the progress of the ceremonies, nor did
+Chickatommo appear to resent the violent interference of Messhawa.
+
+[Illustration: CHICKATOMMO.]
+
+After undergoing many hardships, Johnston was taken to Sandusky, where he
+was ransomed by a French trader. Messhawa took leave of his young captive
+with many expressions of esteem and friendship. This noble chief was in
+the battle of the Fallen Timber and afterwards became a devoted follower
+of the great Tecumseh--thus proving that while he was as humane as a
+civilized man, he was patriotic and high-spirited enough to resent the
+wrongs of his people. He was killed at the battle of the Thames, where the
+power of the Shawnees was for ever crushed.
+
+
+
+
+JOSEPH LOGSTON.
+
+
+Big Joe Logston was a noted character in the early history of the west. He
+was born and reared among the Alleghany mountains, near the source of the
+north branch of the Potomac, some twenty or thirty miles from any
+settlement. He was tall, muscular, excelled in all the athletic sports of
+the border, and was a first-rate shot. Soon after Joe arrived at years of
+discretion, his parents died, and he went out to the wilds of Kentucky.
+There, Indian incursions compelled him to take refuge in a fort. This pent
+up life was not at all to Joe's taste. He soon became very restless, and
+every day insisted on going out with others to hunt up cattle. At length
+no one would accompany him, and he resolved to go out alone. He rode the
+greater part of the day without finding any cattle, and then concluded to
+return to the fort. As he was riding along, eating some grapes, with which
+he had filled his hat, he heard the reports of the two rifles; one ball
+passed through the paps of his breast, which were very prominent, and the
+other struck the horse behind the saddle, causing the beast to sink in its
+tracks.
+
+[Illustration: INDIANS AMBUSHED FOR JOE LOGSTON.]
+
+Joe was on his feet in an instant and might have taken to his heels with
+the chances of escape greatly in his favor. But to him flight was never
+agreeable. The moment the guns were fired, an Indian sprang forward with
+an uplifted tomahawk; but as Joe raised his rifle, the savage jumped
+behind two saplings, and kept springing from one to the other to cover his
+body. The other Indian was soon discovered behind a tree loading his gun.
+When in the act of pushing down his bullet, he exposed his hips and Joe
+fired a load into him. The first Indian then sprang forward and threw his
+tomahawk at the head of the white warrior, who dodged it. Joe then clubbed
+his gun and made at the savage, thinking to knock him down. In striking,
+he missed, and the gun now reduced to the naked barrel, flew out of his
+hands. The two men then sprang at each other with no other weapons than
+those of nature. A desperate scuffle ensued. Joe could throw the Indian
+down, but could not hold him there. At length, however, by repeated heavy
+blows, he succeeded in keeping him down, and tried to choke him with the
+left hand while he kept the right free for contingencies. Directly, Joe
+saw the savage trying to draw a knife from its sheath, and waiting till it
+was about half way out, he grasped it quickly and sank it up to the handle
+in the breast of his foe, who groaned and expired.
+
+Springing to his feet, Joe saw the Indian he had crippled, propped against
+a log, trying to raise his gun to fire, but falling forward, every time he
+made the attempt. The borderer, having enough of fighting for one day, and
+not caring to be killed by a crippled Indian, made for the fort, where he
+arrived about nightfall. He was blood and dirt from crown to toe, and
+without horse, hat, or gun.
+
+The next morning a party went to Joe's battle-ground. On looking round,
+they found a trail, as if something had been dragged away, and at a little
+distance they came upon the big Indian, covered up with leaves. About a
+hundred yards farther, they found the Indian Joe had crippled, lying on
+his back, with his own knife sticking up to the hilt in his body, just
+below the breast bone, evidently to show that he had killed himself. Some
+years after this fight, Big Joe Logston lost his life in a contest with a
+gang of outlaws. He was one of those characters who were necessary to the
+settlement of the west, but who would not have been highly esteemed in
+civilized society.
+
+[Illustration: INDIAN IN AMBUSH]
+
+
+
+
+JESSE HUGHES.
+
+
+Jesse Hughes was born and reared in Clarksburgh, Harrison county,
+Virginia, on the head-waters of the Monongahela. He was a light-built,
+active man, and from his constant practice became one of the best hunters
+and Indian fighters on the frontier. Having a perfect knowledge of all the
+artifices of the Indians, he was quick to devise expedients to frustrate
+them. Of this, the following exploit is an illustration. At a time of
+great danger from Indian incursions, when the citizens in the neighborhood
+where in a fort at Clarksburgh, Hughes one morning observed a lad very
+hurriedly engaged in fixing his gun.
+
+"Jim," said he, "what are you doing that for?"
+
+"I am going to shoot a turkey that I hear gobbling on the hill side,"
+replied Jim.
+
+"I hear no turkey," said Hughes.
+
+"Listen," said Jim. "There, didn't you hear it? Listen again!"
+
+"Well," said Hughes, after hearing it repeated, "I'll go and kill it."
+
+"No you won't. It's my turkey. I heard it first," said Jim.
+
+"Well," said Hughes, "but you know I am the best marksman; and besides, I
+don't want the turkey, you may have it."
+
+The lad then agreed that Hughes should go and kill it for him. Hughes went
+out of the fort on the side that was farthest from the supposed turkey,
+and running along the river, went up a ravine and came in on the rear,
+where, as he expected, he saw an Indian, sitting on a chestnut stump,
+surrounded by sprouts, gobbling and watching to see if any one would come
+from the fort to kill the turkey. Hughes crept up and shot him dead. The
+successful ranger then took off the scalp, and went into the fort, where
+Jim was waiting for the prize.
+
+"There, now," said Jim, "you have let the turkey go. I would have killed
+it if I had gone."
+
+"No," said Hughes, "I didn't let it go," and he threw down the scalp.
+"There, take your turkey, Jim; I don't want it."
+
+The lad nearly fainted, as he thought of the death he had so narrowly
+escaped, owing to the keen perception and good management of Mr. Hughes.
+
+The sagacity of our border hero was fully proved upon another occasion.
+About 1790, the Indians visited Clarksburgh, in the night, and contrived
+to steal a few horses, with which they made a hasty retreat. About
+daylight the next morning, a party of twenty-five or thirty men, among
+whom was Jesse Hughes, started in pursuit. They found a trail just outside
+of the settlement, and from the signs, supposed that the marauding party
+consisted of eight or ten Indians. A council was held to determine how the
+pursuit should be continued. Mr. Hughes was opposed to following the
+trail. He said he could pilot the party to the spot where the Indians
+would cross the Ohio, by a nearer way than the enemy could go, and thus
+render success certain. But the captain of the party insisted on following
+the trail. Mr. Hughes then pointed out the dangers of such a course.
+Suddenly, the captain, with unreasonable obstinacy, called aloud to those
+who were brave to follow him and let the cowards go home. Hughes knew the
+captain's remark was intended for him, but smothered his indignation and
+went on with the party.
+
+They had not pursued very far when the trail went down a drain, where the
+ridge on one side was very steep, with a ledge of rocks for a considerable
+distance. On the top of the cliff, two Indians lay in ambush, and when the
+company got opposite to them, they made a noise, which caused the whites
+to stop; that instant two of the company were mortally wounded, and before
+the rangers could get round to the top of the cliff, the Indians made
+their escape with ease. This was as Hughes had predicted. All then agreed
+that the plan rejected by the captain was the best, and urged Hughes to
+lead them to the Ohio river. This he consented to do, though fearful that
+the Indians would cross before he could reach the point. Leaving some of
+the company to take care of the wounded men, the party started, and
+arrived at the Ohio the next day, about an hour after the Indians had
+crossed. The water was yet muddy in the horses' trails, and the rafts that
+the red men had used were floating down the opposite shore. The company
+was now unanimous for returning home. Hughes said he wanted to find out
+who the cowards were. He said that if any of them would go with him, he
+would cross the river, and scalp some of the Indians. Not one could be
+found to accompany the daring ranger, who thus had full satisfaction for
+the captain's insult. He said he would go by himself, and take a scalp, or
+leave his own with the savages. The company started for home, and Hughes
+went up the river three or four miles, then made a raft, crossed the
+river, and camped for the night. The next day, he found the Indian trail,
+pursued it very cautiously, and about ten miles from the Ohio, came upon
+the camp. There was but one Indian in it; the rest were all out hunting.
+The red man was seated, singing, and playing on some bones, made into a
+rude musical instrument, when Hughes crept up and shot him. The ranger
+then took the scalp, and hastened home in triumph, to tell his adventures
+to his less daring companions.
+
+[Illustration: FORT HENRY.]
+
+
+
+
+SIEGE OF FORT HENRY.
+
+
+The siege of Fort Henry, at the mouth of Wheeling creek, in the year 1777,
+is one of the most memorable events in Indian warfare--remarkable for the
+indomitable bravery displayed by the garrison in general, and for some
+thrilling attendant incidents. The fort stood immediately on the left bank
+of the Ohio river, about a quarter of a mile above Wheeling creek, and at
+much less distance from an eminence which rises abruptly from the bottom
+land. The space inclosed was about three quarters of an acre. In shape the
+fort was a parallelogram, having a block-house at each corner with lines
+of pickets eight feet high between. Within the inclosures was a
+store-house, barrack-rooms, garrison-well, and a number of cabins for the
+use of families. The principal entrance was a gateway on the eastern side
+of the fort. Much of the adjacent land was cleared and cultivated, and
+near the base of the hill stood some twenty-five or thirty cabins, which
+form the rude beginning of the present city of Wheeling. The fort is said
+to have been planned by General George Rogers Clarke; and was constructed
+by Ebenezer Zane and John Caldwell. When first erected, it was called Fort
+Fincastle but the name was afterwards changed in compliment to Patrick
+Henry the renowned orator and patriotic governor of Virginia.
+
+At the time of the commencement of the siege, the garrison of Fort Henry
+numbered only forty-two men, some of whom were enfeebled by age while
+others were mere boys. All, however, were excellent marksmen, and most of
+them, skilled in border warfare. Colonel David Shepherd, was a brave and
+resolute officer in whom the borderers had full confidence. The
+store-house was well-supplied with small arms, particularly muskets, but
+sadly deficient in ammunition.
+
+In the early part of September, 1777, it was ascertained that a large
+Indian army was concentrating on the Sandusky river, under the command of
+the bold, active, and skilful renegade, Simon Girty. Colonel Shepherd had
+many trusty and efficient scouts on the watch; but Girty deceived them all
+and actually brought his whole force of between four and five hundred
+Indians before Fort Henry before his real object was discovered.
+
+[Illustration: PATRICK HENRY.]
+
+On the 26th, an alarm being given all the inhabitants in the vicinity
+repaired to the fort for safety. At break of day, on the 27th, Colonel
+Shepherd, wishing to dispatch an express to the nearest settlements for
+aid, sent a white man and a negro to bring in some horses. While these men
+were passing through the cornfield south of the fort, they encountered a
+party of six Indians, one of whom raised his gun and brought the white man
+to the ground. The negro fled and reached the fort without receiving any
+injury. As soon as he related his story, Colonel Shepherd dispatched
+Captain Mason, with fourteen men, to dislodge the Indians from the
+cornfield. Mason marched almost to the creek without finding any Indians,
+and was about to return, when he was furiously assailed in front, flank
+and rear by the whole of Girty's army. Of course, the little band was
+thrown into confusion, but the brave captain rallied his men, and taking
+the lead, hewed a passage through the savage host. In the struggle, more
+than half of the party were slain, and the gallant Mason severely wounded.
+An Indian fired at the captain at the distance of five paces and wounded,
+but did not disable him. Turning about, he hurled his gun, felled the
+savage to the earth, and then succeeded in hiding himself in a pile of
+fallen timbers, where he was compelled to remain to the end of the siege.
+Only two of his men survived the fight, and they owed their safety to the
+heaps of logs and brush which abounded in the cornfield.
+
+As soon as the perilous situation of Captain Mason became known at the
+fort, Captain Ogle was sent out with twelve men, to cover his retreat.
+This party fell into an ambuscade and two-thirds of the number were slain
+upon the spot. Captain Ogle found a place of concealment, where he was
+obliged to remain until the end of the siege. Sergeant Jacob Ogle, though
+mortally wounded, managed to escape, with two soldiers into the woods.
+
+The Indian army now advanced to the assault, with terrific yells. A few
+shots from the garrison, however, compelled them to halt. Girty then
+changed the order of attack. Parties of Indians were placed in such of the
+village-houses as commanded a view of the block-houses. A strong party
+occupied the yard of Ebenezer Zane, about fifty yards from the fort, using
+a paling fence as a cover, while the main force was posted under cover on
+the edge of a cornfield to act as occasion might require.
+
+Girty then appeared at the window of a cabin, with a white flag in his
+hand, and demanded the surrender of the fort in the name of his Britanic
+majesty. At this time, the garrison numbered only twelve men and two boys.
+Yet the gallant Colonel Shepherd promptly replied to the summons, that the
+fort should never be surrendered to the renegade. Girty renewed his
+proposition, but before he could finish his harangue, a thoughtless youth
+fired at the speaker and brought the conference to an abrupt termination.
+Girty disappeared, and in about fifteen minutes, the Indians opened a
+heavy fire upon the fort, and continued it without much intermission for
+the space of six hours. The fire of the little garrison, however, was much
+more destructive than that of the assailants. About one o'clock, the
+Indians ceased firing and fell back against the base of the hill.
+
+[Illustration: THE ALARM AT FORT HENRY.]
+
+The colonel resolved to take advantage of the intermission to send for a
+keg of powder, which was known to be in the house of Ebenezer Zane, about
+sixty yards from the fort. Several young men promptly volunteered for this
+dangerous service; but Shepherd could only spare one, and the young men
+could not determine who that should be. At this critical moment, a young
+lady, sister of Ebenezer Zane, came forward, and asked that she might be
+permitted to execute the service; and so earnestly did she argue for the
+proposition, that permission was reluctantly granted. The gate was opened,
+and the heroic girl passed out. The opening of the gate arrested the
+attention of several Indians who were straggling through the village, but
+they permitted Miss Zane to pass without molestation. When she reappeared
+with the powder in her arms, the Indians, suspecting the character of her
+burden, fired a volley at her, but she reached the fort in safety. Let the
+name of Elizabeth Zane be remembered among the heroic of her sex.
+
+About half-past two o'clock, the savages again advanced and renewed their
+fire. An impetuous attack was made upon the south side of the fort, but
+the garrison poured upon the assailants a destructive fire from the two
+lower block-houses. At the same time, a party of eighteen or twenty
+Indians, armed with rails and billets of wood, rushed out of Zane's yard
+and made an attempt to force open the gate of the fort. Five or six of the
+number were shot down, and then the attempt was abandoned. The Indians
+then opened a fire upon the fort from all sides, except that next the
+river, which afforded no shelter to besiegers. On the north and east the
+battle raged fiercely. As night came on the fire of the enemy slackened.
+Soon after dark, a party of savages advanced within sixty yards of the
+fort, bringing a hollow maple log which they had loaded to the muzzle and
+intended to use it as a cannon. The match was applied and the wooden piece
+bursted, killing or wounding several of those who stood near it. The
+disappointed party then dispersed.
+
+Late in the evening, Francis Duke, son-in-law of Colonel Shepherd,
+arriving from the Forks of Wheeling, was shot down before he could reach
+the fort. About four o'clock next morning, Colonel Swearingen, with
+fourteen men, arrived from Cross Creek, and was fortunate enough to fight
+his way into the fort without losing a single man.
+
+This reinforcement was cheering to the wearied garrison. More relief was
+at hand. About daybreak, Major Samuel M'Culloch, with forty mounted men
+from Short Creek, arrived. The gate was thrown open, and the men, though
+closely beset by the enemy, entered the fort. But Major M'Culloch was not
+so fortunate. The Indians crowded round and separated him from the party.
+After several ineffectual attempts to force his way to the gate, he turned
+and galloped off in the direction of Wheeling Hill.
+
+[Illustration: DARING FEAT OF ELIZABETH ZANE.]
+
+When he was hemmed in by the Indians before the fort, they might have
+taken his life without difficulty, but they had weighty reasons for
+desiring to take him alive. From the very commencement of the war, his
+reputation as an Indian hunter was as great as that of any white man on
+the north-western border. He had participated in so many rencontres that
+almost every warrior possessed a knowledge of his person. Among the
+Indians his name was a word of terror; they cherished against him feelings
+of the most phrenzied hatred, and there was not a Mingo or Wyandotte chief
+before Fort Henry who would not have given the lives of twenty of his
+warriors to secure to himself the living body of Major M'Culloch. When,
+therefore, the man whom they had long marked out as the first object of
+their vengeance, appeared in their midst, they made almost superhuman
+efforts to acquire possession of his person. The fleetness of M'Culloch's
+well-trained steed was scarcely greater than that of his enemies, who,
+with flying strides, moved on in pursuit. At length the hunter reached the
+top of the hill, and, turning to the left, darted along the ridge with the
+intention of making the best of his way to Shor' creek. A ride of a few
+hundred yards in that direction brought him suddenly in contact with a
+party of Indians who were returning to their camp from a marauding
+excursion to Mason's Bottom, on the eastern side of the hill. This party
+being too formidable in numbers to encounter single-handed, the major
+turned his horse about and rode over his own track, in the hope of
+discovering some other avenue to escape. A few paces only of his
+countermarch had been made, when he found himself confronted by his
+original pursuers, who had, by this time, gained the top of the ridge, and
+a third party was discovered pressing up the hill directly on his right.
+He was now completely hemmed in on three sides, and the fourth was almost
+a perpendicular precipice of one hundred and fifty feet descent, with
+Wheeling creek at its base. The imminence of his danger allowed him but
+little time to reflect upon his situation. In an instant he decided upon
+his course. Supporting his rifle in his left hand and carefully adjusting
+his reins with the other, he urged his horse to the brink of the bluff,
+and then made the leap which decided his fate. In the next moment the
+noble steed, still bearing his intrepid rider in safety, was at the foot
+of the precipice. M'Culloch immediately dashed across the creek, and was
+soon beyond reach of the Indians.
+
+After the escape of the major, the Indians concentrated at the foot of the
+hill, and soon after set fire to all the houses and fences outside of the
+fort, and killed about three hundred cattle. They then raised the siege
+and retired.
+
+The whole loss sustained by the whites during this remarkable siege, was
+twenty-six men killed and four or five wounded. The loss of the enemy was
+from sixty to one hundred men. As they removed their dead, exact
+information on the subject could not be obtained.
