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The I shall TINl whic Mapi diffe antir begii right requi met^ 7tn 10V 9ey •lAV y 12X 16X 20X 24X 28X 32X The copy filmed here has been re:>rocluced thanks to the generosity of: Douglas Library Queen's Unlvo:«ity L'exemplaire filmA fut reproduit grice A la gAnArosit* de: Douglas Library Queen's University The images appearing here are the best quality possible considering the condition and legibility of the original copy and in keeping with the filming contract specifications. Las images suivantes ont 4t* reproduites avec le plus grand soin, compte tenu de Iq condition et de la netteti de I'exempiaire f ilm6, et en conformity avec les conditions du contrat de filmage. Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, or the back cover when appropriate. 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Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those* too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent Atre filmto A des taux de reduction diffirents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul cliche, 11 est film6 A partir de I'angle supArieur gauche, de gauche it droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ntcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mithode. 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 M. TALES OF THE NIAGARA FRONTIER. PAST II. FORT NIAGARA. •* w « » ^* 1\ FORT NIAGARA, A TALE OF THE -*- NIAGARA FRONTIER. BUFFALO. Steele's- press 1845. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1845, by OLIVER G. STEELE, In the Clerk's Office of the Northern District of New York. NOTE. The series of little books proposed to be pub- lished under the general title of ♦*Tales op the Niagara Frontier," are intended to illustrate some portions of the History of the War of 1812. Accurate dates and descriptions of places will be given, though not with very minute detail; and the names of officers who took part in the scenes described, and the events with which they were connected, will be stated, so far as the writer may be able to do so, ' with historical accuracy. In other respects, the stories may be regarded as fictions. ^% .m INTRODUCTION. The Niagara River, or the Strait that connects Lake Erie with Lake Ontario, being the only out- let for the greatest chain of inland waters in the world, ^h'lch are there poured over the great Cat- aract, and forming the boundary between the United States and Canada, has been the scene of many interesting historical events. Courage as true and devoted has there been exhibited, as that of the Spaftans at the pass of Thermopylae. Its waters have been made red by the blood of brave men who died in their str. Tgies for the lib- erty and the rights which had been denied them. On its banks many a spot has been made holy by the burial of a soldier. It is classic ground; and in future ages there will be the shrines where pil- grims will come to worship the memory of heroes. Time as well as blood is necessary to consecrate the battle field. Little is now thought of the VIII INTRODUCTION. places where these scenes occurred because their history is fresh in the minds of all except the young. To them it is hoped this little book will be an acceptable offering. But the time will come when this river, through its whole length, which is about thirty five miles, will reflect from its wa- ters the images of many beautiful mansions that will be erected on its banks. Thousands of years hence it will be the task of the school boy, in the study of the antiquities of his Country, to learn the deeds of arms that have been wrought there. History and Poetry will vie with each other in the relations of fact and the creations of fancy. But romance will be excelled by reality. The Niaga- ra will, to future agesf call to mind the heroic in history, as the Hellespont now does to us; and, as at the chosen spots of the old world, patriotism will burn with a brighter glow at the mention of its name. The loves of Hero and Leander, im- mortalized by the Grecian bard, and tales of war by sea and land will be matched by stories of the Niagara. FORT NIAGARA Jk0^r->,f^^-^ CHAPTER I. DESCRIPTION. It will be remembered, by those at least who have read the story of Queenston, that it was determined by Harry and the Captain, that their next visit should be to Fort Niaga- ra. After a few days of rest they prepared to carry their resolution into effect. The Cap- tain and his young friend Harry were to have no other company, Charles having de- termined not to go on a second expediton. They had started in the morning of a beau- tiful October day, and travelled as far as Lewiston, where they determined to stay over night. The next mormng as the sun was flinging his grateful rays from a moder- ate elevation in the heavens, they were on thier way. Their path lay along the bank of the Niagara, the road there b *%; jOinrr tTCkvxr ' ii T v^i y 10 DESCRIPTION. near to the shore. As they were walking along their