USA > Ohio > Belmont County > Centennial history of Belmont County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 3
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of Logan, not even sparing my women and children. There runs not a drop of my blood in any living creature. This called on me for revenge. I have sought it. 1 have killed many. I full glutted my ven- gence; for my country I rejoice at the beams of peace. But do not harbor a thought that mine is the joy of fear. Logan never felt fear. He will not turn on his heel to save his life. Who is there to mourn for Logan? Not one." Thus ended at the treaty of Camp Charlotte in the month of November, 1774, the disastrous war of Dunmore. It began in the wanton and unprovoked mur- ders of the Indians at Captina and Yellow Creek and ended with an awful sacrifice of life and property to the demon of revenge On our part we obtained at the treaty a ces- sation of hostilities and a surrender of pris- oners, and nothing more. The plan of operations adopted by the Indians in the war of Dunmore shows very clearly that their chiefs were by no means deficient in their foresight and skill necessary for mak- ing the most prudent military arrangement for obtaining success and victory in their mode of warfare. At an early period they obtained intelligence of the plan of the cam- paign against them concerted by the Earl of Dunmore and General Lewis.
With a view, therefore, to attack the forces of these commanders separately, they speedily collected their warriors and by forced marches reached the Point, before the expected arrival of the troops under Dun- more. Such was the privacy with which they conducted their march, that General Lewis knew nothing of the approach of the Indian army, until a few minutes before the . commencement of the battle, and it is proba- ble that if Cornstalk, the Indian commander, had had a little larger force at the battle of Point Pleasant, the whole army of General Lewis would have been cut off, as the wary savages had left them no chance of retreat. Had the army of Lewis been defeated, the army of Dunmore, consisting of but little more than 1,000 men, would have shared
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the fate of those armies which at different periods have suffered defeats in consequence of venturing too far into the Indian coun- try. It was the general belief among the officers of our army at this time that the Earl of Dunmore, while at Wheeling, re- ceived advice from his government of the probability of the approaching war between England and the colonies, and that after- wards all of his measures with regard to the Indians had for their ultimate object an al- liance with those ferocious warriors for their aid of the mother country in their contest with us. This supposition accounts for his not forming a junction with the army of Lewis at Point Pleasant. This deviation from the original plan of the campaign jeopardized the army of Lewis, and well nigh occasioned its total destruction. The conduct of the Earl at the treaty shows a good understanding between him and the Indian chiefs.
He did not suffer the army of Lewis to form a junction with his own, but sent them back before the treaty was concluded, thus risking the safety of his own forces, for at the time of the treaty the Indian warriors were about his camp in force sufficient to have intercepted his retreat and destroyed his whole army.
THE FOREMOST AMERICAN HEROINE.
Perhaps the severest battle with the In- dians, fought within the boundaries of Bel- mont County, was the attack on Fort Kirk- wood in the spring of 1791, as narrated in the story of "A Revolutionary Hero." But there were many acts of heroism and deeds of daring and danger familiar to the people of that generation that history needs to pre- serve for generations to come. Perhaps the foremost is the thrilling adventure of Eliza- beth Zane, the heroine of Fort Henry, and who was for many years a resident of Mar- tin's Ferry, and her remains are interred there.
She was twice married, first to a Mr. Mc-
Laughlin of Martin's Ferry, and second to Mr. Clark, and her lineal descendants still reside in Belmont County. A few years ago President Roosevelt, in a circle of eminent literary characters in New York State among whom was William Dean Howells, pro- nounced Betty Zane the foremost American heroine. He said her daring deed in replen- ishing the powder supply at Fort Henry had never been surpassed, a sentiment in which Mr. Howells heartily concurred.
SIEGE OF FORT HENRY.