+
+The gallant Colonel Shepherd deserved the thanks of the frontier settlers
+for his conduct on this occasion, and Governor Henry appointed him county
+lieutenant as a token of his esteem. A number of females, who were in the
+fort, undismayed by the dreadful strife, employed themselves in running
+bullets and performing various little services; and thus excited much
+enthusiasm among the men. Perhaps, a more heroic band was never gathered
+together in garrison than that which defended Fort Henry, and it would be
+unjust to mention any one as particularly distinguished. We have named the
+commander only because of his position.
+
+[Illustration: TREMENDOUS LEAP OF MAJOR M'CULLOCH.]
+
+
+
+
+SIMON GIRTY.
+
+
+During the long warfare maintained between the pioneers of the west and
+the Indians, the latter were greatly assisted by some renegade white men.
+Of these, Simon Girty was the most noted and influential. He led several
+important expeditions against the settlements of Virginia and Kentucky,
+displayed much courage, energy, and conduct, and was the object of bitter
+hatred on the frontier. Recent investigations into the stirring events of
+his career have shown that however bad he might have been, much injustice
+has been done his memory by border historians.
+
+Simon Girty was born and reared in Western Pennsylvania, near the Virginia
+line. His parents are said to have been very dissipated, and this,
+perhaps, had some influence in disgusting him with life in the
+settlements. Becoming skilled in woodcraft, he served with young Simon
+Kenton, as a scout upon the frontiers. He joined the Virginia army in
+Dunmore's wars, and, it is said, showed considerable ambition to become
+distinguished as a soldier. He was disappointed, and so far from gaining
+promotion, was, for a trifling offence, publicly disgraced, it is said,
+through the influence of Colonel Gibson. The proud spirit of Girty could
+not brook such a blow. With a burning thirst for revenge, he fled from the
+settlements, and took refuge among the Wyandottes.
+
+The talents of the renegade were of the kind and of the degree to secure
+influence among the red men. He excelled the majority of them in council
+and field, and neither forgave a foe, nor forgot a friend. He was
+successful in many expeditions after plunder and scalps, and spared none
+because they were of his own race. He was cruel as many of the borderers
+were cruel. Becoming an Indian, he had an Indian's hatred of the whites.
+The borderers seldom showed a red man mercy, and they could not expect any
+better treatment in return.
+
+The exertions of Girty to save his friend, Simon Kenton, from a horrible
+death, have been noticed in another place. That he did not make such
+exertions more frequently on the side of humanity is scarcely a matter of
+wonder--inasmuch as he could not have done so consistently with a due
+regard to his own safety. After he had become a renegade, the borderers
+would not permit a return; and as he was forced to reside among the
+Indians, he was right in securing their favor. Besides saving Kenton, he
+posted his brother, James Girty, upon the banks of the Ohio, to warn
+passengers in boats not to be lured to the shore by the arts of the
+Indians, or of the white men in their service. This was a pure act of
+humanity. The conduct of Girty on another memorable occasion, the burning
+of Colonel William Crawford, was more suspicious.
+
+[Illustration: COLONEL CRAWFORD AND HIS FRIENDS, PRISONERS.]
+
+In the early part of the year 1782, the incursions of the Indians became
+so harassing and destructive to the inhabitants of Western Pennsylvania,
+that an expedition against the Wyandotte towns was concerted, and the
+command given to Colonel Crawford. On the 22d of May, the army, consisting
+of four hundred and fifty men, commenced its march, and proceeded due west
+as far as the Moravian towns, where some of the volunteers deserted. The
+main body, however, marched on, with unabated spirit. The Indians,
+discovering the advance of the invaders gathered a considerable force, and
+took up a strong position, determined to fight. Crawford moved forward in
+order of battle, and on the afternoon of the 6th of June, encountered the
+enemy. The conflict continued fiercely until night, when the Indians drew
+off, and Crawford's men slept on the field. In the morning, the battle was
+renewed, but at a greater distance, and, during the day, neither party
+suffered much. The delay, however, was fatal to Crawford; for the Indians
+received large reinforcements. As soon as it was dark, a council of war
+was held, and it was resolved to retreat as rapidly as possible. By nine
+o'clock, all the necessary arrangements had been made, and the retreat
+began in good order. After an advance of about a hundred yards, a firing
+was heard in the rear, and the troops, seized with a panic, broke and fled
+in confusion, each man trying to save himself. The Indians came on rapidly
+in pursuit and plied the tomahawk and scalping-knife without mercy.
+Colonel Crawford and Dr. Knight were captured, at a distance from the main
+body--which was soon dispersed in every direction.
+
+On the morning of the 10th of June, Crawford, Knight, and nine other
+prisoners, were conducted to the old town of Sandusky. The main body of
+the Indians halted within eight miles of the village; but as Colonel
+Crawford expressed great anxiety to speak with Simon Girty, who was then
+at Sandusky, he was permitted to go under the care of the Indians. On the
+morning of the 11th of June, the colonel was brought back from Sandusky on
+purpose to march into town with the other prisoners. To Knight's inquiry
+as to whether he had seen Girty, he replied in the affirmative, and added,
+that the renegade had promised to use his influence for the safety of the
+prisoners, though as the Indians were much exasperated by the recent
+outrages of the whites at Guadenhutten upon the unresisting Moravian red
+men, he was fearful that all pleading would be in vain.
+
+Soon afterwards, Captain Pipe, the great chief of the Delawares, appeared.
+This distinguished warrior had a prepossessing appearance and bland
+manners, and his language to the prisoners was kind. His purposes,
+however, were bloody and revengeful. With his own hands he painted every
+prisoner black! As they were conducted towards the town, the captives
+observed the bodies of four of their friends, tomahawked and scalped. This
+was regarded as a sad presage. In a short time, they overtook the five
+prisoners who remained alive. They were seated on the ground, and
+surrounded by a crowd of Indian squaws and boys, who taunted and menaced
+them. Crawford and Knight were compelled to sit down apart from the rest,
+and immediately afterwards the doctor was given to a Shawnee warrior, to
+be conducted to their town. The boys and squaws then fell upon the other
+prisoners, and tomahawked them in a moment. Crawford was then driven
+towards the village, Girty accompanying the party on horseback.
+
+Presently, a large fire was seen, around which were more than thirty
+warriors, and about double that number of boys and squaws. As soon as the
+colonel arrived, he was stripped naked, and compelled to sit on the
+ground. The squaws and boys then fell upon him, and beat him severely with
+their fists and sticks. In a few minutes, a large stake was fixed in the
+ground, and piles of hickory poles were spread around it.
+
+Colonel Crawford's hands were then tied behind his back; a strong rope was
+produced, one end of which was fastened to the ligature between his
+wrists, and the other tied to the bottom of the stake. The rope was long
+enough to permit him to walk round the stake several times and then
+return. Fire was then applied to the hickory poles, which lay in piles at
+the distance of six or seven yards from the stake.
+
+The colonel observing these terrible preparations, called to Girty, who
+sat on horseback, at the distance of a few yards from the fire, and asked
+if the Indians were going to burn him. Girty replied in the affirmative.
+The colonel heard the intelligence with firmness, merely observing that he
+would bear it with fortitude. When the hickory poles had been burnt
+asunder in the middle, Captain Pipe arose and addressed the crowd, in a
+tone of great energy, and with animated gestures, pointing frequently to
+the colonel, who regarded him with an appearance of unruffled composure.
+As soon as he had ended, a loud whoop burst from the assembled throng, and
+they all rushed at once upon the unfortunate Crawford. For several
+seconds, the crowd was so great around him, that Knight could not see what
+they were doing; but in a short time, they had dispersed sufficiently to
+give him a view of the colonel.
+
+His ears had been cut off, and the blood was streaming down each side of
+his face. A terrible scene of torture now commenced. The warriors shot
+charges of powder into his naked body, commencing with the calves of his
+legs, and continuing to his neck. The boys snatched the burning hickory
+poles and applied them to his flesh. As fast as he ran around the stake,
+to avoid one party of tormentors, he was promptly met at every turn by
+others, with burning poles, red hot irons, and rifles loaded with powder
+only; so that in a few minutes nearly one hundred charges of powder had
+been shot into his body, which had become black and blistered in a
+dreadful manner. The squaws would take up a quantity of coals and hot
+ashes, and throw them upon his body, so that in a few minutes he had
+nothing but fire to walk upon.
+
+[Illustration: CAPTAIN PIPE.]
+
+In the extremity of his agony, the unhappy colonel called aloud upon
+Girty, in tones which rang through Knight's brain with maddening effect:
+"Girty! Girty!! shoot me through the heart!! Quick! quick!! Do not refuse
+me!!"
+
+"Don't you see I have no gun, colonel!!" replied the renegade, bursting
+into a loud laugh, and then turning to an Indian beside him, he uttered
+some brutal jests upon the naked and miserable appearance of the prisoner.
+While this awful scene was being acted, Girty rode up to the spot where
+Dr. Knight stood, and told him that he had now had a foretaste of what was
+in reserve for him at the Shawnee towns. He swore that he need not expect
+to escape death, but should suffer it in all the extremity of torture.
+
+Knight, whose mind was deeply agitated at the sight of the fearful scene
+before him, took no notice of Girty, but preserved an impenetrable
+silence. Girty, after contemplating the colonel's sufferings for a few
+moments, turned again to Knight, and indulged in a bitter invective
+against a certain Colonel Gibson, from whom, he said, he had received deep
+injury; and dwelt upon the delight with which he would see him undergo
+such tortures as those which Crawford was then suffering. He observed, in
+a taunting tone, that most of the prisoners had said, that the white
+people would not injure him, if the chance of war was to throw him into
+their power; but that for his own part, he should be loath to try the
+experiment. "I think, (added he with a laugh,) that they would roast me
+alive, with more pleasure than those red fellows are now broiling the
+colonel! What is your opinion, doctor? Do you think they would be glad to
+see me?" Still Knight made no answer, and in a few minutes Girty rejoined
+the Indians.
+
+The terrible scene had now lasted more than two hours, and Crawford had
+become much exhausted. He walked slowly around the stake, spoke in a low
+tone, and earnestly besought God to look with compassion upon him, and
+pardon his sins. His nerves had lost much of their sensibility, and he no
+longer shrunk from the firebrands with which they incessantly touched him.
+At length he sunk in a fainting fit upon his face, and lay motionless.
+Instantly an Indian sprung upon his back, knelt lightly upon one knee,
+made a circular incision with his knife upon the crown of his head, and
+clapping the knife between his teeth, tore the scalp off with both hands.
+Scarcely had this been done, when a withered hag approached with a board
+full of burning embers, and poured them upon the crown of his head, now
+laid bare to the bone. The colonel groaned deeply, arose, and again walked
+slowly around the stake! But why continue a description so horrible?
+Nature at length could endure no more, and at a late hour in the night, he
+was released by death from the hands of his tormentors.[B]
+
+Whether Girty really took pleasure in the torture of Colonel Crawford, or
+was forced by circumstances to seem to enjoy it is a question which
+historians have generally been in too much haste to determine. It is well
+known that at the time of Crawford's expedition the Indians were very much
+exasperated by the cold-blooded slaughter of the Moravian red men at
+Guadenhutten--an atrocity without a parallel in border warfare, and to
+have seemed merciful to the whites for a single moment would have been
+fatal to Girty. Indeed, it is said, that, when he spoke of ransoming the
+colonel, Captain Pipe threatened him with death at the stake. Let justice
+be rendered even to the worst of criminals.
+
+Dr. Knight, made bold or desperate by the torture he had witnessed,
+effected his escape from the Shawnee warrior to whose care he was
+committed, and after much suffering, reached the settlements. From him the
+greater portion of the account of Crawford's death is derived, and
+corrected by the statements of Indians present on the occasion. Simon
+Girty never forsook the Indians among whom he had made his home; but his
+influence gradually diminished. Some accounts say that he perished in the
+battle of the Thames; while others assert that he lived to extreme old age
+in Canada, where his descendants are now highly respected citizens.
+
+-----
+
+  [B]  M'Clurg.
+
+
+
+
+JOSHUA FLEEHART.
+
+
+Extraordinary strength and activity, with the most daring courage and a
+thorough knowledge of life in the woods, won for Joshua Fleehart a high
+reputation among the first settler's of Western Virginia and Ohio. When
+the Ohio Company founded its settlement at Marietta, in April, 1778,
+Fleehart was employed as a scout and a hunter. In this service he had no
+superior north of the Ohio. At periods of the greatest danger, when the
+Indians were known to be much incensed against the whites, he would start
+from the settlement with no companion but his dog, and ranging within
+about twenty miles of an Indian town, would build his cabin and trap and
+hunt during nearly the whole season. On one occasion this reckless
+contempt of danger almost cost the hunter his life.
+
+[Illustration: JOSHUA FLEEHART.]
+
+Having became tired of the sameness of garrison life, and panting for that
+freedom among the woods and hills to which he had always been accustomed,
+late in the fall of 1795, he took his canoe, rifle, traps, and blanket,
+with no one to accompany him, leaving even his faithful dog in the
+garrison with his family. As he was going into a dangerous neighborhood,
+he was fearful lest the voice of his dog might betray him. With a daring
+and intrepidity which few men possess, he pushed his canoe up the Sciota
+river a distance of fifteen or twenty miles, into the Indian country,
+amidst their best hunting-grounds for the bear and the beaver, where no
+white man had dared to venture. These two were the main object of his
+pursuit, and the hills of Brush creek were said to abound in bear, and the
+small streams that fell into the Sciota were well suited to the haunts of
+the beaver.
+
+The spot chosen for his winter's residence was within twenty-five or
+thirty miles of the Indian town of Chillicothe, but as they seldom go far
+to hunt in the winter, he had little to fear from their interruption. For
+ten or twelve weeks he trapped and hunted in this solitary region
+unmolested; luxuriating on the roasted tails of the beaver, and drinking
+the oil of the bear, an article of diet which is considered by the
+children of the forest as giving health to the body, with strength and
+activity to the limbs. His success had equalled his most sanguine
+expectations, and the winter passed away so quietly and so pleasantly,
+that he was hardly aware of its progress. About the middle of February, he
+began to make up the peltry he had captured into packages, and to load his
+canoe with the proceeds of his winter's hunt, which for safety had been
+secreted in the willows, a few miles below the little bark hut in which he
+had lived. The day before that which he had fixed on for his departure, as
+he was returning to his camp, just at evening, Fleehart's acute ear caught
+the report of a rifle in the direction of the Indian towns, but at so
+remote a distance, that none but a backwoodsman could have distinguished
+the sound. This hastened his preparations for decamping. Nevertheless he
+slept quietly, but rose the following morning before the dawn; cooked and
+ate his last meal in the little hut to which he had become quite
+attached.
+
+[Illustration: FLEEHART SHOOTING THE INDIAN.]
+
+The sun had just risen, while he was sitting on the trunk of a fallen
+tree, examining the priming and lock of his gun, casually casting a look
+up the river bank, he saw an Indian slowly approaching with his eyes
+intently fixed on the ground, carefully inspecting the track of his
+moccasins, left in the soft earth as he returned to his hut the evening
+before. He instantly cocked his gun, stepped behind a tree, and waited
+till the Indian came within the sure range of his shot. He then fired and
+the Indian fell. Rushing from the cover on his prostrate foe, he was about
+to apply the scalping knife; but seeing the shining silver broaches, and
+broad bands on his arms, he fell to cutting them loose, and tucking them
+into the bosom of his hunting shirt. While busily occupied in securing the
+spoils, the sharp crack of a rifle and the passage of the ball through the
+bullet pouch at his side, caused him to look up, when he saw three Indians
+within a hundred yards of him. They being too numerous for him to
+encounter, he seized his rifle and took to flight. The other two, as he
+ran, fired at him without effect. The chase was continued for several
+miles by two of the Indians, who were the swiftest runners. He often
+stopped and "treed," hoping to get a shot and kill or disable one of them,
+and then overcome the other at his leisure. His pursuers also "treed," and
+by flanking to the right and left, forced him to uncover or stand the
+chance of a shot.
+
+He finally concluded to leave the level grounds, on which the contest had
+thus far been held, and take to the high hills which lie back of the
+bottoms. His strong, muscular limbs here gave him the advantage, as he
+could ascend the steep hill sides more rapidly than his pursuers. The
+Indians, seeing they could not overtake him, as a last effort stopped and
+fired. One of the balls cut away the handle of his hunting-knife, jerking
+it so violently against his side, that for a moment he thought he was
+wounded. He immediately returned the fire, and, with a yell of vexation,
+they gave up the chase.
+
+Fleehart made a circuit among the hills, and just at dark came in to the
+river, near where the canoe lay hid. Springing lightly on board, he
+paddled down stream. Being greatly fatigued with the efforts of the day,
+he lay down in the canoe, and when he awoke in the morning the boat was
+just entering the Ohio river. Crossing over to the southern shore, he, in
+a few days, pushed his canoe up to Farmer's Castle, without further
+adventure, where he showed the rich packages of peltry, as the proceeds of
+his winter's hunt, and displayed the brilliant silver ornaments, as
+trophies of his victory, to the envy and admiration of his less venturous
+companions.[C]
+
+-----
+
+  [C]  Hildreth's Pioneer History.
+
+[Illustration: A MOUNTED RANGER.]
+
+
+
+
+INDIAN FIGHT ON THE LITTLE MUSKINGUM.
+
+
+In the latter part of September, 1789, an alarm being given that Indians
+had been seen in the Campus Martius, on the Ohio, a party consisting of
+five or six rangers, ten volunteer citizens, and twelve regular soldiers
+was collected for pursuit.
+
+The men went up in canoes to the mouth of Duck creek, where they left
+their water craft. The more experienced rangers soon fell upon the trail,
+which they traced across the wide bottoms on to the Little Muskingum. At a
+point about half a mile below where Conner's mill now stands, the Indians
+forded the creek. In a hollow, between the hills, about a mile east of the
+creek, they discovered the smoke of their camp fire. The rangers now
+divided the volunteers into two flanking parties, with one of the spies at
+the head of each, and three of their number to act in front. By the time
+the flankers had come in range of the camp, the Indians discovered their
+pursuers, by the noise of the soldiers who lagged behind, and were not so
+cautious in their movement. They instantly fled up the run on which they
+were encamped. Two of their number leaving the main body, ascended the
+point of a hill, with a ravine on the right and left of it.
+
+[Illustration: AN INDIAN BRAVE.]
+
+The rangers now began to fire, while the Indians, each one taking his
+tree, returned the shot. One of the two Indians on the spur of the ridge
+was wounded through the hips, by one of the spies on the right, who pushed
+on manfully to gain the flanks of the enemy. The men in front came on more
+slowly, and as they began to ascend the point of the ridge, Ned Henderson,
+who was posted on high ground, cried out "Kerr! Kerr! there is an Indian
+behind that white oak, and he will kill some of you." Kerr instantly
+sprung behind a large tree, and Peter Anderson, who was near him, behind a
+hickory, too small to cover more than half his body, while John Wiser
+jumped down into the ravine. At that instant the Indian fired at Anderson,
+and as John looked over the edge of the bank to learn the effect of the
+shot, he saw Peter wiping the dust of the hickory bark out of his eyes.