shadows reached quite over the precipitous bank, and would have been seen in the river itself, but that the sun had not yet fallen on that part of it near the shore. ^'Early rising makes long shadows," said the Captsin. ''And long days too," said Harry. *'But the longer the days the shorter the shadow, • said the Captain. "In summer the days are longer than in winter, and the sun being higher in the heavens does not cast so long a shadow from any object standing in a perpendicular position, as would be made by the same object in winter when the sun is lower. This would only be the case at or near noon; in the morning it would make no difference." Harry was amused by this pleasantry, and the Captain continued: ''There has been much hard fighting," said he, "on the banks of this river, before this hour in the morning. Men have here, not only in the morning of tho day, but in the morning of their lives acquired a fame that will never die. The lives of such men are DESCRIPTION. 11 lengthened by their success in eariy life as the days are by early rising. I shall tell you before I get through with this expedition, how victories have been lost and won before day-hght; and how watchfulness and care have triumphed over neglect and inaction " The Niagara river, which, above the great Cataract, is from a mile to a mi!- and a half wide, below the falls, as far down as Lewis- ton, IS confined by the the high rocky banks to a quarter of a mile or less in width. The current too is very swift, and sometimes in- terrupted by whirlpools and raoids. Below Lewiston the high banks disappear, the stream gradually widens, and the current becomes more smooth. At the point where our trav- ellers were now viewing it, it was flow- ing on with a movement so quiet and equal that one in gazing upon it would almost for- get it had any motion. The bank on the op- posite side was distinctly to be seen, with here and there a solitary looking house upon he margin of the river, and occasionally a tree bending over as if to see its own shadow ■fl the water. As they were thus moving , j^ ,siQ^ fieji^^^ ^^jg g^yj^^ ^j approach- MrfT 12 DESCRIPTION. I ing wheels behind them. They looked back and saw a man leisurely jogging along in a lumber wagon. Harry and the Captain stepped aside to let him pass. At this mo- ment the jog of the horses dropped into a slow walk. The morning salutation of the traveller, was answered by the Captain. As they appeared to be going the same way they were invited to ride. The offer would have been declined, but our travellers were glad of an opportunity to converse with any one they happened to meet. The Captain and Harry were soon seated in the wagon, and as they went lumbering along they tried to draw the traveller into conversation with them. ''We are coming now to a place," said the Captain, "where there has been some hard fighting. A little ahead is the spot where the British Hnded on the morning of the 19th of December 1813, when they surprised Fort Niagara." "I knew," said the Wagoner, "that the fort down here was once taken by the Bri- tish, but I never knew before the place where they laauuu. DESCRIPTION. 13 d back ong in Captain lis mo- into a of the n. As le way ' would :s were ith any « 1 seated nbering el* into said the ne hard ; where the 19th arprised hat the the Bri- e where "You are acquainted in these parts," said the Captain. •Tes," said the wagoner; ^ I hve a few miles below the fort on the shore of the lake. I removed to that place soon after the close of the war. I have travelled this road often, but I never knew much about the battles that took place here." The Captain saw that, though his fellow- traveller had lived for many years almost within sight of the fortress, nothing was to be learned from him. He scarcely had pos- session of a single fact in relation to it. All that he knew was through the indistinctness of tradition. They however soon came to a road that turned off to the right, and here they parted company, the wagoner pursuing the road in the direction of his home, and Harry and the Captain keeping the path that lay upon the bank of the river. After passing the lit- tle village of Youngstown, a few minutes brought them within sight of the fort. The first object they saw was the dome of the lighthouse erected upon the top of an old &ionu wuuuiii^ mm jorms a part of the for- tress, o 14 :.