The story is briefly told in Judge Cran- mer's report of the siege of Fort Henry. In September, 1782, a large force of Indians headed by a company of British soldiers. laid siege to Fort Henry at Wheeling. East of and but a short distance from the fort stood the log dwelling of Col. Ebenezer Zane, attached to which was a small maga- zine containing the military supplies which had been furnished by the government of Virginia, and also a kitchen or outbuilding occupied by "Daddy Sam," so called (a negro slave owned by Colonel Zane, and to whom he was much attached), and his wife, familiarly known by the name of "Katey.' On the occasion of the attack upon the fort by the Indians in the year 1777, Colonel Zane and his family had abandoned his cabin and sought shelter in the fort, at which time it was reduced to ashes by the besiegers. He then declared that if the Indians again made their appearance he would not abandon his dwelling, but would defend it to the last ex- tremity. As an outpost for the protection for the fort, and as an annoyance to an hos. tile force, it could not be excelled.
Hence on the appearance of the Indians at this time he made all necessary prepara- tions possible for its defense. Had he re- tired from it, all the military stores and am- munition stored there would have fallen into the hands of the enemy, and have been de- stroyed or appropriated by them.
The names of those who remained with
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him in his cabin are: Andrew Scott, George Green, Elizabeth Zane, Wallace Scott, Miss McColloch, a sister of Maj. Sam McColloch from Short Creek (who at this time was on a visit to her sister, Mrs. Zane); "Daddy Sam," and "Katey," his wife. The savages approached under cover of the British flag, which was unfurled to the breeze and waved in proud defiance by the color-bearer in the face of the little band of heroic defenders. Before commencing their attack they de- manded the immediate surrender of the fort. in the name of His Brittanic Majesty, to which no other reply was given than by the firing of a shot by some one in the fort at the offensive colors which were flaunted be- fore them. Thereupon the assault com- menced in dreadful earnest, the frenzied sav- ages rushing forward like mad men, and in their wild attempt striving to destroy the pickets so as to effect an entrance to the fort, and take it by storm. Colonel Zane had arranged and posted his limited force within his house to the best advantage, and where it could do the most execution.
As the Indians sounded their war whoop and made their desperate rush, he opened upon them with a well directed and brisk fire simultaneously with the one from the fort, so as to cause them to fall back in great dis- order, and to seek cover where their persons would be less exposed.
But others, again, secing' the discomfiture of their comrades, promptly with loud and deafening yells rushed forward to take the places of those who had retired, only to be repulsed again, and although these charges were repeated again and again, they suffered a recoil. These unsuccessful efforts upon their part were continued until night threw her mantle over the earth and a brief cessa- tion of conflict and a temporary rest was secured. Yet it was but for a brief time this respite was granted.
Their assailants were engaged in holding a consultation and deliberating among them- selves how best to obtain possession of or destroy the cabin of Colonel Zane, which had
proven so offensive to them in their repeated assaults on the fort and thus balked their efforts at its reduction.
The conclusion arrived at was to make an attempt under the cover of darkness to de- stroy it by firing it and reducing it to ashes. After an interval of an hour or two, when silence had settled down upon the scene and the campfires of the savages had been put out, and it was presumed that the whites had relaxed in some degree their caution and vigilance, a savage with a half burned brand in his hand crawled in the direction of the kitchen of the house, upon nearing which he slowly rose from the ground and waving the brand to and fro, and blowing upon it to rekindle it, was about to stealthily apply it to the building, when of a sudden the quiet was disturbed by the sharp crack of a rifle which rang out in the stillness of the night, which a moment later was accom- panied by a sharp yell of pain and rage, ere the echoes of the shot had ceased to resound in the mazes of the forest. The vigilant and quick eye of "Daddy Sam" had detected the savage in time to foil him in his design and spoil his calculations, thereby saving his master's property from destruction. Other similar attempts were made on the same night, but in every instance "Daddy Sam" was on the alert, and always frustrated them. And here we will be pardoned if in passing we say a word or two concerning this indi- vidual.
He was an original importation from Guinea, and had all the characteristics of a native of the country, believing in charms, incantations and signs, and was a bundle of strange superstitions and beliefs, and these he retained until the day of his death. He and his wife were cared and provided for by Colonel Zane and his family until their decease.