+The ball grazed the tree, just opposite his nose, and glancing off did him
+no serious harm, but filling his eyes with the dust, and cutting his nose
+with the splinters. At the same time Henderson, with others, fired at the
+Indian, and he fell with several balls through his body. The brave fellow
+who was killed lost his life in a noble effort to aid his friend, who had
+been wounded through the hips, and could not spring up on to the little
+bench, or break in the ridge, where he was standing.
+
+While occupied in this labor of love, the rangers on his flanks had so far
+advanced, that the shelter of the friendly tree could no longer secure him
+from their shots, as it had done while his enemies were more in front of
+him. The wounded Indian escaped for the present, although it is probable
+he died soon after. The other five Indians, there being seven in the
+party, seeing that their enemies outnumbered them so greatly, after firing
+a few times, made a circuit to the right and came up in the rear of the
+soldiers, who were occupying themselves with the contents of the kettle of
+hog meat and potatoes, which the Indians in their hurry had left boiling
+over the fire. The first notice they had of their danger was the report of
+their rifles. It made a huge uproar among the musketeers, who taking to
+flight, ran in great alarm for protection to the rangers. As it happened
+the Indians were too far off to do much harm, and no one was injured but
+one poor fellow, who was shot through the seat of his trowsers, just
+grazing the skin. He tumbled into the brook by the side of the camp,
+screaming at the top of his voice, "I am kill'd, I am kill'd," greatly to
+the amusement of the rangers, who were soon at his side, and dragging him
+out of the water, searched in vain for the mortal wound. The dead Indian
+was scalped, and his rifle and blanket taken as the legitimate plunder of
+a conquered foe. The other five retreated out of reach of the rangers,
+after their feat of frightening the soldiers. They returned to the
+garrison, well pleased that none of their men were killed, but much vexed
+with the soldiers, whose indiscretion had prevented their destroying the
+whole of the Indians, had they encircled them as first arranged by the
+leaders of the party. It served as a warning to the Indians not to
+approach too near the Yankee garrison, as their rangers were brave men,
+whose eyes and ears were always open.[D]
+
+-----
+
+  [D]  Hildreth's Pioneer History.
+
+[Illustration: THE DEFIANCE.]
+
+
+
+
+ESCAPE OF RETURN J. MEIGS.
+
+
+During the continuance of the Indian wars, from 1790 to 1795, it was
+customary for the inmates of all the garrisons to cultivate considerable
+fields of Indian corn and other vegetables near the walls of their
+defences. Although hazardous in the extreme, it was preferable to
+starvation. For a part of that time no provisions could be obtained from
+the older settlements above, on the Monongahela and Ohio; sometimes from a
+scarcity amongst themselves, and always at great hazard from Indians, who
+watched the river for the capture of boats. Another reason was the want of
+money; many of the settlers having expended a large share of their funds
+in the journey on, and for the purchase of lands, while others had not a
+single dollar; so that necessity compelled them to plant their fields. The
+war having commenced so soon after their arrival, and at a time when not
+expected, as a formal treaty was made with them at Marietta, in January,
+1789, which by the way was only a piece of Indian diplomacy, they never
+intended to abide by it longer than suited their convenience, and no
+stores being laid up for a siege, they were taken entirely unprepared. So
+desperate were their circumstances at one period, that serious thoughts of
+abandoning the country were entertained by many of the leading men. Under
+these circumstances R. J. Meigs, then a young lawyer, was forced to lay
+aside the gown, and assume the use of both the sword and plough. It is
+true that but little ploughing was done, as much of the corn was then
+raised by planting the virgin soil with a hoe, amongst the stumps and logs
+of the clearing, after burning off the brush and light stuff. In this way
+large crops were invariably produced; so that nearly all the implements
+needed were the axe and the hoe. It so happened that Mr. Meigs, whose
+residence was in Campus Martius, the garrison on the east side of the
+Muskingum river, had planted a field of corn on the west side of that
+stream in the vicinity of Fort Harmar. To reach this field the river was
+to be crossed near his residence in a canoe, and the space between the
+landing and his crop, a distance of about half a mile, to be passed by an
+obscure path through a thick wood.
+
+[Illustration: AN INDIAN WARRIOR.]
+
+Early in June, 1792, Mr. Meigs, having completed the labor of the day a
+little before night, set out on his return home in company with Joseph
+Symonds and a colored boy, which he had brought with him as a servant from
+Connecticut. Immediately on leaving the field they entered the forest
+through which they had to pass before reaching the canoe. Symonds and the
+boy were unarmed; Mr. Meigs carried a small shot-gun, which he had taken
+with him for the purpose of shooting a turkey, which at that day abounded
+to an extent that would hardly be credited at this time. Flocks of several
+hundred were not uncommon, and of a size and fatness that would excite the
+admiration of an epicure of any period of the world, even of Apicius
+himself. Meeting, however, with no turkies, he had discharged his gun at a
+large snake which crossed his path. They had now arrived within a few rods
+of the landing, when two Indians, who had been for some time watching
+their movements and heard the discharge of the gun, sprang into the path
+behind them, fired and shot Symonds through the shoulder. He being an
+excellent swimmer, rushed down the bank and into the Muskingum river;
+where, turning on his back, he was enabled to support himself on the
+surface until he floated down near Fort Harmar, where he was taken up by a
+canoe. His wound, although a dangerous one, was healed, and he was alive
+twenty years afterwards. The black boy followed Symonds into the river as
+far as he could wade, but being no swimmer, was unable to get out of reach
+of the Indian who pursued them, and was seized and dragged on shore. The
+Indian who had captured him was desirous of making him a prisoner, which
+he so obstinately refused, and made so much resistance that he finally
+tomahawked and scalped him near the edge of the water. To this alternative
+he was in a manner compelled, rather than lose both prisoner and scalp, as
+the rangers and men at Campus Martius had commenced firing at him from the
+opposite shore. The first shot was fired by a spirited black man in the
+service of Commodore Abraham Whipple, who was employed near the river at
+the time.
+
+From some accident, it appears that only one of the Indians was armed with
+a rifle, while the other had a tomahawk and knife. After Symonds was shot,
+Mr. Meigs immediately faced about in order to retreat to Fort Harmar. The
+savage armed with the rifle, had placed himself in the path, intending to
+cut off his escape, but had no time to reload before his intended victim
+clubbed his gun and rushed upon his antagonist. As he passed, Mr. Meigs
+aimed a blow at his head, which the Indian returned with his rifle. From
+the rapidity of the movement, neither of them were seriously injured,
+although it staggered both considerably, yet neither fell to the ground.
+Instantly recovering from the shock, he pursued his course to the fort
+with the Indian close at his heels. Mr. Meigs was in the vigor of early
+manhood, and had, by frequent practice in the race, become a very swift
+runner. His foeman was also very fleet, and amongst the most active of
+their warriors, as none but such were sent into the settlements on
+marauding excursions. The race continued for sixty or eighty rods with
+little advantage on either side, when Mr. Meigs gradually increased his
+distance ahead, and leaping across a deep run that traversed the path, the
+Indian stopped on the brink, threw his tomahawk, and gave up the pursuit
+with one of those fierce yells which rage and disappointment both served
+to sharpen. It was distinctly heard at both the forts. About sixteen years
+since, an Indian tomahawk was ploughed up near this spot, and was most
+probably the one thrown at Mr. Meigs; as the rescue and pursuit from Fort
+Harmar was so immediate upon hearing the alarm, that he had no time to
+recover it. With the scalp of the poor black boy, the Indians ascended the
+abrupt side of the hill which overlooked the garrison, and shouting
+defiance to their foes, escaped in the forest.
+
+The excitement was very great at the garrison, and taught the inmates a
+useful lesson; that of being better armed and more on their guard when
+they went out on agricultural pursuits. Had Mr. Meigs tried any other
+expedient than that of facing his enemy and rushing instantly upon him, he
+must have lost his life, as the Indian was well aware of his gun being
+unloaded. On his right was the river, on his left a very high hill; beyond
+him the pathless forest, and between him and the fort his Indian foe. To
+his sudden and unexpected attack, to his dauntless and intrepid manner,
+and to his activity, he undoubtedly owed his life.
+
+
+
+
+ESTILL'S DEFEAT.
+
+
+One of the most remarkable pioneer fights, in the early history of the
+west, was that waged by Captain James Estill, and seventeen of his
+associates, on the 22d of March, 1782, with a party of Wyandotte Indians,
+twenty-five in number. Seventy-one years almost have elapsed since; yet
+one of the actors in that sanguinary struggle, Rev. Joseph Proctor, of
+Estill county, Kentucky, survived to the 2d of December, 1844, dying in
+the full enjoyment of his faculties at the age of ninety. His wife, the
+partner of his early privations and toils, and nearly as old as himself,
+deceased six months previously.
+
+On the 19th of March 1782, Indian rafts, without any one on them, were
+seen floating down the Kentucky river, past Boonesborough. Intelligence of
+this fact was immediately dispatched by Colonel Logan to Captain Estill,
+at his station fifteen miles from Boonesborough, and near the present site
+of Richmond, Kentucky, together with a force of fifteen men, who were
+directed to march from Lincoln county to Estill's assistance, instructing
+Captain Estill, if the Indians had not appeared there, to scour the
+country with a reconnoitring party, as it could not be known at what point
+the attack would be made.
+
+[Illustration: SLAUGHTER OF MISS INNES.]
+
+Estill lost not a moment in collecting a force to go in search of the
+savages, not doubting, from his knowledge of the Indian character, that
+they designed an immediate blow at his or some of the neighboring
+stations. From his own and the nearest stations, he raised twenty-five
+men. Whilst Estill and his men were on this excursion, the Indians
+suddenly appeared around his station at the dawn of day, on the 20th of
+March, killed and scalped Miss Innes, and took Munk, a slave of Captain
+Estill, captive. The Indians immediately and hastily retreated, in
+consequence of a highly exaggerated account which Munk gave them of the
+strength of the station, and number of fighting men in it. No sooner had
+the Indians commenced their retreat, than the women in the fort (the men
+being all absent except one on the sick list,) dispatched two boys, the
+late General Samuel South and Peter Hacket, to take the trail of Captain
+Estill and his men, and, overtaking them, give information of what had
+occurred at the fort. The boys succeeded in coming up with Captain Estill
+early on the morning of the 21st, between the mouths of Drowning creek and
+Red river. After a short search, Captain Estill's party struck the trail
+of the retreating Indians. It was resolved at once to make pursuit, and no
+time was lost in doing so. Five men of the party, however, who had
+families in the fort, feeling uneasy for their safety, and unwilling to
+trust their defence to the few who remained there, returned to the fort,
+leaving Captain Estill's party thirty-five in number. These pressed the
+pursuit of the retreating Indians, as rapidly as possible, but night
+coming on they encamped near the Little Mountain, at present the site of
+Mount Sterling.
+
+[Illustration: CAPTAIN ESTILL.]
+
+Early next morning they put forward, being obliged to leave ten of the men
+behind, whose horses were too jaded to travel further. They had not
+proceeded far until they discovered by fresh tracks of the Indians, that
+they were not far distant. They then marched in four lines until about an
+hour before sunset, when they discovered six of the savages helping
+themselves to rations from the body of a buffalo which they had killed.
+The company was ordered to dismount. With the usual impetuosity of
+Kentuckians, some of the party fired without regarding orders, and the
+Indians fled. One of the party, a Mr. David Cook, who acted as ensign,
+exceedingly ardent and active, had proceeded in advance of the company,
+and seeing an Indian halt, raised his gun and fired. At the same moment
+another Indian crossed on the opposite side, and they were both leveled
+with the same shot. This occurring in view of the whole company, inspired
+them all with a high degree of confidence. In the meantime, the main body
+of Indians had heard the alarm and returned, and the two hostile parties
+exactly matched in point of numbers, having twenty-five on each side, and
+were now face to face. The ground was highly favorable to the Indian mode
+of warfare; but Captain Estill and his men, without a moment's hesitation,
+boldly and fearlessly commenced an attack upon them, and the latter as
+boldly and fearlessly (for they were picked warriors) engaged in the
+bloody combat. It is, however, disgraceful to relate, that, at the very
+onset of the action, Lieutenant Miller, of Captain Estill's party, with
+six men under his command, "ingloriously fled" from the field, thereby
+placing in jeopardy the whole of their comrades, and causing the death of
+many brave soldiers. Hence, Estill's party numbered eighteen, and the
+Wyandottes twenty-five.
+
+The flank becoming thus unprotected, Captain Estill directed Cook with
+three men to occupy Miller's station, and repel the attack in that quarter
+to which this base act of cowardice exposed the whole party. The ensign
+with his party were taking the position assigned, when one of them
+discovered an Indian and shot him, and the three retreated to a little
+eminence whence they thought greater execution could be effected with less
+danger to themselves, but Cook continued to advance without noticing the
+absence of his party until he had discharged his gun with effect, when he
+immediately retreated, but after running some distance to a large tree,
+for the purpose of shelter in firing, he unfortunately got entangled in
+the tops of fallen timber, and halting for a moment, received a ball which
+struck him just below the shoulder blade, and came out below his collar
+bone. In the meantime, on the main field of battle, at the distance of
+fifty yards, the fight raged with great fury, lasting one hour and
+three-quarters. On either side wounds and death were inflicted, neither
+party advancing or retreating. "Every man to his man, and every man to his
+tree." Captain Estill at this period was covered with blood from a wound
+received early in the action; nine of his brave companions lay dead upon
+the field; and four others were so disabled by their wounds, as to be
+unable to continue the fight. Captain Estill's fighting men were now
+reduced to four. Among this number was Joseph Proctor.
+
+Captain Estill, the brave leader of this Spartan band, was now brought
+into a personal conflict with a powerful and active Wyandotte warrior. The
+conflict was for a time fierce and desperate, and keenly and anxiously
+watched by Proctor, with his finger on the trigger of his unerring rifle.
+Such, however, was the struggle between these fierce and powerful
+warriors, that Proctor could not shoot without greatly endangering the
+safety of his captain. Estill had had his arm broken the preceding summer
+in an engagement with the Indians; and, in the conflict with the warrior
+on this occasion, that arm gave way, and in an instant his savage foe
+buried his knife in Captain Estill's breast; but in the very same moment,
+the brave Proctor sent a ball from his rifle to the Wyandotte's heart. The
+survivors then drew off as by mutual consent.--Thus ended this memorable
+battle. It wanted nothing but the circumstance of numbers to make it the
+most memorable in ancient or modern times. The loss of the Indians, in
+killed and wounded, notwithstanding the disparity of numbers after the
+shameful retreat of Miller, was even greater than that of Captain Estill.
+
+It was afterwards ascertained by prisoners who were recaptured from the
+Wyandotte, that seventeen of the Indians had been killed, and two severely
+wounded. This battle was fought on the same day, with the disastrous
+battle of the Blue Licks, March 22d, 1782.
+
+There is a tradition derived from the Wyandotte towns, after the peace,
+that but one of the warriors engaged in this battle ever returned to his
+nation. It is certain that the chief who led on the Wyandottes with so
+much desperation, fell in the action. Throughout this bloody engagement
+the coolness and bravery of Proctor were unsurpassed. But his conduct
+after the battle has always, with those acquainted with it, elicited the
+warmest commendation. He brought off the field of battle, and most of the
+way to the station, a distance of forty miles, on his back, his badly
+wounded friend, the late brave Colonel William Irvine, so long and so
+favorably known in Kentucky.
+
+
+
+
+A PIONEER MOTHER.
+
+
+The mothers of the west deserve as wide a fame as their fearless husbands
+and brothers. In no situation were courage and resolution so much required
+in women as in the western wilderness, during the Indian wars, and even
+the celebrated heroines of European history seem to us ordinary in
+comparison.
+
+In the fall of 1779, Samuel Daviess, who resided in Bedford county,
+Virginia, moved with his family to Kentucky, and lived for a time, at
+Whitley's station, in Lincoln. After residing for some time in the
+station, he removed for a time to a place called Gilmer's Lick, some six
+or seven miles distant from said station, where he built a cabin, cleared
+some land, which he put in corn next season, not apprehending any danger
+from the Indians, although he was considered a frontier settler. But this
+imaginary state of security did not last long; for one morning in August,
+1782, having stepped a few paces from his door, he was suddenly surprised
+by an Indian appearing between him and the door, with tomahawk uplifted,
+almost within striking distance. In this unexpected condition, and being
+entirely unarmed, his first thought was, that by running round the house,
+he could enter the door in safety, but to his surprise, in attempting to
+effect this object, as he approached the door he found the house full of
+Indians. Being closely pursued by the Indian first mentioned, he made his
+way into the cornfield, where he concealed himself with much difficulty,
+until the pursuing Indian had returned to the house.
+
+[Illustration: SCALPING.]
+
+Unable as he was to render any relief to his family, there being five
+Indians, he ran with the utmost speed to the station of his brother, a
+distance of five miles. As he approached the station, his undressed
+condition told the tale of his distresses, before he was able to tell it
+himself. Almost breathless, and with a faltering voice, he could only say,
+his wife and children were in the hands of the Indians. Scarcely was the
+communication made when he obtained a spare gun, and the five men in the
+station, well armed, followed him to his residence. When they arrived at
+the house, the Indians, as well as the family were found to be gone, and
+no evidence appeared that any of the family had been killed. A search was
+made to find the direction the Indians had taken; but owing to the dryness
+of the ground, and the adroit manner in which they had departed, no
+discovery could be made. In this study and perplexity, the party being all
+good woodsmen, took that direction in pursuit of the Indians, which they
+thought it most probable they would take. After going a few miles, their
+attention was arrested by the howling of a dog, which afterwards turned
+out to be a house-dog that had followed the family, and which the Indians
+had undertaken to kill, so as to avoid detection, which might happen from
+his occasionally barking. In attempting to kill the dog, he was only
+wounded, which produced the howling that was heard. The noise thus heard,
+satisfied them that they were near the Indians, and enabled them to rush
+forward with the utmost impetuosity. Two of the Indians being in the rear
+as spies, discovering the approach of the party, ran forward to where the
+Indians were with the family--one of them knocked down the oldest boy,
+about eleven years old, and while in the act of scalping him, was fired
+at, but without effect. Mrs. Daviess, seeing the agitation and alarm of
+the Indians, saved herself and sucking child, by jumping into a sink hole.