|^ DESCRIPTION. !Hi It must be remembered that the period of the Captain^s visit was some years ago, and that his description of the fortifications may not correspond with their present appear- ance. The farms upon the road leading to the fort were then not quite so much im- proved as they now are; and the fort itself may have experience.d a similar change. They soon stood within the limits of the fortress. As they entered, Harry took a rapid survey of the most striking objects that met his view. Two or three compa- nies of American soldiers were stationed there, and the sentry was marching to and fro at the entrance to the fort. Every thing within bore the appearance of neatness. A glance was sufficient to see the long guns ranged in rows, some in a positon that they could be made to bear upon the fort on the opposite side of the river if necessary, and others were disposed without any reference to such use being required of them. Near the centre of the area within the enclosure, was a large pile of cannon-sho^, painted black and laid up in the form of a pyramid. After Harry had taken the first view, the of the took a objects compa- ationed to and y thing iss. A g guns It they on the -y, and ference Near closure, d black 5W, the DESCRIPTION. 25 Captain proceeded to describe the works to him. "You will see," said he, "that the fort stands ,„ the angle, made by the eastern bank of the river, and the southern shore of Lake Ontario. It is laid out in the form of a triangle, one side of which commands the river and Fort George on the opposite side, another faces the lake, and the third is to delend the plain in the rear." Towards the water it is stockaded or en- closed with a row of sharpened posts set in the ground, and within the stockade on the river side, there is a large mound of earth at the top of which are embrasures or open- ings for guns, and on the side facing the lake within the stockade, stands a large fortified stone house, on the top of which is the light- house, they had seen before entering the fort- and on the land side it is secured by embank- ments of earth which will be more particu- larly described hereafter. The site on which the fort is built, is elevated considerably above the river and lake, and commands a fine prospect. From the hght-houge the view of those waters 16 DESCRIPTION. hi ■ I m and the country on both sides is only limited by the power of the human eye. While the Captain was calling the attention of Harry to these general appearances of the fortress, they were met by the commanding officer of the garrison. The Colonel had been there for several years and was well known to most of the inhabitants for some miles around; but it had never before been the fortune of the Captain to see him. The hand and heart of the soldier are always accessible to strangers, and well the Captain knew how to meet him. No one who had heard the sound, and seen the flash of arms on this frontier, much less one who had sprinkled the battle-field with his blood, need- ed to have been a stranger to the Colonel. The Captain explained the object of his visit, and presented to him his young friend Harry. He took him warmly by the hand, and Har- ry now felt that he too was an acquaintance. The Colonel led the way to the old stone house, in a part of which he lived with his family, and was followed by Harry and the Captain. The house bore the marks of time, both in the style of the architecture, m^ the DESCRIPTION. 17 appearance of the walls. A green moss seemed to be creeping over the overhanging eaves, and inserting its roots into the chinks between the rough stones of which it was built. There was an open portico in front, and a balcony which was accessible from the second story. Upon the rough lattice work were some climbing vines, whose leaves had been withered by the approach of autumn. In the sultry heat of summer, it must have been a shady and pleasant retreat. They entered the house. ''Let us go up and take a look from the top," said the Colonel. They all ascended the old oaken stairs, every step of which was deeply worn. The foot^tegs of thousands had been there before them. Many years had passed away since the building was erected. They were at the top and stood upon a small platform. The roof also bore the marks of age. The shin- gles were cemented together by moss, telling, like the gray hairs of man, of the age of the head it covered. ''There," said the Colonel, addressing him- self to Harry, and pointing across the river, 2=^ 18 DESCRIPTION. **is fort Mississaga. A little above is the site of old Fort George. You see near by it the town of Newark, which was burnt by the Americans on the 10th of December 1813. This town is now generally called Niagara. It was once called Lennox, and afterwards Nassau, but Newark was the name given to it by parliament. Across the lake in this di- rection,'* said he, pointing his finger, *'is the City of Toronto, the capital of Upper Cana- da. To the west at the head of the lake is Burlington bay, and Burlington heights. To the east the view is divided between the wa- ters of the lake and the woods upon the banks, while to the south is to be seen the cul- tivated fields of the farmer, who has disputed and overcome the dominion of the forest, and the Niagara, flowing like a stream of light, between the territory of a monarchy and a free republic." Their eyes had taken m the whole circuit of the horizon, and they now descended the stairs, and walked out to view the grounds. The Colonel kindly took it upon himself to go about with them, and explain to Harry everv thins^ that he did not understand. i i DESCRIPTION. 