This gentleman erected for them a cozy cabin on the upper portion of the island, im- mediately opposite the city of Wheeling "Daddy Sam" died in peace and content- ment, honored and respected by the whole
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community, worn out with age and its at tendant infirmities. At his death he left strict injunctions to have his rifle and his ac- coutrements-tomahawk, knife and silver snuffbox-buried with him, that they might bear him company to the happy hunting grounds of the African. So greatly was he esteemed that he was buried with military honors, and he was followed to the grave by an immense concourse of citizens, composed of the most prominent as well as the humblest members of society. In stature he was small and of light frame, with arms of unusual length, and a complexion as black as coal.
But to resume our narrative. At daylight on the following morning the lines of the enemy showed that they were tightly drawn and in compact order, but they were laggard in renewing the assault. However, they were not idle, but were actively employed in making preparations evidently for some im- portant event. Shortly after dark of the pre- ceding day a canoe, loaded with cannon balls from Fort Pitt and destined for the falls of the Ohio, had put ashore under the cover of the fort. It was discovered by the Indians, but its occupants succeeded in effecting an entrance for themselves into the fort, in their efforts to do which, however, one of them Daniel Sullivan, was wounded in the foot The savages secured the canoe and took pos- session of its contents. A new idea now dawned upon them-why not utilize these missiles and make them play a part in the reduction of the forts. The idea was ap. proved and the suggestion was at once put into execution. Securing a hollow log which they deemed adapted for the purpose, they proceeded to bind it with iron chains which they found in the blacksmith shop of the village. Filling it with a heavy charge of powder, they rammed home as many of the captured balls as it could conveniently hold, and with as much accuracy as possible under the circumstances aimed it against one of the bastions. All was now ready as
soon as it was primed, for which purpose a big Indian stepped forward, emptying from his powder horn a sufficient quantity around the vent. A crowd of Indians collected around to witness the new engine of destruc- tion, and the effect produced upon the fort by its discharge, not doubting in the least that it would prove more or less destructive in its effects. In this supposition they were not deceived, but were sorely disappointed in the nature of the result which ensued. All things being ready, an Indian advanced with a lighted brand, which he applied to the vent hole and thereby stamped "finis" on the last page of his own and the life history of his curious companions who were near by him at the time. Several were killed, many were seriously and some slightly wounded, and all were terror stricken by the unexpected re- sult. The unlooked for and unexpected havoc caused among their number, by the explosion of their wooden artillery which burst into fragments, led them to become wild and furious under their disappointment, and the loss and wounding of so many of their number, and wild with rage in their excitement they redoubled their exertions, renewing the assault with heedless despera- tion, and exposing themselves in the most careless manner to the shots from the house and the fort. At times it appeared that the Indians would succeed, but then the fortunes of the day would change, and the fortunes of the inmates of the fort appeared to be in the ascendant. Thus the conflict wavered until noon, when the forces of the Indians were drawn off temporarily. It was exceed- ingly fortunate for the little garrison that the savages desisted from their attack when they did, as the ammunition of the defenders of the fort was beginning to grow short. The aların given by Linn of the approach of the enemy having, as we have stated, been so limited, and the fact that the fort was des- titute to a great extent of any large supply of ammunition to enable it to withstand a protracted siege. it was discovered that the
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supply on hand was being rapidly exhausted, and some measures must be adopted to sup- ply the need.
As before stated, there was plenty of pow- der stored in the magazine at Colonel Zane's house, but for all practical purposes it might as well have been a hundred miles away. The contingency which now happened could not have been foreseen, and the emergency now upon them was a grave one.