+The Indians did not stand to make fight, but fled in the most precipitate
+manner. In that way the family was rescued by nine o'clock in the morning,
+without the loss of a single life, and without any injury but that above
+mentioned. So soon as the boy had risen on his feet, the first words he
+spoke were, "Curse that Indian, he has got my scalp!" After the family had
+been rescued, Mrs. Daviess gave the following account of how the Indians
+had acted.
+
+[Illustration: GOING INTO CAPTIVITY.]
+
+A few minutes after her husband had opened the door and stepped out of the
+house, four Indians rushed in, whilst the fifth, as she afterwards
+learned, was in pursuit of her husband. Herself and children were in bed
+when the Indians entered the house. One of the Indians immediately made
+signs, by which she understood him to inquire how far it was to the next
+house. With an unusual presence of mind, knowing how important it would be
+to make the distance as far as possible, she raised both her hands, first
+counting the fingers of one hand, then of the other--making a distance of
+eight miles. The Indian then signed to her that she must rise; she
+immediately got up, and as soon as she could dress herself, commenced
+showing the Indians one article of clothing after another, which pleased
+them very much; and in that way, delayed them at the house nearly two
+hours. In the meantime, the Indian who had been in pursuit of her husband,
+returned with his hands stained with poke berries, which he held up, and
+with some violent gestures, and waving of his tomahawk, attempted to
+induce the belief, that the stain on his hands was the blood of her
+husband, and that he had killed him. She was enabled at once to discover
+the deception, and instead of producing any alarm on her part, she was
+satisfied that her husband had escaped uninjured.
+
+After the savages had plundered the house of everything that they could
+conveniently carry off with them, they started, taking Mrs. Daviess and
+her children--seven in number, as prisoners along with them. Some of the
+children were too young to travel as fast as the Indians wished, and
+discovering, as she believed, their intention to kill such of them as
+could not conveniently travel, she made the two oldest boys carry them on
+their backs. The Indians, in starting from the house, were very careful to
+leave no signs of the direction which they had taken, not even permitting
+the children to break a twig or weed, as they passed along. They had not
+gone far, before an Indian drew a knife and cut off a few inches of Mrs.
+Daviess' dress, so that she would not be interrupted in travelling.
+
+Mrs. Daviess was a woman of cool, deliberate courage, and accustomed to
+handle the gun so that she could shoot well, as many of the women were in
+the habit of doing in those days. She had contemplated, as a last resort,
+that if not rescued in the course of the day, when night came and the
+Indians had fallen asleep, she would rescue herself and children by
+killing as many of the Indians as she could--thinking that in a night
+attack as many of them as remained, would most probably run off. Such an
+attempt would now seem a species of madness; but to those who were
+acquainted with Mrs. Daviess, little doubt was entertained, that if the
+attempt had been made, it would have proved successful.
+
+The boy who had been scalped, was greatly disfigured, as the hair never
+after grew upon that part of the head. He often wished for an opportunity
+to avenge himself upon the Indians for the injury he had received.
+Unfortunately for himself, ten years afterwards, the Indians came to the
+neighborhood of his father and stole a number of horses.
+
+Himself and a party of men went in pursuit of them, and after following
+them for some days, the Indians finding that they were likely to be
+overtaken, placed themselves in ambush, and when their pursuers came up,
+killed young Daviess and one other man; so that he ultimately fell into
+their hands when about twenty-one years old.
+
+The next year after the father died; his death being caused, as it was
+supposed, by the extraordinary efforts he made to release his family from
+the Indians.
+
+We cannot close this account, without noticing an act of courage displayed
+by Mrs. Daviess, calculated to exhibit her character in its true point of
+view.
+
+Kentucky, in its early days, like most new countries, was occasionally
+troubled with men of abandoned character, who lived by stealing the
+property of others, and after committing their depredations, retired to
+their hiding places, thereby eluding the operation of the law. One of
+these marauders, a man of desperate character, who had committed extensive
+thefts from Mr. Daviess, as well as from his neighbors, was pursued by
+Daviess and a party whose property he had taken, in order to bring him to
+justice. While the party were in pursuit, the suspected individual, not
+knowing any one was pursuing him, came to the house of Daviess, armed with
+his gun and tomahawk--no person being at home but Mrs. Daviess and her
+children. After he had stepped in the house, Mrs. Daviess asked him if he
+would drink something--and having set a bottle of whiskey upon the table,
+requested him to help himself. The fellow not suspecting any danger, set
+his gun up by the door, and while drinking, Mrs. Daviess picked up his
+gun, and placing herself in the door, had the gun cocked and levelled upon
+him by the time he turned around, and in a peremptory manner, ordered him
+to take a seat, or she would shoot him. Struck with terror and alarm, he
+asked what he had done. She told him, he had stolen her husband's
+property, and that she intended to take care of him herself. In that
+condition, she held him a prisoner, until the party of men returned and
+took him into their possession.
+
+[Illustration: THE SQUATTER'S WIFE.]
+
+
+
+
+THE SQUATTER'S WIFE AND DAUGHTER.
+
+
+On the Illinois river, near two hundred miles from its junction with the
+Mississippi, there lived in 1812, an old pioneer, known in those days as
+"Old Parker the squatter." His family consisted of a wife and three
+children, the oldest a boy of nineteen, a girl of seventeen, and the
+youngest a boy of fourteen. At the time of which we write, Parker and his
+oldest boy had gone in company with three Indians on a hunt, expecting to
+be absent some five or six days.--The third day after the departure, one
+of the Indians returned to Parker's house, came in and sat himself down by
+the fire, lit his pipe and commenced smoking in silence. Mrs. Parker
+thought nothing of this, as it was no uncommon thing for one or sometimes
+more of a party of Indians to return abruptly from a hunt, at some sign
+they might consider ominous of bad luck, and in such instances were not
+very communicative. But at last the Indian broke silence with "ugh, old
+Parker die." This exclamation immediately drew Mrs. Parker's attention,
+who directly enquired of the Indian, what's the matter with Parker? The
+Indian responded Parker sick, tree fell on him, you go, he die. Mrs.
+Parker then asked the Indian if Parker had sent for her, and where he was?
+The replies of the Indian somewhat aroused her suspicions. She, however,
+came to the conclusion to send her son with the Indian to see what was the
+matter. The boy and Indian started. That night passed, and the next day
+too, and neither the boy or Indian returned. This confirmed Mrs. Parker in
+her opinion that there was foul play on the part of the Indians. So she
+and her daughter went to work and barricaded the door and windows in the
+best way they could. The youngest boy's rifle was the only one left, he
+not having taken it with him when he went to hunt after his father. The
+old lady took the rifle, the daughter the axe, and thus armed they
+determined to watch through the night; and defend themselves if necessary.
+They had not long to wait after night fall, for shortly after that some
+one commenced knocking at the door, crying out "Mother! mother!" but Mrs.
+Parker thought the voice was not exactly like that of her son--in order to
+ascertain the fact, she said "Jake, where are the Indians?" The reply
+which was "um gone," satisfied her on that point. She then said, as if
+speaking to her son, "Put your ear to the latch-hole of the door I want to
+tell you something before I open the door." The head was placed at the
+latch-hole, and the old lady fired through the same spot and killed an
+Indian. She stepped back from the door instantly, and it was well she did
+so, for quicker than I have penned the last two words two rifle bullets
+came crashing through the door. The old lady then said to her daughter,
+"Thank God there are but two, I must have killed the one at the door--they
+must be the three who went on the hunt with your father. If we can only
+kill or cripple another of them, we will be safe; now we must both be
+still after they fire again, and they will then break the door down, and I
+may be able to shoot another one; but if I miss them when getting in, you
+must use the axe."--The daughter equally courageous with her mother
+assured her she would. Soon after this conversation two more rifle bullets
+came crashing through the window. A death-like stillness ensued for about
+five minutes, when two more balls in quick succession were fired through
+the door, then followed a tremendous punching with a log, the door gave
+way, and with a fiendish yell an Indian was about to spring in, when the
+unerring rifle fired by the old lady stretched his lifeless body across
+the thresh-hold of the door. The remaining, or more properly the surviving
+Indian fired at random and ran, doing no injury. "Now" said the old
+heroine to her undaunted daughter "we must leave." Accordingly with the
+rifle and the axe, they went to the river, took the canoe, and without a
+mouthful of provision except one wild duck and two black birds which the
+mother shot, and which were eaten raw, did these two courageous hearts in
+six days arrive among the old French settlers at St. Louis. A party of
+about a dozen men crossed over into Illinois--and after an unsuccessful
+search returned without finding either Parker or his boys. They were never
+found. There are yet some of the old settlers in the neighborhood of
+Peoria who still point out the spot where "old Parker the squatter"
+lived.
+
+[Illustration: ATTACK ON CAPTAIN HUBBELL'S BOAT.]
+
+
+
+
+CAPTAIN WILLIAM HUBBELL.
+
+
+In the year 1791, when the Indians were very troublesome on the banks of
+the Ohio, Captain William Hubbell, Mr. Daniel Light, Mr. William Plascut,
+Mrs. Plascut and eight children embarked in a flat-bottomed boat to
+proceed down the Ohio.
+
+On their progress down the river, and soon after passing Pittsburgh, they
+saw evident traces of Indians along the banks, and there is every reason
+to believe that a boat which they overtook, and which, through
+carelessness, was suffered to run aground on an island, became a prey to
+these merciless savages. Though Captain Hubbell and his party stopped some
+time for it in a lower part of the river, it did not arrive, and has never
+to their knowledge been heard of since. Before they reached the mouth of
+the Great Kenhawa, they had by several successive additions, increased
+their number to twenty, consisting of nine men, three women, and eight
+children. The men, besides those mentioned above, were one John Stoner, an
+Irishman and a Dutchman, whose names are not recollected, Messrs. Ray and
+Tucker, and a Mr. Kilpatrick, whose two daughters also were of the party.
+Information received at Galliopolis confirmed the expectation, which
+appearance previously raised, of a serious conflict with a large body of
+Indians; and as Captain Hubbell had been regularly appointed commander of
+the boat, every possible preparation was made for a formidable and
+successful resistance of the anticipated attack. The nine men were divided
+into three watches for the night, which were alternately to continue
+awake, and be on the look out for two hours at a time. The arms on board,
+which consisted principally of old muskets, much out of order, were
+collected, loaded, and put in the best possible condition for service.
+About sunset on that day, the 23d of March, 1792, the party overtook a
+fleet of six boats descending the river in company, and intended to
+continue with them, but as their passengers seemed to be more disposed to
+dancing than fighting, and as soon after dark, notwithstanding the
+remonstrances of Captain Hubbell, they commenced fiddling and dancing
+instead of preparing their arms, and taking the necessary rest preparatory
+to battle, it was wisely considered more hazardous to be in such company,
+than to be alone. It was therefore determined to proceed rapidly forward
+by the aid of the oars, and leave those thoughtless fellow-travellers
+behind. One of the boats, however, belonging to the fleet, commanded by a
+Captain Greathouse, adopted the same plan, and for a while kept up with
+Captain Hubbell, but all its crew at length falling asleep, that boat also
+ceased to be propelled by the oars, and Captain Hubbell and his party
+proceeded steadily forward alone. Early in the night a canoe was dimly
+seen floating down the river, in which were probably Indians
+reconnoitering, and other evident indications were observed of the
+neighborhood and hostile intentions of a formidable party of savages.
+
+It was now agreed, that should the attack, as was probable, be deferred
+till morning, every man should be up before the dawn, in order to make as
+great a show as possible of numbers and of strength; and that, whenever
+the action should take place, the women and children should lie down on
+the cabin floor, and be protected as well as they could by the trunks and
+other baggage, which might be placed around them. In this perilous
+situation they continued during the night, and the captain, who had not
+slept more than one hour since he left Pittsburgh, was too deeply
+impressed with the imminent danger which surrounded him to obtain any rest
+at that time.
+
+[Illustration: A SIOUX CHIEF.]
+
+Just as daylight began to appear in the east, and before the men were up
+and at their posts, agreeably to arrangement, a voice at some distance
+below them, in a plaintive tone, repeatedly solicited them to come on
+shore, as there were some white persons who wished to obtain a passage in
+their boat. This the captain very naturally and correctly concluded to be
+an Indian artifice, and its only effect was to rouse the men, and place
+every one on his guard. The voice of entreaty was soon changed into the
+language of indignation and insult, and the sound of distant paddles
+announced the approach of the savage foe. At length three Indian canoes
+were seen through the mist of the morning rapidly advancing. With the
+utmost coolness the captain and his companions prepared to receive them.
+The chairs, tables, and other incumbrances were thrown into the river, in
+order to clear the deck for action. Every man took his position, and was
+ordered not to fire till the savages had approached so near, that, (to use
+the words of Captain Hubbell,) "the flash from the guns might singe their
+eye-brows;" and a special caution was given, that the men should fire
+successively, so that there might be no interval. On the arrival of the
+canoes, they were found to contain about twenty-five or thirty Indians
+each. As soon as they had approached within the reach of musket-shot, a
+general fire was given from one of them, which wounded Mr. Tucker through
+the hip so severely that his leg hung only by the flesh, and shot Mr.
+Light just below his ribs. The three canoes placed themselves at the bow,
+stern, and on the right side of the boat, so that they had an opportunity
+of raking in every direction. The fire now commenced from the boat, and
+had a powerful effect in checking the confidence and fury of the Indians.
+The captain after firing his own gun, took up that of one of the wounded
+men, raised it to his shoulder, and was about to discharge it, when a ball
+came and took away the lock; he coolly turned round, seized a brand of
+fire from the kettle which served for a caboose, and applying it to the
+pan, discharged the piece with effect. A very regular and constant fire
+was now kept up on both sides. The captain was just in the act of raising
+his gun a third time, when a ball passed through his right arm, and for a
+moment disabled him. Scarcely had he recovered from the shock, and
+re-acquired the use of his hand, which had been suddenly drawn up by the
+wound, when he observed the Indians in one of the canoes just about to
+board the boat in its bow, where the horses were placed belonging to the
+party. So near had they approached, that some of them had actually seized
+with their hands the side of the boat. Severely wounded as he was, he
+caught up a pair of horsemen's pistols and rushed forward to repel the
+attempt at boarding. On his approach the Indians fell back, and he
+discharged a pistol with effect at the foremost man. After firing the
+second pistol, he found himself without arms, and was compelled to
+retreat; but stepping back on a pile of small wood which had been prepared
+for burning in the kettle, the thought struck him, that it might be made
+use of in repelling the foe, and he continued for some time to strike them
+with it so forcibly and actively, that they were unable to enter the boat,
+and at length he wounded one of them so severely that with a yell they
+suddenly gave way. All the canoes then discontinued the contest, and
+directed their course to Captain Greathouse's boat, which was in sight.
+Here a striking contrast was exhibited to the firmness and intrepidity
+which had been displayed. Instead of resisting the attack, the people on
+board of this boat retired to the cabin in dismay. The Indians entered it
+without opposition, and rowed it to the shore, where they killed the
+captain and a lad of about fourteen years of age. The women they placed in
+the centre of their canoes, and manning them with fresh hands, again
+pursued Captain Hubbell and party. A melancholy alternative now presented
+itself to these brave but almost desponding men, either to fall a prey to
+the savages themselves, or to run the risk of shooting the women, who had
+been placed in the canoes in the hope of deriving protection from their
+presence. But "self preservation is the first law of nature," and the
+captain very justly remarked, there would not be much humanity in
+preserving their lives at such a sacrifice, merely that they might become
+victims of savage cruelty at some subsequent period.
+
+There were now but four men left on board of Captain Hubbell's boat,
+capable of defending it, and the captain himself was severely wounded in
+two places. The second attack, however, was resisted with almost
+incredible firmness and vigor. Whenever the Indians would rise to fire,
+their opponents would frequently give them the first shot, which in almost
+every instance would prove fatal. Notwithstanding the disparity of
+numbers, and the exhausted condition of the defenders of the boat, the
+Indians at length appeared to despair of success, and the canoes
+successively retired to the shore. Just as the last one was departing,
+Captain Hubbell called to the Indian, who was standing in the stern, and
+on his turning round, discharged his piece at him. When the smoke, which
+for a moment obstructed the vision, was dissipated, he was seen lying on
+his back, and appeared to be severely, perhaps mortally wounded.
+
+Unfortunately the boat now drifted near to the shore, where the Indians
+were collected, and a large concourse, probably between four and five
+hundred, were seen rushing down on the bank. Ray and Plascut, the only
+men remaining unhurt, were placed at the oars, and as the boat was not
+more than twenty yards from the shore, it was deemed prudent for all to
+lie down in as safe a position as possible, and attempt to push
+forward with the utmost practicable rapidity. While they continued in
+this situation, nine balls were shot into one oar, and ten into the
+other, without wounding the rowers, who were hidden from view, and
+protected by the side of the boat and the blankets in its stern. During
+this dreadful exposure to the fire of the savages, which continued about
+twenty minutes, Mr. Kilpatrick observed a particular Indian, whom he
+thought a favorable mark for his rifle, and, notwithstanding the solemn
+warning of Captain Hubbell, rose to shoot him, he immediately received
+a ball in his mouth, which passed out at the back part of his head, and
+was almost at the same moment shot through the heart. He fell among the
+horses that about the same time were killed, and presented to his
+afflicted daughters and fellow-travellers, who were witnesses of the
+awful occurrence, a spectacle of horror which we need not further
+attempt to describe.
+
+The boat was now providentially and suddenly carried out into the middle
+of the stream, and taken by the current beyond the reach of the enemy's
+balls. Our little band reduced as they were in numbers, wounded,
+afflicted, and almost exhausted by fatigue, were still unsubdued in
+spirit, and being assembled in all their strength, men, women, and
+children, with an appearance of triumph gave three hearty cheers, calling
+to the Indians to come on again, if they were fond of the sport.
+
+Thus ended this awful conflict, in which out of nine men, two only escaped
+unhurt. Tucker and Kilpatrick were killed on the spot, Stoner was mortally
+wounded, and died on his arrival at Limestone, and all the rest, excepting
+Ray and Plascut were severely wounded. The women and children were all
+uninjured, excepting a little son of Mr. Plascut, who, after the battle
+was over, came to the captain, and with great coolness requested him to
+take a ball out of his head. On examination, it appeared that a bullet
+which had passed through the side of the boat, had penetrated the forehead
+of this little hero, and remained under the skin. The captain took it out,
+and the youth, observing "that is not all," raised his arm, and exhibited
+a piece of bone at the point of his elbow, which had been shot off, and
+hung only by the skin. His mother exclaimed, "why did you not tell me of
+this?" "Because," he coolly replied, "the captain directed us to be silent
+during the action, and I thought you would be likely to make a noise if I
+told you."