19 They went first to the northwestern ande of the fort. There Harry saw upon a platform a large cannon pointing its mouth across the river. It was mounted upon a large pair of wheels so that it could be moved backward and forward. In front of the platform on which It stood was an opening in the embank- ment, through which it could be pointed if it should be necessary to fire it. This opening IS called an embrasure. ^^ ^'If we wanted to load it,'' said the Captain, '^it would stand where it now does; but if it were loaded, and we wanted to fire it, we should run it forward on the wheels, so 'that It would point through the opening; and when it is drawn back again to be loaded for another fire, the men who have charge of it, are in a great degree protected by the bank from the shots of the enemy. They follow- ed along this bank or mound, which was near the bank of the river. There were several openings in it, and at each one was a plat- form, and a cannon upon it like the first they had seen. These guns were to protect the side of the fort next to the river, from attacks that miffht hp mqdp n*>^« :* i i- ^ o .s.ctut; u^xju ii uy sn^ps of war 20 DESCRIPTION. l! I iliii as well as to prevent them from entering the river. They are also used when an attack is to be made on fort George, on the opposite side, as you will learn before you get a full history of the place." Harry was pleased with the explanations of the Colonel, and he manifested his delight by the attention with which he listened. They had now come to the southern angle of the fort. Here was an opening left be- tween the walls for a gateway or passage through which to enter it, and a block-house to defend the passage. On the east or land- side were several batteries and redoubts, be- tween which, and extending from one to the other, were trenches and banks of earth. There were also several gateways, and at each of them, and in different ' parts of the fort, there were strong block-houses, and ranges of low buildings used as barracks for the soldiers. The Colonel here pointed out the passage where the British army en- tered, when the fort was taken from the French in 1759. On the north side, facing the lake, was a strong block-house, and be- DKSCRIPTIOX. 21 tween that and the river, on the same side, wa the old stone house before described net, t T '"■""«'•" ^'''''^"^- On the side nex to the nver, the building showed the marks of many a cannon-shot that had been thrown from Fort George. They had made the circuit of the fort and taken a general view of it. It was time to examine it a little more in detail. The lort and outwarks occupy about five acres of ground. A garrison of about five hundred men and thirty or forty pieces of artillery would be necessary to defend it in case of an attack. In one part of the ground were a number ot cannons mounted on wheels and ready for use, but, as it was now a time of peace, thev were placed under a temporary covering to protect them from the weather. In another place were many large guns, which were not mounted. They had been covered with a coat of black paint, to prevent them from rusting, and each had a wooden plug inserted m the muzzle to keep out the dirt or water. The Colonel pointed out to Harry and the Oaptam the secret passages which led down *i2 DESCRIPTION. •t' .;:,llil to the lake and the 'iver, to which they might be Mifrpil to resort lor waiter in time of a seige or an attack. He also explained to Harry, how the different parts of the fort were defended, and showed him the maga- zine where the powder is kept, and explained to him how it was protected from being ex- ploded by the hot shot thrown by the enemy. 'We can look round quietly now," said the Captain; "but there have been stirring times here. When every minute brings with it a hot shot from Fort George, it is a time to try one's courage. Every man then has a duty to perform, and every one knows that some one will meet death; and all resolve that if it must come they will meet it as they meet the enemy, face to face." Th' y had now finished the survey of the grounds, and they returned to the hous^. When they had entered, the Colonel presen- ted them to his wife and daughter. . Here was a new source of pleasure opened to them. The fiei 's of danger and the profession of arms aru vs- > \at^out their charms. Woman with her i:>v r id befi* l:y is always found in the path of the soldier, rugged, and bloody UESCnil'T/O.V. '■in too, ^ U sometimes is. A.id the soldier, lie, l.ke tRo faithful knight in the best days of chivalry, ,s always her guardian and protec- Tho Captain was social in the highest de- gree, but Harry was for the most part silent. TT ' r.' !'''"'''"