But it was one which had to be met, and the question was how could they best re- plenish their almost exhausted stock. An effort at least to obtain powder from Colonel Zane's house it was absolutely necessary should be made, for should the enemy return to the assault in their then condition the danger of the inmates was not only immi- nent, but their doom was almost sealed. Among the many propositions which were made and the one which seemed to obtain favor, was that one of the fleetest runners among the younger men should be selected for the perilous undertaking of obtaining a keg of powder from Colonel Zane's house and hasten with it to the relief of the be- sieged. It was an undertaking full of daring with the prospect of almost certain death to the person who should essay the task. But undeterred by the magnitude of the feat and the peril which attended it, at the call of Captain Zane for a volunteer, several brave men stepped forward, each one of whom in- sisted on being permitted to make the at- tempt. The loss of a single man at this junc- ture would have been keenly felt by the en- tire company. While Captain Zane was hesi- tating in arriving at a decision and making his choice from among those chivalric spirits who had so promptly offered their services, there came bounding into his presence his own sister, Elizabeth Zane, in the elasticity of her youthful strength, and volunteered to attempt the accomplishment of the errand, regardless of what might befall her if thereby she could be instrumental in saving the lives of others. When told that a man wontkl en- counter less danger by reason of his superior
fleetness, she nobly replied that the loss of a man under the circumstances would be more severely felt than her own. "You have not one man to spare," she said. "A woman will not be missed in the defense of the fort." All the arguments adduced by her brother and others to dissuade her from making the at- tempt together with the expostulations of the other females had the effect of only con- firming her in her resolution.
Reluctantly they finally acquiesced in her purpose and her services were accepted. Di- vesting herself of all unnecessary clothing which might impede her in her progress, she appeared ready for the dangerous ordeal.
The gate was swung open and the young heroine sprang out in the swelling buoyancy of hope, knowing no such word as fail in the full confidence of success, and swift as a deer she sped away on her mission, arriving safely at the cabin of her brother, Col. Ebenezer Zane, who saw her coming and promptly opened the door to receive her. When the Indians saw her bounding along at the top of her speed they were amazed at her temerity but did not offer to fire at her, but contented themselves with simply exclaim- ing with contemptuous sneers, "A squaw, a squaw." Upon reaching her destination she lost no time in stating her business. After a brief breathing spell she announced her readiness to return, whereupon Colonel Zane, taking a tablecloth and fastening it securely around hier waist with two of its ends, while the other ends were held by her in her hands, emptied into it a keg of pow- der when she again ventured forth on her return to the fort. Her black hair, like a banner, streamed out upon the air as with swift feet she lessened the intervening dis- tance.
But she had not covered more than half the space between the cabin and the fort when the savages, apprehending her pur- pose, showered a rain of bullets around her, none of which, however, did any execution, as she reached the fort in safety and deliv- ered the powder without losing any percepti-
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ble portion of it. Subsequently in recount- ing her experience on this occasion, she would relate how the bullets whistled around her so thick and fast that the dust thrown up by them as they struck the ground blinded and confused her so that she could scarcely distinguish her way.
As she neared the fort the gate was again thrown open for her entrance when the In- dians made an unavailing effort to reach it, before it could be closed, by making a sud- den rush. Finding themselves foiled, they quickly withdrew. This act of heroism on the part of Elizabeth Zane doubtless saved the lives of the inmates of the fort, and en- abled them successfully to withstand the siege. As night closed in, the enemy re- newed their efforts to reduce the fortress, and continued them until daylight. Times almost without number, during that trying and eventful night, the enemy attempted to accomplish by the torch what they could not by superior numbers and advantage. Bun- dles of hemp and wood and rubbish were heaped by them against the pickets and set fire to at different places.
The hemp, fortunately being wet, would not burn, and the dry wood and rubbish proved also vain in accomplishing their end When the day dawned after that terrible and trying night, it was greeted by the besieged with a renewal of hope which had been well nigh banished. When the intelligence reached Shepherd's Fort, located at the forks of Wheeling Creek, of the investiture of Fort Henry by Indians and British soldiers, a party left the former fort with a view of rendering assistance to the inmates of the latter, but on arriving in the vicinity they found that it would be impossible to gain ad- mission and therefore reluctantly determined to return.
This conclusion was arrived at in opposi- tion to the views of their leader, Francis Duke, a relative of Colonel Shepherd. He insisted that if no one else would, he alone would make the attempt to gain ingress at the fort at the risk of his life. To all per-
suasions against the undertaking he turned a deaf ear. He recognized their force and complained not at the resolution of his men to return, but his chivalric character and de- termined spirit could not be curbed by argu- ment or persuasion.