+
+The boat made the best of its way down the river, and reached Limestone
+that night. From that time forth no boat was assailed by Indians on the
+Ohio.
+
+[Illustration: CORNSTALK.]
+
+
+
+
+MURDER OF CORNSTALK AND HIS SON.
+
+
+Cornstalk, the commander of the Indians in the battle of Point Pleasant,
+was possessed of a noble heart as well as a genius for war and
+negotiation. He was ever anxious to maintain an honorable place with the
+whites and they returned his friendly inclination by putting him to
+death.
+
+A Captain Arbuckle commanded the garrison of the fort, erected at Point
+Pleasant, after the battle fought by General Lewis with the Indians at
+that place, in October, 1774. In the succeeding year, when the
+revolutionary war had commenced, the agents of Great Britain exerted
+themselves to excite the Indians to hostility against the United States.
+The mass of Shawnees entertained a strong animosity against the Americans.
+But, two of their chiefs, Cornstalk and Redhawk, not participating in that
+animosity visited the garrison at the Point, where Arbuckle continued to
+command. Cornstalk represented his unwillingness to take a part in the
+war, on the British side: but stated, that his nation, except himself and
+his tribe, were determined on war with us, and he supposed, that he and
+his people would be compelled to go with the stream. On this intimation,
+Arbuckle resolved to detain the two chiefs, and a third Shawnees, who came
+with them to the fort, as hostages, under the expectation of preventing
+thereby any hostile efforts of the nation. On the day before these
+unfortunate Indians fell victims to the fury of the garrison, Elenipsico,
+the son of Cornstalk, repaired to Point Pleasant for the purpose of
+visiting his father, and on the next day, two men belonging to the
+garrison, whose names were Hamilton and Gillmore, crossed the Kenhawa,
+intending to hunt in the woods beyond it.--On their return from hunting,
+some Indians who had come to view the position at the Point, concealed
+themselves in the weeds near the mouth of the Kenhawa, and killed Gillmore
+while endeavoring to pass them. Colonel Stewart and Captain Arbuckle were
+standing on the opposite bank of the river, at that time and were
+surprised that a gun had been fired so near the fort, in violation of
+orders which had been issued inhibiting such an act. Hamilton ran down the
+bank, and cried out that Gillmore was killed. Captain Hall commanded the
+company to which Gillmore belonged. His men leaped into a canoe, and
+hastened to the relief of Hamilton. They brought the body of Gillmore
+weltering in blood, and the head scalped, across the river. The canoe had
+scarcely reached the shore, when Hall's men cried out "Let us kill the
+Indians in the fort." Captain Hall placed himself in front of his
+soldiers, and they ascended the river's bank, pale with rage, and carrying
+their loaded fire locks in their hands. Colonel Stewart and Captain
+Arbuckle exerted themselves in vain, to dissuade these men, exasperated to
+madness by the spectacle of Gillmore's corpse, from the cruel deed which
+they contemplated. They cocked their guns, threatening those gentlemen
+with instant death, if they did not desist, and rushed into the fort.
+
+The interpreter's wife, who had been a captive among the Indians, and felt
+an affection for them, ran to their cabin and informed them that Hall's
+soldiers were advancing with the intention of taking their lives, because
+they believed that the Indians who killed Gillmore, had come with
+Cornstalk's son the preceding day. This the young man solemnly denied, and
+averred that he knew nothing of them. His father, perceiving that
+Elenipsico was in great agitation, encouraged him and advised him not to
+fear. "If the great Spirit," said he, "has sent you here to be killed, you
+ought to die like a man!" As the soldiers approached the door, Cornstalk
+rose to meet them, and received seven or eight balls which instantly
+terminated his existence. His son was shot dead in the seat which he
+occupied. The Red Hawk made an attempt to climb the chimney, but fell by
+the fire of some of Hall's men. The other Indian, says Colonel Stewart,
+"was shamefully mangled, and I grieved to see him so long dying."
+
+This atrocious deed so exasperated the Shawnees that they immediately took
+up arms upon the side of the British, expressing their resolution to spare
+no American who should fall into their hands, and never to lay down arms
+while there was the remotest chance of successful hostility. Many a family
+in Virginia and Kentucky had reason to lament the slaughter of the noble
+Cornstalk and his son.
+
+
+
+
+THE MASSACRE OF CHICAGO.
+
+
+On the site of the present city of Chicago, a fort was erected in 1803.
+Feeling secure under this protection, several families built cabins and
+began to cultivate the ground in the vicinity. The large and powerful
+tribe of Pottawatomies occupied the neighboring country. When the war of
+1812 broke out, the fort at Chicago was garrisoned by about fifty men,
+under the command of Captain Heald, and as it was so remote from the other
+American posts, General Hull determined that it should be abandoned. The
+following account of the subsequent disastrous events is abridged from
+Brown's History of Illinois.
+
+On the 7th of August, 1812, in the afternoon, Winnemeg, or Catfish, a
+friendly Indian of the Pottawatomie tribe, arrived at Chicago, and brought
+dispatches from General Hull, containing the first, and, at that time, the
+only intelligence of the declaration of war. General Hull's letter
+announced the capture of Mackinaw, and directed Captain Heald "to evacuate
+the fort at Chicago, if practicable, and, in that event, to distribute all
+the United States property contained in the fort, and the United States
+factory or agency, among the Indians in the neighborhood and repair to
+Fort Wayne." Winnemeg having delivered his dispatches to Captain Heald,
+and stated that he was acquainted with the purport of the communication he
+had brought, urged upon Captain Heald the policy of remaining in the fort,
+being supplied, as they were, with ammunition and provisions for a
+considerable time. In case, however, Captain Heald thought proper to
+evacuate the place, he urged upon him the propriety of doing so
+immediately, before the Pottawatomies (through whose country they must
+pass, and who were as yet ignorant of the object of his mission) could
+collect a force sufficient to oppose them. This advice though given in
+great earnestness, was not sufficiently regarded by Captain Heald; who
+observed, that he should evacuate the fort, but having received orders to
+distribute the public property among the Indians, he did not feel
+justified in leaving it until he had collected the Pottawatomies in its
+vicinity, and made an equitable distribution among them. Winnemeg then
+suggested the expediency of marching out and leaving every thing standing;
+"while the Indians," said he, "are dividing the spoils, the troops will be
+able to retreat without molestation." This advice was also unheeded, and
+an order for evacuating the fort was read next morning on parade. Captain
+Heald, in issuing it, had neglected to consult his junior officers, as it
+would have been natural for him to do in such an emergency, and as he
+probably would have done had there not been some coolness between him and
+Ensign Ronan.
+
+[Illustration: CAPTAIN HEALD IN COUNCIL WITH THE POTTAWATAMIES.]
+
+The lieutenant and ensign, after the promulgation of this order, waited on
+Captain Heald to learn his intentions; and being apprized; for the first
+time, of the course he intended to pursue, they remonstrated against it.
+Heald, however, deemed it advisable to assemble the Indians and distribute
+the public property among them, and ask of them an escort thither, with
+the promise of a considerable sum of money to be paid on their safe
+arrival; adding, that he had perfect confidence in the friendly
+professions of the Indians, from whom, as well as from the soldiers, the
+capture of Mackinaw had studiously been concealed. From this time forward,
+the junior officers stood aloof from their commander, and, considering his
+project as little short of madness, conversed as little upon the subject
+as possible. Dissatisfaction, however, soon filled the camp; the soldiers
+began to murmur, and insubordination assumed a threatening aspect.
+
+The savages, in the mean time became more and more troublesome; entered
+the fort occasionally, in defiance of the sentinels, and even made their
+way without ceremony into the quarters of its commanding officer. On one
+occasion an Indian, taking up a rifle fired it in the parlor of Captain
+Heald; some were of opinion that this was intended as the signal for an
+attack. The old chiefs at this time passed back and forth among the
+assembled groups, apparently agitated; and the squaws seemed much excited,
+as though some terrible calamity was impending. No further manifestations,
+however, of ill-feeling were exhibited, and the day passed without
+bloodshed. So infatuated at this time was Captain Heald, that he supposed
+he had wrought a favorable impression upon the savages, and that the
+little garrison could now march forth in safety.
+
+The Indians from the adjacent villages having at length arrived, a council
+was held on the 12th of August. It was attended, however, only by Captain
+Heald on the part of the military; the other officers refused to attend,
+having previously learned that a massacre was intended. This fact was
+communicated to Captain Heald; he insisted, however, on their going, and
+they resolutely persisted in their refusal. When Captain Heald left the
+fort, they repaired to the block-house, which overlooked the ground where
+the council was in session, and opening the portholes, pointed their
+cannon in its direction. This circumstance and their absence, it is
+supposed, saved the whites from massacre.
+
+[Illustration: BATTLE BETWEEN MOUNTED TROOPS AND THE INDIANS.]
+
+Captain Heald informed the Indians in council, that he would next day
+distribute among them all the goods in the United States factory, together
+with the ammunition and provisions with which the garrison was supplied;
+and desired of them an escort to Fort Wayne, promising them a reward on
+their arrival thither, in addition to the presents they were about to
+receive. The savages assented, with professions of friendship, to all he
+proposed, and promised all he required.
+
+The council was no sooner dismissed, than several observing the tone of
+feeling which prevailed, and anticipating from it no good to the garrison,
+waited on Captain Heald in order to open his eyes, if possible, to their
+condition. The impolicy of furnishing the Indians with arms and ammunition
+to be used against themselves, struck Captain Heald with so much force,
+that he resolved, without consulting his officers, to destroy all not
+required for immediate use.
+
+On August 13th, the goods in the factory store were distributed among the
+Indians, who had collected near the fort; and in the evening the
+ammunition, and also the liquor, belonging to the garrison, were carried,
+the former into the sally-port and thrown into the well, and the latter
+through the south gate, as silently as possible, to the river bank, where
+the heads of the barrels were knocked in, and their contents discharged
+into the stream. The Indians, however, suspecting the game, approached as
+near as possible and witnessed the whole scene. The spare muskets were
+broken up and thrown into the well, together with bags of shot, flints,
+and gun-screws, and other things; all, however, of but little value.
+
+On the 14th, the despondency of the garrison was for a while dispelled by
+the arrival of Captain Wells and fifteen friendly Miamies. Having heard at
+Fort Wayne of the error to evacuate Chicago, and knowing the hostile
+intentions of the Pottawatomies, he hastened thither in order to save, if
+possible, the little garrison from its doom. Having, on his arrival,
+learned that the ammunition had been destroyed, and the provisions
+distributed among the Indians, he saw there was no alternative.
+Preparations were therefore made for marching on the morrow.
+
+In the afternoon a second council was held with the Indians, at which they
+expressed their resentment at the destruction of the ammunition and liquor
+in the severest terms. Notwithstanding the precautions which had been
+observed, the knocking in of the heads of the whisky-barrels had been
+heard by the Indians, and the river next morning tasted, as some of them
+expressed it, "like strong grog." Murmurs and threats were everywhere
+heard; and nothing, apparently, was wanting but an opportunity for some
+public manifestation of their resentment.
+
+The morning of the 15th dawned as usual; the sun rose with uncommon
+splendor, and Lake Michigan "was a sheet of burnished gold." Early in the
+day a message was received in the American camp from To-pee-na-bee, a
+chief of the St. Joseph's band, informing them that mischief was brewing
+among the Pottawatomies, who had promised them protection.
+
+[Illustration: TO-PEE-NA-BEE.]
+
+About nine o'clock, the troops left the fort with martial music, and in
+military array. Captain Wells, at the head of the Miamies, led the van,
+his face blackened after the manner of the Indians. The garrison, with
+loaded arms, followed, and the wagons with the baggage, the women and
+children, the sick and the lame, closed the rear. The Pottawatomies, about
+five hundred in number, who had promised to escort them in safety to Fort
+Wayne leaving a little space, afterward followed. The party in advance
+took the beach road. They had no sooner arrived at the sand-hills which
+separate the prairie from the beach, about a mile and a half from the
+fort, when the Pottawatomies, instead of continuing in rear of the
+Americans, left the beach and took to the prairie; the sand-hills of
+course intervened, and presented a barrier between the Pottawatomies and
+the American and Miami line of march. This divergence had scarcely been
+effected, when Captain Wells, who, with the Miamies was considerably in
+advance, rode back and exclaimed, "They are about to attack us; form
+instantly and charge upon them." The word had scarcely been uttered,
+before a volley of musketry from behind the sand-hills was poured in upon
+them. The troops were brought immediately into a line and charged upon the
+bank. One man, a veteran of seventy, fell as they ascended. The battle at
+once became general. The Miamies fled in the outset; their chief rode up
+to the Pottawatomies, charged them with duplicity, and, brandishing his
+tomahawk, said, "he would be the first to head a party of Americans, and
+return to punish them for their treachery." He then turned his horse and
+galloped off in pursuit of his companions, who were then scouring across
+the prairie, and nothing was seen or heard of them more.
+
+The American troops behaved gallantly; though few in number, they sold
+their lives as dearly as possible. They felt, however, as if their time
+had come, and sought to forget all that was dear on earth.
+
+While the battle was raging, the surgeon, Doctor Voorhes, who was badly
+wounded, and whose horse had been shot from under him, approaching Mrs.
+Helm, the wife of Lieutenant Helm, (who was in the action, participating
+in all its vicissitudes,) observed, "Do you think," said he, "they will
+take our lives? I am badly wounded, but I think not mortally. Perhaps we
+can purchase safety by offering a large reward. Do you think," continued
+he, "there is any chance?"
+
+"Doctor Voorhes," replied Mrs. Helm, "let us not waste the few moments
+which yet remain in idle or ill-founded hopes. Our fate is inevitable; we
+must soon appear at the bar of God; let us make such preparations as are
+yet in our power."
+
+"Oh," said he, "I cannot die; I am unfit to die! If I had a short time to
+prepare! Death! oh, how awful!"
+
+At this moment, Ensign Ronan was fighting at a little distance with a tall
+and portly Indian; the former, mortally wounded, was nearly down, and
+struggling desperately upon one knee. Mrs. Helm, pointing her finger, and
+directing the attention of Doctor Voorhes thither, observed, "Look," said
+she, "at that young man; he dies like a soldier."
+
+"Yes," said Doctor Voorhes, "but he has no terrors of the future; he is an
+unbeliever."
+
+[Illustration: THE MASSACRE.]
+
+A young savage immediately raised his tomahawk to strike Mrs. Helm. She
+sprang instantly aside, and the blow intended for her head fell upon her
+shoulder; she thereupon seized him around his neck, and while exerting all
+her efforts to get possession of his scalping-knife, was seized by another
+Indian and dragged forcibly from his grasp. The latter bore her,
+struggling and resisting, toward the lake. Notwithstanding, however, the
+rapidity with which she was hurried along, she recognized, as she passed,
+the remains of the unfortunate surgeon stretched lifeless on the prairie.
+She was plunged immediately into the water and held there, notwithstanding
+her resistance, with a forcible hand. She shortly, however, perceived that
+the intention of her captor was not to drown her, as he held her in a
+position to keep her head above the water. Thus reassured, she looked at
+him attentively, and, in spite of his disguise, recognized the "white
+man's friend." It was Black Partridge.
+
+When the firing had ceased, her preserver bore her from the water and
+conducted her up the sand-bank. It was a beautiful day in August. The
+heat, however, of the sun was oppressive; and, walking through the sand,
+exposed to its burning rays, in her drenched condition--weary, and
+exhausted by efforts beyond her strength--anxious beyond measure to learn
+the fate of her friends, and alarmed for her own, her situation was one of
+agony.
+
+The troops having fought with desperation till two-thirds of their number
+were slain, the remainder twenty-seven in all, borne down by an
+overwhelming force, and exhausted by efforts hitherto unequalled, at
+length surrendered. They stipulated, however, for their own safety and for
+the safety of their remaining women and children. The wounded prisoners,
+however, in the hurry of the moment, were unfortunately omitted, or rather
+not particularly mentioned and were therefore regarded by the Indians as
+having been excluded.
+
+One of the soldiers' wives, having frequently been told that prisoners
+taken by the Indians were subjected to tortures worse than death, had from
+the first expressed a resolution never to be taken; and when a party of
+savages approached to make her their prisoner, she fought with
+desperation; and, though assured of kind treatment and protection, refused
+to surrender, and was literally cut in pieces and her mangled remains left
+on the field.
+
+After the surrender, one of the baggage wagons, containing twelve
+children, was assailed by a single savage and the whole number were
+massacred. All, without distinction of age or sex, fell at once beneath
+his murderous tomahawk.
+
+Captain Wells, who had as yet escaped unharmed, saw from a distance the
+whole of this murderous scene; and being apprized of the stipulation, and
+seeing it thus violated, exclaimed aloud, so as to be heard by the
+Pottawatomies around him, whose prisoner he then was, "If this be your
+game, I will kill too!" and turning his horse's head, instantly started
+for the Pottawatomie camp, where the squaws and Indian children had been
+left ere the battle began. He had no sooner started, than several Indians
+followed in his rear and discharged their rifles at him as he galloped
+across the prairie. He laid himself flat on the neck of his horse, and was
+apparently out of their reach, when the ball of one of his pursuers took
+effect, killing his horse and wounding him severely. He was again a
+prisoner; as the savages came up, Winnemeg and Wa-ban-see, two of their
+number, and both his friends, used all their endeavors in order to save
+him; they had disengaged him already from his horse, and were supporting
+him along, when Pee-so-tum, a Pottawatomie Indian, drawing his
+scalping-knife, stabbed him in the back, and thus inflicted a mortal
+wound. After struggling for a moment he fell, and breathed his last in the
+arms of his friends, a victim for those he had sought to save--a sacrifice
+to his own rash intentions.
+
+[Illustration: WINNEMEG, OR THE CATFISH.]
+
+The battle having ended, and the prisoners being secured, the latter were
+conducted to the Pottawatomie camp near the fort. Here the wife of
+Wau-bee-nee-mah, an Illinois chief, perceiving the exhausted condition of
+Mrs. Helm, took a kettle, and dipping up some water from the stream which
+flowed sluggishly by them, threw into it some maple sugar, and, stirring
+it up with her hand, gave her to drink. "It was," says Mrs. Helm, "the
+most delicious draught I had ever taken, and her kindness of manner, amid
+so much atrocity, touched my heart." Her attention, however, was soon
+directed to other objects. The fort, after the troops had marched out,
+became a scene of plunder. The cattle were shot down as they ran at large,
+and lay dead, or were dying around her. It called up afresh a remark of
+Ensign Ronan's, made before; "Such," said he, "is to be our fate--to be
+shot down like brutes."