^' °^ '"' '"°t*'°'- »nd sisters. He had been a long time away from them and they were separated by a distance of several hundred miles. And then he thou-ht of those less distant from him, his cousfns, Alice and Lucy Gray. He was already thmking of the pleasure of telling them some ot tae stories he had heard of Fort Niagara But this thought could not now rest in his mind. They had only taken a look at the place as it was at the time of their visit They had not yet begun to review its histo- ry. He was yet to learn the story of its buildmg by the French, and of its capture by the English; how it passed into the hands of the Americans, and then the various scenes presented by the attack, the repulse; the surprise and the massacre. As yet he had heard nothing that might not be listened to With some degree of cnlrpnp... n... „ ._i. Of terror and of blood was yet to come. ! ! CHAPTER II. ANCIENT HISTORY. While they were sitting in the house, tlio Colonel remarked to the Captain, that there were some scraps of history connected with the place that were very interesting, and, if it were not for interfering with his arrange- ments for entertaining his young friend Har- ry, he would relate them. The Captain turned to Harry with an in- quiring look, and said that he thought he would be amused as well as instructed by hearing them. Harry readily entered into the views of the Captain, and the Colonel proceeded : ''A thought struck me a short time ago," said he, ''that it would be interesting to know when this point was first taken possession of by white men. There was a time I knew when the whole country was in the exclusive possession of the Indians. Then the river ' ANCIENT IIISTOIIY. 25 5) bark canoe and tho forests had never heard he sound of the axe. I undertook, as far as 1 was ab e, to find out from history the pro- gress of discovery and improvement here." Much of that history," said the Captain, 'I should think would be found onlv in the traditions of the natives." "There is some written history," said the ^a„ the year 1678. On the 18th day of November m that year the Cavalier De La Salle, who, under the patronage of the king of France, had undertaken to explore the country from Lake Ontario to the gull' of Mexico, left Fort Frontenac, now Kingston, Wh a vesse of forty tons for this place Whether the lake had before that time been explored as far as this, I have not discovered. It IS however certain that the vessel of La Salle was the first ship that ever sailed on th3 waters of Lake Ontario, or Lake Fronte- nac as ,t was called by him. The voyage occupied about a month, the winds being contrary, and from the swiftness of the cui^ lent, as it was said by the historian of that : o^7 i«-:^ vv^xc uuiiged to anchor their 3 3r» ANCIEx\T lIIiSTORY. 1 ij M M ill! i! ship at a distance of nine leagues from the mouth of the river. It however appears that De La Salle sailed into the Niagara with a ^wooden canoe' of ten tons, and ex- plored the river as far as the great cataract, w^hich he described as being six hundred feet high. 'Niagara,' says he, 'is a village of the Iroquois situated upon the lake of Conti, near the wonderful fall I have taken notice of.' 'Though this little party were kindly received by the Iroquois, yet they described them as being a stoical and courageous race, capable of enduring without signs of emotion the acutest torments the ingenuity and cruelty of their enemies could invent; as never ask- ing quarter in war, and seldom giving it to others, and as drinking the^^bldod of their butchered enemies. "The party of La Salle laid by one night at their village, but the next day they wont three leagues higher up, near where Lewis- ton now stands, for the purpose of building a fort. They began to lay the foundation, but the Iroquois becoming jealous of their work, they gave it up, and contented them- selves with driving strong palisades to pro-* tect their magazine. ANCIENT HISTORY. 27 "De La Salle intended to commence build- ing a slup above the great falls for the pur- pose of exploring Lake Erie, or Lake Herie as n was then called. But the season was so far advanced that he was obliged to «ive •t "P till the next year, and he returned to i^ort Frontenac, where he spent the winter, in 1684 a slight fortification was made here, and m 1687 for the more effectual de- lence of Aew France, as the French posses- sions m America were then called, it was improved by t!)e addition of four bastions. It does ,:ot appear wlicther the French con- tinued to occupy this post after that time, it ,g probable that it was used as a place of retreat against the incursions of the savao^cs 7 s'-'ch trading parties as came to the place tor xho purpose of trafficking with the na- uves. "In 1721, a party came to take measures for a permanent settlement, on the spot where Dc La Salle had driven his rude palisades Jorty three years before; and in 1726 the tlajr of Fiance was floating from Fort Niagara ; '.'' f '■''"f "'°»ght that by keeping up a for- mication there they would be able to give the 28 ANt'ir.NT IIISTOHY. III P ! law lo tho Iroquois, who had ^'onerally b(ion onlisttMi on tho sido of i\\c. Dw^VihU in t\u) wars whioh had hocn carried on hotwoen thoni and tho French on tliis contintnit. **The