He did not regard the imminent danger attaching to the bold undertaking, but, sub- ordinating- this to the higher and nobler promptings of his nature which enabled him only to see the peril of friends, he spurned all restraint, and taking his life in his hands and putting spurs to his horse, he sped swift as his horse could carry him toward the gate of the fort, calling aloud as he rode, "Open the gate, open the gate."
He was recognized by those within the fort and the gate was swung open for his ad- mission, but before reaching it he was pierced with bullets, and this young and gal- lant chevalier fell a martyr to his reckless daring and noble disinterestedness.
On the morning of the third day the enemy, despairing of success and abandon- ing all hope of the reduction of the fort, re- solved on raising the siege. This resolution was announced to the inmates by a series of terrific yells and deafening whoops, which was the means adopted by them to give ex- pression to their disgust at their failure. Turning their backs upon the scene, they took their departure and recrossed the river into Belmont County.
"WHISTLING TO START THE TUNES."
It was a trying experience for a young and refined woman like Mrs. Zane to be called upon to pass through-to sever the ties of home and kindred and forego all so- cial advantages and the pleasures of civilized life, and be deprived of much of its con- veniences, and plunge into the depth of the wilderness, the abode of savages and wild beasts.
Doddridge says: "This lady was said to have been the first convert to Methodism in all the country surrounding Fort Henry.
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The religious services were conducted by a 'circuit rider,' Rev. Wilson Lee, in 1789.
"Her consistent work and Godly conver- sation was proverbial, and her zeal kept pace with her piety. It was esteemed no hard- ship those days to travel long distances to attend divine worship, and the meetings were largely attended by young and old.
"Not the least enjoyable feature of the ser- vice was the singing in which young and old participated.
"At one of these meetings there was no one to start the tunes. In this dilemma Betty Zane, the heroine of Fort Henry, vol- unteered to 'whistle' the tunes, and those who could not sing might catch up the tune and 'carry it along.' The proposition was ac- cepted and the forest was soon ringing with the melody of their voices."
KILLING OF WILLIAM COCHRAN.
Judge Cochran of Martin's Ferry has often heard his grandfather tell the tragic story of his father's death. Said he: "About the time of father's death there were great disturb- ances on the frontier. It was customary for us to keep our horses hobbled or belled. One morning, failing to hear the sound of the bells as usual, father sent me to the block-house at West Liberty, while he and my older brothers started out in search of the horses. It was arranged between them after starting that they should separate and pursue the object of their search in different directions, my father taking one direction and the boys in company another. The lat- ter soon discovered signs which led them to believe that the horses had been captured or driven off by the Indians, and they at once started on the nearest way leading to the block-house, upon reaching which they gave the alarm. From Billy Boggs, who was held by the Indians as a prisoner at the time, but who shortly afterwards escaped, we learned the particulars of father's death, as told to him by the Indians while he was in captivity. "Father was a very active and resolute
man, and the savages wanted to capture him. It appears that they had caught the horses, and wrapping moss around the bell- clappers had led them away to a distance, placing six of their number in ambush, to capture father, or anyone who might venture to search for them. Not finding the horses, he started on his return toward the block- house, on the way passing in sight of his own house, in expectation, as he hoped, of seeing the boys. The Indians meanwhile had gone into his cabin. Intending to enter, he was prevented by having his suspicions aroused from certain appearances around and in the vicinity, which only the keen eye of a disciplined woodsman would detect, and which caused him to change his purpose, and .start for the block-house at the top of his speed. The Indians at once started in pur- suit of him, but when they found that the gap between the pursued and the pursuers was widening, and they could not overtake him, a half-breed, wearing the cognomen of 'Dolway Jim,' suddenly dropped on his knees and, taking fatal aim, fired and killed him just as he was crossing a piece of rising ground. His remains were afterwards found and buried by a party from the fort on the spot where he fell. His scalp had been taken by the Indians to their camp, where it was flaunted in the face of Boggs, the prisoner, who recognized it.
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