+
+The wounded prisoners, we have already remarked, were not included in the
+stipulation made on the battle-field, as the _Indians understood it_. On
+reaching, therefore, the Pottawatomie camp, a scene followed which beggars
+description. A wounded soldier, lying on the ground, was violently
+assaulted by an old squaw, infuriated by the loss of friends or excited by
+the murderous scenes around her--who, seizing a pitchfork, attacked the
+wretched victim, now helpless, and exposed to the burning rays of the sun,
+his wounds already aggravated by its heat, and he writhing in torture.
+During the succeeding night, five other wounded prisoners were
+tomahawked.
+
+Those unwounded remained in the wigwams of their captors. The work of
+plunder being now completed, the fort next day was set on fire. A fair and
+equal distribution of all the finery belonging to the garrison had
+apparently been made, and shawls and ribands and feathers were scattered
+about the camp in great profusion.
+
+After suffering many hardships, Mrs. Helm, Mrs. Heald, and the surviving
+male prisoners were ransomed and sent back to their friends. A few of
+them, however, were not set at liberty until after the battle of the
+Thames.
+
+
+
+
+THE TWO FRIENDS.
+
+
+In August, 1786, Mr. Francis Downing, then a lad, was living in a fort,
+where subsequently some iron works were erected by Mr. Jacob Myers, which
+are now known by the name of Slate Creek works. About the 16th, a young
+man belonging to the fort, called upon Downing, and requested his
+assistance in hunting for a horse which had strayed away on the preceding
+evening. Downing readily complied, and the two friends traversed the woods
+in every direction, until at length, towards evening, they found
+themselves in a wild valley, at a distance of six or seven miles from the
+fort. Here Downing became alarmed and repeatedly assured his elder
+companion, (whose name was Yates,) that he heard sticks cracking behind
+them, and was confident that Indians were dogging them. Yates, being an
+experienced hunter, and from habit grown indifferent to the dangers of the
+woods, diverted himself freely at the expense of his young companion,
+often inquiring, at what price he rated his scalp, and offering to ensure
+it for sixpence. Downing, however, was not so easily satisfied. He
+observed, that in whatever direction they turned, the same ominous sounds
+continued to haunt them, and as Yates still treated his fears with the
+most perfect indifference, he determined to take his measures upon his own
+responsibility. Gradually slackening his pace, he permitted Yates to
+advance twenty or thirty steps in front of him, and immediately after
+descending a gentle hill, he suddenly sprung aside and hid himself in a
+thick cluster of whortleberry bushes. Yates, who at that time was
+performing some woodland ditty to the full extent of his lungs, was too
+much pleased with his own voice, to attend either to Downing or the
+Indians, and was quickly out of sight. Scarcely had he disappeared, when
+Downing, to his unspeakable terror, beheld two savages put aside the
+stalks of a canebrake, and looked out cautiously in the direction which
+Yates had taken. Fearful that they had seen him step aside, he determined
+to fire upon them, and trust to his heels for safety, but so unsteady was
+his hand, that in raising his gun to his shoulder, she went off before he
+had taken aim. He lost no time in following her example, and after having
+run fifty yards, he met Yates, who, alarmed at the report, was hastily
+retracing his steps. It was not necessary to inquire what was the matter.
+The enemy were in full view, pressing forward with great rapidity, and
+"devil take the hindmost," was the order of the day. Yates would not
+outstrip Downing, but ran by his side, although in so doing, he risked
+both of their lives. The Indians were well acquainted with the country,
+and soon took a path that diverged from the one which the whites followed,
+at one point and rejoined it at another, bearing the same relation to it
+that the string does to the bow. The two paths were at no point distant
+from each other more than one hundred yards, so that Yates and Downing
+could easily see the enemy gaining rapidly upon them. They reached the
+point of re-union first, however, and quickly came to a deep gully which
+it was necessary to recross, or retrace their steps. Yates cleared it
+without difficulty, but Downing being, much exhausted, fell short, falling
+with his breast against the opposite brink, rebounded with violence, and
+fell at full length on the bottom. The Indians crossed the ditch a few
+yards below him, and, eager for the capture of Yates, continued the
+pursuit, without appearing to notice Downing. The latter who at first had
+given himself up for lost, quickly recovered his strength, and began to
+walk slowly along the ditch, fearing to leave it lest the enemy should see
+him. As he advanced, however, the ditch became more shallow, until at
+length it ceased to protect him at all. Looking around cautiously, he saw
+one of the Indians returning apparently in quest of him. Unfortunately, he
+had neglected to reload his gun, while in the ditch, and as the Indian
+instantly advanced upon him, he had no resource but flight. Throwing away
+his gun, which was now useless, he plied his legs manfully, in ascending a
+long ridge which stretched before him, but the Indian gained upon him so
+rapidly, that he lost all hope of escape. Coming at length to a large
+poplar which had been blown up by the roots, he ran along the body of the
+tree upon one side while the Indian followed it upon the other, doubtless
+expecting to intercept him at the root. It happened that a large she bear
+was sucking her cubs in a bed which she had made at the root of the tree,
+and as the Indian reached that point, she instantly sprung upon him, and a
+prodigious uproar took place. The Indian yelled, and stabbed with his
+knife, the bear growled and saluted him with one of her most endearing
+"hugs;"--while Downing, fervently wishing her success, ran off through the
+woods, without waiting to see the event of the struggle. Downing reached
+the fort in safety, and found Yates reposing after a hot chase, having
+eluded his pursuers, and gained the fort two hours before him. On the next
+morning, they collected a party and returned to the poplar tree, but no
+traces either of the Indian or bear were to be found. They both probably
+escaped with their lives, although not without injury.
+
+[Illustration: DOWNING ALARMED AT THE NOISE OF THE INDIANS.]
+
+[Illustration: THE DESERTER ACTING AS A GUIDE.]
+
+
+
+
+DESERTION OF A YOUNG WHITE MAN, FROM A PARTY OF INDIANS.
+
+
+In the year 1787, the following incident occurred in Bourbon county
+Kentucky. One morning, about sun rise, a young man of wild and savage
+appearance, suddenly arose from a cluster of bushes in front of a cabin,
+and hailed the house in a barbarous dialect, which seemed neither exactly
+Indian nor English, but a collection of shreds and patches from which the
+graces of both were carefully excluded. His skin had evidently once been
+white--although now grievously tanned by constant exposure to the weather.
+His dress in every respect was that of an Indian, as were his gestures,
+tones and equipments, and his age could not be supposed to exceed twenty
+years. He talked volubly, but uncouthly, placed his hand upon his breast,
+gestured vehemently, and seemed very earnestly bent upon communicating
+something. He was invited to enter the cabin, and the neighbors quickly
+collected around him. He appeared involuntarily to shrink from contact
+with them--his eyes rolled rapidly around with a distrustful expression
+from one to the other, and his whole manner was that of a wild animal,
+just caught, and shrinking from the touch of its captors.--As several
+present understood the Indian tongue, they at length gathered the
+following circumstances as accurately as they could be translated, out of
+a language which seemed to be an "omnium gatherum" of all that was
+mongrel, uncouth and barbarous. He said that he had been taken by the
+Indians, when a child, but could neither recollect his name, nor the
+country of his birth.--That he had been adopted by an Indian warrior, who
+brought him up with his other sons, without making the slightest
+difference between them, and that under his father's roof, he had lived
+happily until within the last month. A few weeks before that time, his
+father, accompanied by himself and a younger brother, had hunted for some
+time upon the waters of the Miami, about forty miles from the spot where
+Cincinnati now stands, and after all their meat, skins, &c., had been
+properly secured, the old man determined to gratify his children by taking
+them upon a war expedition to Kentucky. They accordingly built a bark
+canoe, in which they crossed the Ohio, near the mouth of Licking, and
+having buried it, so as to secure it from the action of the sun, they
+advanced into the country and encamped at the distance of fifteen miles
+from the river. Here their father was alarmed by hearing an owl cry in a
+peculiar tone, which he declared boded death or captivity to themselves,
+if they continued their expedition--and announced his intention of
+returning without delay to the river. Both of his sons vehemently opposed
+this resolution, and at length prevailed upon the old man to disregard the
+owl's warning, and conduct them, as he had promised, against the frontiers
+of Kentucky. The party then composed themselves to sleep, but were quickly
+awakened by the father, who had again been warned in a dream that death
+awaited them in Kentucky, and again besought his children to release him
+from his promise and lose no time in returning home. Again they prevailed
+upon him to disregard the warning, and persevere in the march. He
+consented to gratify them, but declared he would not remain a moment
+longer in the camp which they now occupied, and accordingly they left it
+immediately, and marched on through the night, directing their course
+towards Bourbon county. In the evening they approached a house, that which
+he hailed and in which he was now speaking. Suddenly the desire of
+rejoining his people occupied his mind so strongly as to exclude every
+other idea, and seizing the first favorable opportunity, he had concealed
+himself in the bushes, and neglected to reply to all the signals which had
+been concerted for the purpose of collecting their party when scattered.
+This account appeared so extraordinary, and the young man's appearance was
+so wild and suspicious, that many of the neighbors suspected him of
+treachery, and thought that he should be arrested as a spy. Others opposed
+this resolution and gave full credit to his narrative. In order to satisfy
+themselves, however, they insisted upon his immediately conducting them to
+the spot where the canoe had been buried. To this the young man objected
+most vehemently, declaring that although he had deserted his father and
+brother, yet he would not betray them. These feelings were too delicate to
+meet with much sympathy from the rude borderers who surrounded him, and he
+was given to understand that nothing short of conducting them to the point
+of embarkation, would be accepted as an evidence of his sincerity.--With
+obvious reluctance he at length complied. From twenty to thirty men were
+quickly assembled, mounted upon good horses, and under the guidance of the
+deserter, they moved rapidly towards the mouth of Licking. On the road the
+young man informed them that he would first conduct them to the spot,
+where they had encamped when the scream of the owl alarmed his father, and
+where an iron kettle had been concealed in a hollow tree. He was probably
+induced to do this from the hope of delaying the pursuit so long as to
+afford his friends an opportunity of crossing the river in safety. But if
+such was his intention, no measure could have been more unfortunate.
+
+[Illustration: THE SURPRISE.]
+
+The whites approached the encampment in deep silence, and quickly
+perceived two Indians, an old man and a boy, seated by the fire and busily
+engaged in cooking some venison.--The deserter became much agitated at the
+sight of them, and so earnestly implored his countrymen not to kill them,
+that it was agreed to surround the encampment, and endeavor to secure them
+as prisoners. This was accordingly attempted, but so desperate was the
+resistance of the Indians, and so determined were their efforts to escape,
+that the whites were compelled to fire upon them, and the old man fell
+mortally wounded, while the boy, by an incredible display of address and
+activity, was enabled to escape. The deserter beheld his father fall, and
+throwing himself from his horse, he ran up to the spot where the old man
+lay bleeding, but still sensible, and falling upon his body, besought his
+forgiveness for being the unwilling cause of his death, and wept bitterly.
+His father evidently recognized him, and gave him his hand, but almost
+instantly afterwards expired. The white men now called upon him to conduct
+them at a gallop to the spot where the canoe was buried, expecting to
+reach it before the Indian boy and intercept him. The deserter in vain
+implored them to compassionate his feelings. He urged that he had already
+sufficiently demonstrated the truth of his former assertions, at the
+expense of his father's life, and earnestly entreated them to permit his
+younger brother to escape. His companions, however, were inexorable.
+Nothing but the blood of the young Indian would satisfy them, and the
+deserter was again compelled to act in the capacity of a guide.
+
+Within two hours they reached the designated spot. The canoe was still
+there, and no track could be seen upon the sand, so that it was evident
+that their victim had not yet arrived. Hastily dismounting, they tied
+their horses and concealed themselves within close rifle shot of the
+canoe. Within ten minutes after their arrival the Indian appeared in
+sight, walking swiftly towards them. He went straight to the spot where
+the canoe had been buried, and was in the act of digging it up, when he
+received a dozen balls through his body, and leaping high into the air
+fell dead upon the sand. He was scalped and buried where he fell, without
+having seen his brother, and probably without having known the treachery
+by which he and his father had lost their lives. The deserter remained but
+a short time in Bourbon, and never regained his tranquillity of mind. He
+shortly afterwards disappeared, but whether to seek his relations in
+Virginia or Pennsylvania, or whether disgusted by the ferocity of the
+whites, he returned to the Indians, has never yet been known. He was never
+heard of afterwards.
+
+[Illustration: MORGAN AND THE INDIAN.]
+
+
+
+
+MORGAN'S TRIUMPH.
+
+
+In 1779, a Mr. Morgan, of Prickett's Fort, West Virginia, was surprised in
+the woods by two Indians, who immediately gave chase. Being old and
+somewhat infirm, he faltered in the race, and was obliged to take refuge
+behind a tree; the Indians did the same, but one of them exposing his
+body, was shot by Morgan, and, after falling, stabbed himself. Morgan
+again fled; but his surviving antagonist gained rapidly upon him, and at
+length raised his gun to fire. Morgan adroitly stepped aside, and the ball
+passed him. Then each rushed to closer combat.
+
+Morgan, while striking with his gun, received the Indian's tomahawk, which
+cut off a finger, and knocked the gun from his grasp. Being an expert
+wrestler, he closed, and threw his antagonist; but he was speedily
+overturned, when the Indian, uttering the customary yell of triumph, began
+feeling for his knife. Its hilt was entangled in a woman's apron, which
+the savage had tied round his waist; and this apparent trivial
+circumstance saved the prostrate hunter. During the search, Morgan had
+seized his antagonist's fingers with his teeth, a position in which he
+used all becoming exertions to keep them. Meanwhile he assisted in the
+search for the knife. The Indian at length seized it, but so far towards
+the blade, that Morgan caught hold of the upper portion of the handle, and
+drew it through his adversary's hand, inflicting a deep wound. Both sprang
+erect, Morgan still holding on to the Indian's fingers, and having his
+body within his grasp. He had therefore all the advantage, and while his
+foe was struggling to disengage himself, he plunged the knife to the hilt
+in his body. The daring hunter returned to the fort in triumph.
+
+[Illustration: VIEW OF WYOMING.]
+
+[Illustration: COLONEL ZEBULON BUTLER.]
+
+
+
+
+MASSACRE OF WYOMING.
+
+
+The following account of the battle and massacre is taken from an
+interesting history of Wyoming, written by Isaac Chapman, Esq., late of
+Wilkesbarre. Judge Chapman lived upon the spot, and could hardly fail to
+have collected ample materials, and to give a correct narrative of the
+events which transpired there during the Revolutionary war. The
+inhabitants had collected in Forty Fort--the principal fort in the valley.
+The number of men was three hundred and sixty-eight.
+
+On the morning of the 3d of July, 1778, the officers of the garrison of
+Forty Fort held a council to determine on the propriety of marching from
+the fort, and attacking the enemy wherever found. The debates in this
+council of war are said to have been conducted with much warmth and
+animation. The ultimate determination was one on which depended the lives
+of the garrison and safety of the settlement. On one side it was contended
+that their enemies were daily increasing in numbers; that they would
+plunder the settlement of all kinds of property, and would accumulate the
+means of carrying on the war, while they themselves would become weaker;
+that the harvest would soon be ripe, and would be gathered or destroyed by
+their enemies, and all their means of sustenance during the succeeding
+winter would fail; that probably all their messengers were killed, and as
+there had been more than sufficient time, and no assistance arrived, they
+would probably receive none, and consequently now was the proper time to
+make an attack.
+
+On the other side it was argued, that probably some or all the messengers
+may have arrived at head-quarters, but that the absence of the
+commander-in-chief may have produced delay; that one or two weeks more may
+bring the desired assistance, and that to attack the enemy, superior as
+they were in number, out of the limits of their own fort, would produce
+almost certain destruction to the settlements and themselves, and
+captivity, and slavery, perhaps torture, to their wives and children.
+
+[Illustration: THE MASSACRE OF WYOMING.]
+
+While these debates were progressing, five men belonging to Wyoming, but
+who at that time held commissions in the continental army, arrived at the
+fort; they had received information that a force from Niagara had marched
+to destroy the settlements on the Susquehanna, and being unable to bring
+with them any reinforcement, they resigned their appointments, and
+hastened immediately to the protection of their families. They had heard
+nothing of the messengers, neither could they give any certain information
+as to the probability of relief.
+
+The prospect of receiving assistance became now extremely uncertain. The
+advocates for the attack prevailed in the council, and at dawn of day, on
+the morning of the 3d of July, the garrison left the fort, and began their
+march up the river, under the command of Colonel Zebulon Butler. Having
+proceeded about two miles, the troops halted for the purpose of detaching
+a reconnoitering party, to ascertain the situation of the enemy.
+
+The scout found the enemy in possession of Fort Wintermoot, and occupying
+huts immediately around it, carousing in supposed security; but on their
+return to the advancing column, they met two strolling Indians, by whom
+they were fired upon, and upon whom they immediately returned the fire
+without effect. The settlers hastened their march for the attack, but the
+Indians had given the alarm, and the advancing troops found the enemy
+already formed in order of battle a small distance from their fort, with
+their right flank covered by a swamp, and their left resting upon the bank
+of a river. The settlers immediately displayed their column and formed in
+corresponding order, but as the enemy was much superior in numbers, their
+line was much more extensive. Pine woods and bushes covered the
+battle-ground, in consequence of which, the movements of the troops could
+not be so quickly discovered, nor so well ascertained. Colonel Zebulon
+Butler had command of the right, and was opposed by Colonel John Butler at
+the head of the British troops on the left, Colonel Nathan Denison
+commanded the left, opposed by Brant at the head of his Indians on the
+enemy's right. The battle commenced at about forty rods distant, and
+continued about fifteen minutes through the woods and brush without much
+execution. At this time, Brant with his Indians having penetrated the
+swamp, turned the left flank of the settler's line, and with a terrible
+war-whoop and savage yell, made a desperate charge upon the troops
+composing that wing, which fell very fast, and were immediately cut to
+pieces with the tomahawk. Colonel Denison having ascertained that the
+savages were gaining the rear of the left, gave orders for that wing _to
+fall back_. At the same time, Colonel John Butler, finding that the line
+of settlers did not extend so far towards the river as his own, doubled
+that end of his line which was protected by a thick growth of brushwood,
+and having brought a party of his British regulars to act in column upon
+that wing, threw Colonel Zebulon Butler's into some confusion. The orders
+of Colonel Denison for his troops to fall back, having been understood by
+many to mean a retreat, the troops began to retire in much disorder. The
+savages considered this a flight, and commencing a most hideous yell,
+rushed forward with their rifles and tomahawks, and cut the retiring line
+to pieces. In this situation it was found impossible to rally and form the
+troops, and the rout became general throughout the line.
+
+The settlers fled in every direction, and were instantly followed by the
+savages, who killed or took prisoners whoever came within their reach.