fortress of Niai^ara ^avo a ('ontrol over the connnerce of the wihl regions of tlie west. The great lalu^s were even then the pathway for the inunense fur-trade that was carried on between the Europeans and the natives. Tlie furs that ©anie directly from tlie forests W'cto collected here, and those also that came, by way of the great lakes from the more distant west, passed over tlu^ portages round the falls of Niagara. The boundless region in which they were gathered, knew no jurisdiction but that of the French. They had explored every lake and river, both for the purpose of traffic, and for the extension of the christian faith. Their missions in that early day extended even beyond Lake Superior. **So far as is known Fort Niagara conti- nued in possession of the French till the year 1759, when it was taken by the En- glish. They had landed about three miles from tile fort under General Fridcaux, ana 1 UAy aiiu ANCIi:iVT IflNTonv. 29 hh or a sliort action, d li'ilhid, \\u) FroiKtli urinir wliirli ho wj <^>^' «ix lniri(lr(!(J surrendered vvjfli the I IH 'h'I' I^illod. Fren. that tisli rid(j in Nonh A Uiwird down to i}i(. A pri.sonrjrs jnid a small O.SH nurn- ♦ irne be^ran lh(; Ijri- rnerje wJiiftl I was (;on- n rneriean rcjvolnlion. n N.'pteniber I77«a.i(rand Ind <"^'<)lonel (.'aldwell, wl dross W'hieh w prestujt, (ieelarjnir tl ui the pn.'s- if> was then in munand at the lort. They adopted an ad- H si.crnod by ;dl th(.' ehiefk l\(U in th(3 war, and abid(j tl tost of the kin^o., w, ,nu Kne^r^vjiii Jus people.' A j^ i'Poal was made to the Oneidas imd 7 i'^>ras, Imt oi trii)(»s bei 10 sarthein fVor jiiir usca- M car;h of those ,„ , ., '^ ' '''^' '' ^1'^'^ the Boston!- '-^'s, as the Americans were called, 'and bo ^tron.n: and fulfill their k'n ^f^' cnga/Tonients to tho hid 1? "Tlirough tho lonir j.^riod of th eon the French and English ':^ ^^^^tions iiad been on tho side of uio T ^vero now true to their old wars be- rnost of tho ^'mi^ii. 71 3# 30 ANCIENT HISTORY. friends and allies. At the great council held here, the representatives of fifteen Indian nations had agreed to support them; and du- ring the winter of 1780, there were four hundred loyalists under Colonel Butler, six hundred British regulars under a Captain, and twelve hundred Indians under Brant, and Colonel Guy Johnson quartered here; the Indian Captain and the British Colonel dividing between them the honor of com- manding an army of savages." The Captain had before known the history of this fortiiess, only from the time it had been in the possession of the Americans, and he, as well as Harry, was instructed by this relation of the Colonel. "There were some strange characters here," said the Colonel, "during the year 1780; and if you are not already tired of my long stories, I will give you some account of them." The Captain was always ready to listen to the stories of an old soldier, and Harry was more anxious to hear him than ever. "I will in the first place," said the Colonel, "give you some idea of the appearance of ANCIENT HISTORY. 31 the fort as it, was described by an old soldier who was mb. long time kept there as a pris- oner, and of whom I shall tell you more here- after, at was at that time/ said he, 'a struc- ture of considerable magnitude and of great strength, enclosing an area of from six to eight acres of ground. Within the enclosure was a handsome dwelling house which was occupied by Colonel Guy Johnson. He was at that time a short pussy man, about forty years of age, of stern countenance and haugh- ty demeanor, dressed in British uniform, with powdered hair and a cocked hat; and his voice bore evidence of his Irish extraction.' *'A more remarkable character," continued the Colonel, ^^was Captain Joseph Brant, the head chief of the Mohawks. He was a tall and rather spare man, fierce looking but well spoken, and about forty years of age. He wore moccasins elegantly trimmed with beads, leggins of superfine blue, a short green coat with silver epaulets, and a Small laced round hat. He had a silver mounted cutlass, and a blanket of blue cloth with a red border, which he sometimes dropped in the chair in irviiiv.il lic But, liiiiL iiis epauieis might not be concealed from the view." 32 s; ■* ANCIENT HISTORY, ddressing r of the at the village "This man," said the himself to Harry, "wl|ti young Mohawk chief of the Tuscaroras." *'Was he as brave a man as the young chief?" asked Harry. ''He was a man of great courage," an^ sw^red the Captain, "and the greatest war- rior among the Six Nations. By some he has generally been believed to be cruel,- but that charge has been questioned by his more par- tial friends." . "There was one of those men there," said the Captain, '^of whom I do not like to speak, and I would not, but that he belongs to the history of the time." Harry and the Captain sat in silence, ho- ping that the narrative of the Colonel would be continued. "John Butler," said the Colonel, "was a loyalist; and he had zealously entered into the service of the English. He was not only active in their cause, but he was cruel to- wards his own countrymen, the Americans. He had led on the merciless Indians, at the massacre of Wyoming on the third of July (I ANCIENT HISTORY. 