+Some succeeded in reaching the river, and escaped by swimming across;
+others fled to the mountains, and the savages, too much occupied with
+plunder, gave up the pursuit.
+
+When the first intelligence was received in the village of Wilkesbarre
+that the battle was lost, the women fled with their children to the
+mountains on their way to the settlements on the Delaware, where many of
+them at length arrived after suffering extreme hardships. Many of the men
+who escaped the battle, together with their women and children, who were
+unable to travel on foot, took refuge in Wyoming fort, and on the
+following day (July 4th,) Butler and Brant, at the head of their combined
+forces, appeared before the fort, and demanded its surrender. The garrison
+being without any efficient means of defence, surrendered the fort on
+articles of capitulation, by which the settlers, upon giving up their
+fortifications, prisoners, and military stores, were to remain in the
+country unmolested, provided they did not again take up arms.
+
+In this battle about three hundred of the settlers were killed or missing,
+from a great part of whom no intelligence was ever afterward received.
+
+The conditions of the capitulation were entirely disregarded by the
+British and savage forces, and after the fort was delivered up, all kinds
+of barbarities were committed by them. The village of Wilkesbarre,
+consisting of twenty-three houses, was burnt; men and their wives were
+separated from each other, and carried into captivity: their property was
+plundered, and the settlement laid waste. The remainder of the inhabitants
+were driven from the valley, and compelled to proceed on foot sixty miles
+through the great swamp, almost without food or clothing. A number
+perished in the journey, principally women and children; some died of
+their wounds; others wandered from the path in search of food, and were
+lost, and those who survived called the wilderness through which they had
+passed, "the shades of death!" a name which it has since retained.
+
+[Illustration: THE BLOCK-HOUSE.]
+
+
+
+
+HEROIC WOMEN OF THE WEST.
+
+
+The following incidents are taken from a letter addressed by Captain
+Nathaniel Hart, of Woodford county, Kentucky, to Governor Morehead:
+
+DEAR SIR.--Connected with your address delivered at the celebration of the
+first settlement of Kentucky, at Boonesborough, the circumstances
+attending the escape and defence of Mrs. Woods, about the year 1784-5,
+near the Crab Orchard, in Lincoln county, may not be without interest. I
+have a distinct recollection of them. Mr. Woods, her husband, was absent
+from home, and early in the morning, being a short distance from her
+cabin, she discovered several Indians advancing towards it. She reached it
+before all but one, who was so far ahead of the others, that before she
+could close and fasten the door, he entered. Instantly he was seized by a
+lame negro man of the family, and after a short scuffle, they both
+fell--the negro underneath. But he held the Indian so fast, that he was
+unable to use either his scalping knife or tomahawk, when he called upon
+his young mistress to take the axe from under the bed, and dispatch him by
+a blow upon the head. She immediately attempted it: but the first attempt
+was a failure She repeated the blow and killed him. The other Indians were
+at the door endeavoring to force it open with their tomahawks. The negro
+rose, and proposed to Mrs. Woods to let in another, and they would soon
+dispose of the whole of them in the same way. The cabin was but a short
+distance from a station, the occupants of which, having discovered the
+perilous situation of the family, fired on the Indians, and killed
+another, when the remainder made their escape.
+
+[Illustration: MRS. DUREE OVER THE DEAD BODY OF HER HUSBAND.]
+
+This incident is not more extaordinary than one that happened, in the
+fall or winter of 1781-2, to some families belonging to our own fort
+at the White Oak Spring. My father settled this fort in 1779. It was
+situated about a mile above Boonesborough and in the same bottom of the
+river. It was composed principally of families from York county,
+Pennsylvania--orderly, respectable people, and the men good soldiers. But
+they were unaccustomed to Indian warfare, and the consequence was,
+that of some ten or twelve men, all were killed but two or three. During
+this period, Peter Duree, the elder, the principal man of the connection,
+determined to settle a new fort between Estill's station and the mouth of
+Muddy Creek, directly on the trace between the Cherokee and Shawnese
+towns. Having erected a cabin, his son-in-law, John Bullock and his
+family, and his son Peter Duree, his wife and two children, removed to
+it, taking a pair of hand mill stones with them. They remained for two or
+three days shut up in their cabin, but their corn meal being exhausted,
+they were compelled to venture out to cut a hollow tree in order to
+adjust their hand mill. They were attacked by Indians--Bullock, after
+running a short distance, fell. Duree reached the cabin, and threw himself
+upon the bed. Mrs. Bullock ran to the door to ascertain the fate of her
+husband--received a shot in the breast, and fell across the door sill.
+Mrs. Duree, not knowing whether her husband had been shot or had
+fainted, caught her by the feet, pulled her into the house and barred
+the door. She grasped a rifle and told her husband, she would help him to
+fight. He replied that he had been wounded and was dying. She then
+presented the gun through several port holes in quick succession--then
+calmly sat by her husband and closed his eyes in death. You would
+conclude that the scene ought to end here--but after waiting several
+hours, and seeing nothing more of the Indians, she sallied out in
+desperation to make her way to the White Oak Spring, with her infant in
+her arms, and a son, three or four years of age, following her. Afraid to
+pursue the trace, she entered the woods, and after running till she
+was nearly exhausted she came at length to the trace. She determined
+to follow it at all hazards, and having advanced a few miles further,
+she met the elder Mr. Duree, with his wife, and youngest son, with
+their baggage, on their way to the new station. The melancholy tidings
+induced them, of course, to return. They led their horses into an
+adjoining canebrake, unloaded them, and regained the White Oak Spring
+fort before daylight.
+
+It is impossible at this day to make a just impression of the sufferings
+of the pioneers about the period spoken of. The White Oak Spring fort in
+1782, with perhaps one hundred souls in it, was reduced in August to three
+fighting white men--and I can say with truth, that for two or three weeks,
+my mother's family never unclothed themselves to sleep, nor were all of
+them, within the time, at their meals together, nor was any household
+business attempted. Food was prepared, and placed where those who chose
+could eat. It was the period when Bryant's station was besieged and for
+many days before and after that gloomy event, we were in constant
+expectation of being made prisoners. We made application to Colonel Logan
+for a guard, and obtained one, but not until the danger was measurably
+over. It then consisted of two men only. Colonel Logan did everything in
+his power, as county lieutenant, to sustain the different forts--but it
+was not a very easy matter to order a married man from a fort where his
+family was to defend some other--when his own was in imminent danger.
+
+I went with my mother in January, 1783, to Logan's station, to prove my
+father's will. He had fallen in the preceding July. Twenty armed men were
+of the party. Twenty-three widows were in attendance upon the court, to
+obtain letters of administration on the estates of their husbands, who had
+been killed during the past year. My mother went to Colonel Logan's, who
+received and treated her like a sister.
+
+[Illustration: GENERAL ST. CLAIR.]
+
+
+
+
+INDIAN STRATEGEM FOILED.
+
+
+The Chippewas are a numerous people inhabiting the country north of Lake
+Superior, and about the source of the Mississippi. They are divided into
+several tribes, and are distinguished by the number of blue or black lines
+tattooed on their cheeks and foreheads.
+
+Travellers have always described them as "the most peaceable tribe of
+Indians known in North America." They are not remarkable for their
+activity as hunters, and this no doubt is owing to the ease with which
+they can procure both game and fish.
+
+[Illustration: THE SENTINEL.]
+
+In their pursuit of deer, they sometimes drive them into the small lakes,
+and then spear them from their canoes; or shoot them with the bow and
+arrow, after having driven them into inclosures constructed for the
+purpose. Snares made of deer sinews, too, are frequently used for catching
+large and small game: and as these occupations are not beyond the strength
+of the old men and boys, they take a share in these toils, which among
+most of the tribes are left exclusively to the squaws.
+
+In person the Chippewas are not remarkable; they are generally robust,
+their complexion swarthy, their features broad, and their hair straight
+and black, which is the case in most of the Indian tribes. But they have
+not that piercing eye, which so generally animates the Indian
+countenance.
+
+The aspect of the women is more agreeable than that of the men; they wear
+their hair of a great length, and pay much attention to its arrangement,
+greasing it with considerable taste.
+
+They appear to be more attentive to the comforts of dress, and less
+anxious about its exterior than of their red brethren. Deer and fawn
+skins, dressed with the hair on, so skilfully that they are perfectly
+supple, compose their shirt or coat, which is girt round the waist with a
+belt, and reaches half way down the thigh. Their moccasins and leggins are
+generally sewn together, and the latter meet the belt to which they are
+fastened. A ruff or tippet surrounds the neck, and the skin of the deer's
+head is formed into a curious sort of cap.
+
+A robe of several deer skins sewn together is throw over the whole; this
+dress is sometimes worn single, but in winter it is always made double,
+the hair forming both the lining and the outside.
+
+Thus attired, a Chippewa will lay himself down on the snow and repose in
+comfort; and if in his wanderings across the numerous lakes with which his
+country abounds, he should fall short of provisions, he has only to cut a
+hole in the ice, when he seldom fails of taking a blackfish, or a bass,
+which he broils over his little wood fire with as much skill as a French
+cook.
+
+At the time of the French and Indian wars, the American army was encamped
+on the Plains of Chippewa. Colonel St. Clair, the commander, was a brave
+and meritorious officer, but his bravery sometimes amounted to rashness,
+and his enemies have accused him of indiscretion. In the present instance
+perhaps he may have merited the accusation, for the plain on which he had
+encamped was bordered by a dense forest, from which the Indian scouts
+could easily pick off his sentinels without in the least exposing
+themselves to danger.
+
+[Illustration: CHIPPEWA INDIANS FISHING ON THE ICE.]
+
+Five nights had passed, and every night the sentinel, who stood at a
+lonely out-post in the vicinity of the forest, had been shot; and these
+repeated disasters struck such dread among the remaining soldiers, that no
+one would come forward to offer to take the post, and the commander,
+knowing it was only throwing men's lives away, let it stand for a few
+nights unoccupied.
+
+At length, a rifleman of the Virginian corps, volunteered his services for
+this dangerous duty; he laughed at the fears of his companions, and told
+them he meant to return safe and drink his commander's health in the
+morning. The guard marched up soon after, and he shouldered his rifle and
+fell. He arrived at the place which had been so fatal to his comrades, and
+bidding his fellow soldiers "good night," assumed the duties of his post.
+The night was dark, thick clouds overspread the firmament, and hardly a
+star could be seen by the sentinel as he paced his lonely walk. All was
+silent except the gradually retreating footsteps of the guard; he marched
+onwards, then stopped and listened till he thought he heard the joyful
+sound of "All's well"--then all was still, and he sat down on a fallen
+tree and began to muse. Presently a low rustling among the bushes caught
+his ear; he gazed intently towards the spot whence the sound seemed to
+proceed, but he could see nothing save the impenetrable gloom of the
+forest. The sound grew nearer, and a well-known grunt informed him of the
+approach of a bear. The animal passed the soldier slowly, and then quietly
+sought the thicket to the left. At this moment the moon shone out bright
+through the parting clouds, and the wary soldier perceived the ornamented
+moccasin of a savage on what an instant before he believed to be a bear!
+He could have shot him in a moment, but he knew not how many other animals
+might be at hand; he therefore refrained, and having perfect knowledge of
+Indian subtilty, he quickly took off his hat and coat, hung them on a
+branch of a fallen tree, grasped his rifle, and silently crept towards the
+thicket. He had barely reached it, when an arrow, whizzing past his head,
+told him of the danger he had so narrowly escaped.
+
+He looked carefully round him, and on a little spot of cleared land he
+counted twelve Indians, some sitting, some lying full length on the
+thickly strewn leaves of the forest. Believing that they had already shot
+the sentinel, and little thinking there was any one within hearing, they
+were quite off their guard, and conversed aloud about their plans for the
+morrow.
+
+It appeared that a council of twelve chiefs was now held, in which they
+gravely deliberated on the most effectual means of annoying the enemy. It
+was decided that the next evening forty of their warriors should be in
+readiness at the hour when the sentinel should be left by his comrades,
+and that when they had retired a few paces, an arrow should silence him
+for ever, and they would then rush on and massacre the guard.
+
+This being concluded, they rose, and drawing the numerous folds of their
+ample robes closer round them, they marched off in Indian file through the
+gloomy forest, seeking some more distant spot, where the smoke of their
+nightly fire would not be observed by the white men.
+
+The sentinel rose from his hiding-place and returned to his post, and
+taking down his hat, found that an arrow had passed clean through it. He
+then wrapt himself in his watch-coat, and returned immediately to the
+camp; and without any delay demanded to speak to the commander, saying
+that he had something important to communicate.
+
+[Illustration: GENERAL MORGAN.]
+
+He was admitted, and when he had told all that he had seen and heard, the
+Colonel bestowed on him the commission of lieutenant of the Virginia
+corps, which had been made vacant by the death of one of his comrades a
+few nights back, and ordered him to be ready with a picket guard, to march
+an hour earlier than usual to the fatal out-post, there to place a hat and
+coat on the branches, and then lie in ambush for the intruders.
+
+The following evening, according to the orders given by Colonel St. Clair,
+a detachment of forty riflemen, with Lieutenant Morgan at their head,
+marched from the camp at half past seven in the evening towards the
+appointed spot, and having arranged the hat and coat so as to have the
+appearance of a soldier standing on guard, they stole silently away and
+hid themselves among the bushes.
+
+Here they lay for almost an hour before any signs of approaching Indians
+were heard. The night was cold and still, and the rising moon shone forth
+in all her beauty. The men were becoming impatient of their uncomfortable
+situation, for their clothes were not so well adapted to a bed of snow as
+the deer-skin robes of the hardy Chippewas.
+
+"Silence!" whispered Lieutenant Morgan--"I hear the rustling of the
+leaves."
+
+Presently a bear of the same description as had been seen the night
+before, passed near the ambush; it crept to the edge of the
+plain--reconnoitred--saw the sentinel at his post--retired towards the
+forest a few paces, and then, suddenly rising on his feet, let fly an
+arrow which brought the sham sentinel to the ground. So impatient were the
+Virginians to avenge the death of their comrades that they could scarcely
+wait till the lieutenant gave the word of command to fire--then they rose
+in a body, and before the Chippewas had time to draw their arrows or seize
+their tomahawks, more than half their number lay dead upon the plain. The
+rest fled to the forest, but the riflemen fired again, and killed or
+wounded several more of the enemy. They then returned in triumph to relate
+their exploits in the camp.
+
+Ten chiefs fell that night, and their fall was, undoubtedly, one principal
+cause of the French and Indian wars with the English.
+
+Lieutenant Morgan rose to be a captain, and at the termination of the war
+returned home, and lived on his own farm till the breaking out of the
+American war. And then, at the head of a corps of Virginia rifleman,
+appeared our hero, the brave and gallant Colonel Morgan, better known by
+the title of general, which he soon acquired by his courage and ability.
+
+[Illustration: BLACKBIRD.]
+
+
+
+
+BLACKBIRD.
+
+
+Among the first tribes of the Great Oregon Territory, which established
+friendly intercourse with the United States traders, were the Omahas. The
+boast of these Indians was a chief named Blackbird, who was a steadfast
+friend of the white men and the terror of the neighboring hostile tribes.
+Such were his skill, courage, and success in war, that friends and foes
+regarded him as enchanted. He delighted in trials of strength or agility,
+in which he always came off victorious. In addition to these qualities, he
+possessed a secret which rendered him more than human in the eyes of his
+barbarous followers. This was an acquaintance with the properties of
+arsenic, which he had obtained from a white trader. Whenever he was
+displeased with an Indian, he prophesied his death before a certain day,
+and the sure accomplishment of the prophecy rendered Blackbird an object
+of terror and reverence.
+
+On one occasion, the Poncas made an incursion into Blackbird's territory,
+and carried away a number of women and horses. He immediately collected
+his warriors and pursued them. The Poncas sheltered themselves behind a
+rude embankment, but their persevering enemy, gaining a good position,
+poured upon them a well-directed fire, which did fearful execution. The
+Ponca chief dispatched a herald, with the calumet, but he was immediately
+shot; a second herald experienced the same treatment. The chieftain's
+daughter, a young maiden of much personal beauty, then appeared before the
+stern foe, dressed with exquisite taste, and bearing the calumet.
+Blackbird's heart softened, he accepted the sacred emblem, and concluded a
+peace with his enemy. The pledge given and received was the beautiful
+Ponca maiden, as wife to the fierce chieftain of Omaha.
+
+For the first time the heart of Blackbird felt the genial influence of
+love. He loved the young creature who had saved her tribe, with all the
+ardor of untutored nature. But he was still a savage, and sometimes
+ungovernable bursts of rage would transport him beyond all bounds of
+affection or decency. In one of these, his beloved wife unwittingly
+offended him. He instantly drew his knife and laid her dead with a single
+blow. The dreadful deed calmed him in a moment. For a little while he
+looked at the beautiful corpse in stupid grief, and then, with his head
+wrapped in his robe, he sat down beside it. He ate no food, spake no word
+for three days. The remonstrances of his people were received with
+silence, and no one dared to uncover his face. At length one of them
+brought in a small child, and placed the foot of the unhappy warrior on
+its neck. Blackbird was moved by the significant appeal and throwing aside
+his robe, he arose and delivered an oration.
+
+The Omaha tribe were greatly thinned by small-pox, and to this loathsome
+disease their great chieftain fell a victim. His dying request was bold
+and fanciful. Near the source of the Missouri is a high solitary rock,
+round which the river winds in a nearly circular direction, and which
+commands a view of the adjacent country for many miles around. There
+Blackbird had often sat to watch for the canoes of the white traders, and
+there it was his dying request to be buried. He was to be mounted upon his
+horse, completely armed, so as to overlook his lands, and watch for the
+coming boat of the white men. His orders were obeyed; and on that same
+high promontory, over the tomb of the Indian warrior was raised his
+national banner, capped with the scalps which he had taken in battle. Of
+course the Indians regard the rock with superstitious reverence, and have
+their own stories of the scenes which occasionally take place on and
+around it.
+
+
+
+
+A DESPERATE ADVENTURE.
+
+
+While encamped on the 24th of April, at a spring near the Spanish Trail,
+we were surprised by the sudden appearance amongst us of two Mexicans; a
+man and a boy. The name of the man was Andreas Fuentas, and that of the
+boy, a handsome lad of eleven years old, Pablo Hernandez. With a cavalcade
+of about thirty horses, they had come out from Puebla de los Angelos, near
+the Pacific; had lost half their animals, stolen by the Indians, and now
+sought my camp for aid. Carson and Godey, two of my men, volunteered to
+pursue them, with the Mexican; and, well mounted, the three set off on the
+trail. In the evening, Fuentas returned, his horse having failed; but
+Carson and Godey had continued the pursuit.
+
+[Illustration: KIT. CARSON.]
+
+In the afternoon of the next day, a war-whoop was heard, such as Indians
+make when returning from a victorious enterprise; and soon Carson and
+Godey appeared driving before them a band of horses, recognised by Fuentas
+to be a part of those they had lost. Two bloody scalps, dangling from the
+end of Godey's gun, announced that they had overtaken the Indians as well
+as the horses. They had continued the pursuit alone after Fuentas left
+them, and towards nightfall entered the mountains into which the trail
+led. After sunset, the moon gave light until late in the night, when it
+entered a narrow defile, and was difficult to follow. Here they lay from
+midnight till morning. At daylight they resumed the pursuit, and at
+sunrise discovered the horses; and immediately dismounting and tying up
+their own, they crept cautiously to a rising ground which intervened, from
+the crest of which they perceived the encampment of four lodges close by.
+They proceeded quietly, and got within thirty or forty yards of their
+object, when a movement among the horses discovered them to the Indians.
+Giving the war shout, they instantly charged into the camp, regardless of
+the numbers which the four lodges might contain. The Indians received them
+with a flight of arrows, shot from their long bows, one of which passed
+through Godey's shirt collar, barely missing the neck. Our men fired their
+rifles upon a steady aim, and rushed in. Two Indians were stretched upon
+the ground, fatally pierced with bullets; the rest fled, except a lad, who
+was captured. The scalps of the fallen were instantly stripped off, but in
+the process, one of them, who had two balls through his body, sprung to
+his feet, the blood streaming from his skinned head, and uttered a hideous
+howl. The frightful spectacle appalled the stout hearts of our men; but
+they did what humanity required, and quickly terminated the agony of the
+gory savage. They were now masters of the camp, which was a pretty little
+recess in the mountain, with a fine spring, and apparently safe from all
+invasion. Great preparation had been made for feasting a large party, for
+it was a very proper place for a rendezvous, and for the celebration of
+such orgies as robbers of the desert would delight in. Several of the
+horses had been killed, skinned, and cut up--for the Indians living in the
+mountains, and only coming into the plains to rob and murder, make no
+other use of horses than to eat them. Large earthen vessels were on the
+fire, boiling and stewing the horse beef, and several baskets containing
+fifty or sixty pair of moccasins, indicated the presence or expectation of
+a large party. They released the boy who had given strong evidence of the
+stoicism, or something else of the savage character, by commencing his
+breakfast upon a horse's head as soon as he found he was not to be killed,
+but only tied as a prisoner.
+
+[Illustration: AN INDIAN CAMP.]
+
+Their object accomplished, our men gathered up all the surviving horses,
+fifteen in number, returned upon their trail, and rejoined us at our camp
+in the afternoon of the same day. They had rode about one hundred miles in
+the pursuit and return, and all in about thirty hours. The time, place,
+object and numbers considered, this expedition of Carson and Godey may be
+considered among the boldest and most disinterested which the annals of
+western adventure, so full of daring deeds, can present. Two men in a
+savage wilderness, pursue day and night an unknown body of Indians into
+the defiles of an unknown mountain--attack them on sight without counting
+numbers--and defeat them in an instant--and for what?--to punish the
+robbers of the desert, and revenge the wrongs of Mexicans whom they did
+not know. I repeat it was Carson and Godey who did this--the former an
+American, born, in Booneslick county, Missouri; the latter a Frenchman,
+born in St. Louis--and both trained to western enterprise from early
+life.
+
+
+
+
+ADVENTURE OF TWO SCOUTS.
+
+
+As early as the year 1790, the block-house and stockade, above the mouth
+of the Hockhocking river, was a frontier post for the hardy pioneer of
+that portion of the state from the Hockhocking to the Sciota, and from the
+Ohio river to the northern lakes. Then nature wore her undisturbed livery
+of dark and thick forests, interspersed with green and flowery prairies.
+Then the axe of the woodman had not been heard in the wilderness, nor the
+plough of the husbandmen marred the beauty of the green prairies. Among
+the rich and luxuriant valleys, that of the Hockhocking was pre-eminent
+for nature's richest gifts--and the portico of it whereon Lancaster now
+stands, was marked as the most luxuriant and picturesque, and became the
+seat of an Indian village, at a period so early, that the "memory of man
+runneth not parallel thereto." On the green sward of the prairie was held
+many a rude gambol of the Indians; and here, too, was many an assemblage
+of the warriors of one of the most powerful tribes, taking counsel for a
+"war-path," upon some weak or defenceless post.
+
+[Illustration: THE BLOCK-HOUSE.]
+
+Upon one of these stirring occasions, intelligence reached the little
+garrison above the mouth of the Hockhocking, that the Indians were
+gathering in force somewhere up the valley, for the purpose of striking a
+terrible and fatal blow on one of the few and scattered defences of the
+whites. A council was held by the garrison, and scouts were sent up the
+Hockhocking, in order to ascertain the strength of the foe, and the
+probable point of attack. In the month of October, and on one of the
+balmiest days of our Indian summer, two men could have been seen emerging
+out of the thick plumb and hazel bushes skirting the prairie, and
+stealthily climbing the eastern declivity of that most remarkable
+promontory, now known as Mount Pleasant, whose western summit gives a
+commanding view to the eye of what is doing on the prairie. This eminence
+was gained by our two adventurers and hardy scouts, and from this point
+they carefully observed the movements taking place on the prairie. Every
+day brought an accession of warriors to those already assembled, and every
+day the scouts witnessed from their eyrie, the horse-racing, leaping,
+running and throwing the deadly tomahawk by the warriors. The old sachems
+looking on with indifference--the squaws, for the most part, engaged in
+their usual drudgeries, and the papooses manifesting all the noisy and
+wayward joy of childhood. The arrival of any new party of savages was
+hailed by the terrible war-whoop, which striking the mural face of Mount
+Pleasant, was driven back into the various indentations of the surrounding
+hills, producing reverberation on reverberation, and echo on echo, till it
+seemed as if ten thousand fiends were gathered in their orgies. Such yells
+might well strike terror into the bosoms of those unaccustomed to them. To
+our scouts these were but martial music strains which waked their
+watchfulness, and strung their iron frames. From their early youth had
+they been always on the frontier, and therefore well practised in all the
+subtlety, craft, and cunning, as well as knowing the ferocity and
+bloodthirsty perseverance of the savage. They were therefore not likely to
+be circumvented by the cunning of their foes; and without a desperate
+struggle, would not fall victims to the scalping-knife.
+
+On several occasions, small parties of warriors left the prairies and
+ascended the Mount; at which times the scouts would hide in the fissures
+of the rocks, or lying by the side of some long prostrate tree, cover
+themselves with the sear and yellow leaf, and again leave their hiding
+places when their uninvited visitors had disappeared.
+
+[Illustration: A SHAWANESE WARRIOR.]
+
+For food they depended on jerked venison, and cold corn bread, with which
+their knapsacks had been well stored. Fire they dared not kindle, and the
+report of one of their rifles would bring upon them the entire force of
+the Indians. For drink they depended on some rain water, which still stood
+in excavations of the rocks, but in a few days this store was exhausted,
+and M'Clelland and White must abandon their enterprise or find a new
+supply. To accomplish this most hazardous affair, M'Clelland being the
+elder, resolved to make the attempt--with his trusty rifle in his grasp,
+and two canteens strung across his shoulders, he cautiously descended to
+the prairie, and skirting the hills on the north as much as possible
+within the hazel thickets, he struck a course for the Hockhocking river.
+He reached its margin, and turning an abrupt point of a hill, he found a
+beautiful fountain of limpid water, now known as the Cold Spring, within a
+few feet of the river. He filled his canteens and returned in safety to
+his watchful companion. It was now determined to have a fresh supply of
+water every day, and this duty was to be performed alternately.
+
+On one of these occasions, after White had filled his canteens, he sat a
+few moments, watching the limpid element, as it came gurgling out of the
+bosom of the earth--the light sound of footsteps caught his practised ear,
+and upon turning round, he saw two squaws within a few feet of him; these
+upon turning the jet of the hill had thus suddenly came upon him. The
+elder squaw gave one of those far-reaching whoops peculiar to the Indians.
+White at once comprehended his perilous situation--for if the alarm should
+reach the camp, he and his companion must inevitably perish.
+Self-preservation impelled him to inflict a noiseless death upon the
+squaws, and in such a manner as to leave no trace behind. Ever rapid in
+thought, and prompt in action, he sprang upon his victims with a rapidity
+and power of a panther, and grasping the throat of each, with one bound he
+sprang into the river, and rapidly thrust the head of the elder woman
+under the water, and making stronger efforts to submerge the younger, who,
+however, powerfully resisted. During the short struggle, the younger
+female addressed him in his own language, though almost in inarticulate
+sounds. Releasing his hold, she informed him, that, ten years before, she
+had been made a prisoner, on Grave Creek flats, and that the Indians, in
+her presence, butchered her mother and two sisters; and that an only
+brother had been captured with her, who succeeded on the second night in
+making his escape; but what had become of him she knew not.
+
+During the narrative, White, unobserved by the girl, had let go his grasp
+on the elder squaw, whose body soon floated where it would not, probably
+soon be found. He now directed the girl hastily to follow him, and with
+his usual energy and speed, pushed for the Mount. They had scarcely gone
+two hundred yards from the spring, before the alarm cry was heard some
+quarter of a mile down the stream. It was supposed that some warriors
+returning from a hunt, struck the Hockhocking just as the body of the
+drowned squaw floated past. White and the girl succeeded in reaching the
+Mount, where M'Clelland had been no indifferent spectator to the sudden
+commotion among the Indians, as the prairie warriors were seen to strike
+off in every direction, and before White and the girl had arrived, a party
+of some twenty warriors had already gained the eastern acclivity of the
+Mount, and were cautiously ascending, carefully keeping under cover. Soon
+the two scouts saw the swarthy faces of the foe, as they glided from tree
+to tree, and rock to rock, until the whole base of the Mount was
+surrounded, and all hopes of escape were cut off.
+
+[Illustration: A SHAWANESE CHIEF.]
+
+In this peril nothing was left, other than to sell their lives as dearly
+as possible; this they resolved to do, and advised the girl to escape to
+the Indians, and tell them she had been a captive to the scouts.
+
+She said, "No! Death, and that in presence of my people, is to me a
+thousand times sweeter than captivity--furnish me with a rifle, and I will
+show you that I can fight as well as die. This spot I leave not! here my
+bones shall lie bleaching with yours! and should either of you escape, you
+will carry the tidings of my death to my remaining relatives."
+
+Remonstrance proved fruitless; the two scouts matured their plans for a
+vigorous defence--opposing craft to craft, expedient to expedient, and an
+unerring fire of the deadly rifle. The attack now commenced in front,
+where, from the narrow backbone of the Mount, the savages had to advance
+in single file, but where they could avail themselves of the rock and
+trees. In advancing the warrior must be momentarily exposed, and two bare
+inches of his swarthy form was target enough for the unerring rifle of the
+scouts. After bravely maintaining the fight in front, and keeping the
+enemy in check, they discovered a new danger threatening them. The wary
+foe now made every preparation to attack them in flank, which could be
+most successfully and fatally done by reaching an insulated rock lying in
+one of the ravines on the southern hill side. This rock once gained by the
+Indians, they could bring the scouts under point blank shot of the rifle;
+and without the possibility of escape.
+
+Our brave scouts saw the hopelessness of their situation, which nothing
+could avert but brave companions and an unerring shot--them they had not.
+But the brave never despair. With this certain fate resting upon them,
+they had continued as calm, and as calculating, and as unwearied as the
+strongest desire of vengeance on a treacherous foe could produce. Soon
+M'Clelland saw a tall and swarthy figure preparing to spring from a cover
+so near the fatal rock, that a single bound must reach it, and all hope be
+destroyed. He felt that all depended on one advantageous shot, although
+but one inch of the warrior's body was exposed, and that at a distance of
+one hundred yards--he resolved to risk all--coolly he raised his rifle to
+his eyes, carefully shading the sight with his hand, he drew a bead so
+sure, that he felt conscious it would do--he touched the hair trigger with
+his finger--the hammer came down, but in place of striking fire, it
+crushed his flint into a hundred fragments! Although he felt that the
+savage must reach the fatal rock before he could adjust another flint, he
+proceeded to the task with the utmost composure, casting many a furtive
+glance towards the fearful point. Suddenly he saw the warrior stretching
+every muscle for the leap--and with the agility of a deer he made the
+spring--instead of reaching the rock he sprung ten feet in the air, and
+giving one terrific yell he fell upon the earth, and his dark corpse
+rolled fifty feet down the hill. He had evidently received a death shot
+from some unknown hand. A hundred voices from below re-echoed the terrible
+shout, and it was evident that they had lost a favorite warrior, as well
+as been foiled for a time in their most important movement. A very few
+moments proved that the advantage so mysteriously gained would be of short
+duration; for already the scouts caught a momentary glimpse of a swarthy
+warrior, cautiously advancing towards the cover so recently occupied by a
+fellow companion. Now, too, the attack in front was resumed with increased
+fury, so as to require the incessant fire of both scouts, to prevent the
+Indians from gaining the eminence--and in a short time M'Clelland saw the
+wary warrior turning a somerset, his corpse rolled down towards his
+companion: again a mysterious agent had interposed in their behalf. This
+second sacrifice cast dismay into the ranks of the assailants; and just as
+the sun was disappearing behind the western hills, the foe withdrew a
+short distance, for the purpose of devising new modes of attack. The
+respite came most seasonably to the scouts, who had bravely kept their
+position, and boldly maintained the unequal fight from the middle of the
+day.
+
+[Illustration: THE SCOUT.]
+
+Now, for the first time, was the girl missing, and the scouts supposed
+through terror she had escaped to her former captors, or that she had been
+killed during the fight. They were not long left to doubt, for in a few
+moments the girl was seen emerging from behind a rock and coming to them
+with a rifle in her hand.
+
+During the heat of the fight she saw a warrior fall, who had advanced some
+fifty yards before the main body in front. She at once resolved to possess
+herself of his rifle, and crouching in undergrowth she crept to the spot,
+and succeeded in her enterprise, being all the time exposed to the cross
+fire of the defenders and assailants--her practised eye had early noticed
+the fatal rock, and hers was the mysterious hand by which the two warriors
+had fallen--the last being the most wary, untiring, and bloodthirsty brave
+of the Shawnese tribe. He it was, who ten years previous had scalped the
+family of the girl, and been her captor.
+
+In the west, dark clouds were now gathering, and in an hour the whole
+heavens were shrouded in them; this darkness greatly embarrassed the
+scouts in their contemplated night retreat, for they might readily lose
+their way, or accidentally fall on the enemy--this being highly probable,
+if not inevitable. An hour's consultation decided their plans, and it was
+agreed that the girl, from her intimate knowledge of their localities,
+should lead the advance a few steps. Another advantage might be gained by
+this arrangement, for in case they should fall in with some out-post, the
+girl's knowledge of the Indian tongue, would, perhaps, enable her to
+deceive the sentinel: and so the sequel proved, for scarcely had they
+descended one hundred feet, when a low "whist" from the girl, warned them
+of present danger.
+
+[Illustration: THE RETURNED CAPTIVE.]
+
+The scouts sunk silently to the earth, where, by previous agreement, they
+were to remain till another signal was given them by the girl,--whose
+absence for more than a quarter of an hour now began to excite the most
+serious apprehensions. At length, she again appeared, and told them that
+she had succeeded in removing two sentinels who were directly in their
+route to a point some hundred feet distant. The descent was noiselessly
+resumed--the level gained, and the scouts followed their intrepid pioneer
+for half a mile in the most profound silence, when the barking of a small
+dog, within a few feet, apprised them of a new danger. The almost
+simultaneous click of the scouts' rifles was heard by the girl, who
+rapidly approached them, and stated that they were now in the midst of the
+Indian wigwams, and their lives depended on the most profound silence, and
+implicitly following her footsteps. A moment afterwards, the girl was
+accosted by a squaw, from an opening in the wigwam. She replied in the
+Indian language, and without stopping pressed forward.
+
+In a short time she stopped and assured the scouts that the village was
+cleared and that they were now in safety. She knew that every pass leading
+out of the prairie was safely guarded by Indians, and at once resolved to
+adopt the bold adventure of passing through the very centre of their
+village as the least hazardous. The result proved the correctness of her
+judgment.
+
+They now kept a course for the Ohio, being guided by the Hockhocking
+river--and after three days' march and suffering, the party arrived at the
+block-house in safety.
+
+Their escape from the Indians, prevented the contemplated attack; and the
+rescued girl proved to be the sister of the intrepid Neil Washburn,
+celebrated in Indian warfare as the renowned scout to Captain Kenton's
+bloody Kentuckians.
+
+[Illustration: THE YOUNG HERO CROSSING THE RIVER.]
+
+
+
+
+A YOUNG HERO OF THE WEST.
+
+
+To show of what material the boys were made, in the great heroic age of
+the west, we give the following, which we find in a recent communication
+from Major Nye, of Ohio. The scene of adventure was within the present
+limits of Wood county, Virginia.
+
+I have heard from Mr. Guthrie and others, that at Bellville a man had a
+son, quite a youth, say twelve or fourteen years of age, who had been used
+to firing his father's gun, as most boys did in those days. He heard, he
+supposed, turkeys on or near the bank of the Ohio, opposite that place,
+and asked his father to let him take his gun and kill one. His father
+knowing that the Indians often decoyed people by such noises, refused,
+saying it was probably an Indian. When he had gone to work, the boy took
+the gun and paddled his canoe over the river, but had the precaution to
+land some distance from where he had heard the turkey all the morning,
+probably from fear of scaring the game, and perhaps a little afraid of
+Indians. The banks were steep, and the boy cautiously advanced to where he
+could see without being seen. Watching awhile for his game, he happened to
+see an Indian cautiously looking over a log, to notice where the boy had
+landed. The lad fixed his gun at rest, watching the place where he had
+seen the Indian's head, and when it appeared again, fired, and the Indian
+disappeared. The boy dropped the gun and ran for his canoe, which he
+paddled over the river as soon as possible. When he reached home, he said,
+"Mother, I have killed an Indian!" and the mother replied, "No, you have
+not." "Yes, I have," said the boy. The father coming in, he made the same
+report to him, and received the same reply; but he constantly affirmed it
+was even so; and, as the gun was left, a party took the boy over the river
+to find it, and show the place where he shot the Indian, and behold, his
+words were found verified. The ball had entered the head, where the boy
+had affirmed he shot, between the eye and ear.
+
+THE END.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+End of Project Gutenberg's Heroes and Hunters of the West, by Anonymous
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