33 1778 There was an indiscriminate slaugh- • !Xff'""'' ''"'"*'" ^""^ '^''"'l'-^". and their cries Jor mercy were answered by a death blow from the hatchet. Many are' now t- mg to mourn the massacre of Wyoming: ;Five hundred of her brave that valley green irod on the morn in soldier-spirit gay •But twenty lived (o tell the noon-day ec'eoe!' " The Captain needed but to have his old rec- ollections of history revived, to create in his bosom the deep abhorrence that all so justly deserve, who took part in the cruelties of that day; but Harry heard the story for the first time in his life with all its horrible de- tails, and his young blood was stirrad with a Ireezmg terror. \% "John Butler," continued the Colonel, ^ a son, also a loyalist, who bore the rank of a Lieutenant in the British army. He had been ai-rested at the German Plats as a spy from that portion of the British army, under Co onel St. Leger. He wa. tried. co;victed and sentenced to death; but through the in- fluence of friends, was reprieved and closely mipnsoned in Albany. He however found fneans to esnnnp nn/^ «« _r^ f *L -r 7 XIV. oK,un uuur joined his i^ather at Fort Niagara. 34 r lENT HISTORY, ** Young Butler having been pronOjOted to the rank of a Captain, he determined to re- venge his imprisonment by a hostile incur- sion into the territory of his coutrymen. He marched at the head of a detachment of ran- gers, accompanied by Brant witli a small body of Indians. The point selected for his first attack was Cherry Valley, second only in beauty and fertility to the valley of the Susquehanna; and the bloody scene he enacted there on the 11th day of November !778, was hardly excelled in cruelty by the massacre of Wvomini?'. Whole familie:. were murdered when resistance was out of their power, and some taken prisoners and carried away into captivity. "^^^Among the prisoners taken was a Mrs. Campbell and her four children. Her moth- er was also a prisoner, but being unable to travel on account of her age, she fell by the side of her daughter by a blow from the tomahawk. Mrs. Campbell marched with a child in her arms, urged on by an uplifted hatchet, to the Seneca Castle. Her children were then taken from her, and she was kept there till the next June, when she was t-'i were ANCIENT HISTORY. 35 brought to Niagara. While here she recov- ere< three of her children from the Indians." io contniue the narrative of the old Captam,' sa.d the Colonel, "there was anoth- er person here during that period of some celebnty m her time. It was Catharine Montour, a half blood, and generally believ- ed to have been the daughter of Count Fron- enac, one of the Governors of New France. When but ten years old, during the wars between the Six Nations, and the French and ' Hurons, she Mas carried away as a captive mto the Seneca country, and adopted by her captors; and when she had grown up she was married to a distinguished chief She was celebrated for her beauty and address and was treated with much distinction by the British officers. She with two of her sons was at the battle of Wyoming, and she was said to have ranged the field like an enraged tigress, stimulating the warriors to that ter- rible massacre. One of her sons was also in the massacre at Cherry Valley. The father ot Mrs. Campbell had been captured by him and as, from his age, he was an inconvenient prisoner, Kate Montour was in a rage with 36 '^^NC'IENT HISTORY I 1> her son for not having killed him on the spot. Such was the companionship of the prisotiers at Fort Niagara!" Harry and the Captain were patient in listening to all the stories of the Colonel. **There is no end," said he, *Ho the tales I could tell of events connected in some de- gree with this fortress." Harry begged to be favored with another, and the Colonel proceeded: "The next year, 1779," continued he, "Brant and Butler, whether it was the fath- er or son is uncertain, were upon the war- path, and on the 13th of September, a little party under Lieutenant Boyd, belonging to General Sullivan's army, were surrounded by several hundred Indians, at Little-Beard's Town, now called Leicester, and all but Boyd and one other, were cut to pieces. Butler, denying to him the mercy he had ex- pected from Brant, delivered him to the In- dians, who put him to death by the most horrible torture. It has been claimed for Brant, that having promised protection to these men, he would have kept his word; but it may be presumed that he left them in I place the I ANCIENT HISTORV 37 the care of Butler and absented himself for the purpose of avoiding the charge of perfi- dy. His mutilated body with that of Parker his companion was buried the next day by General Sullivan, on the road running Irom Moscow to Genesee; but their remains now rest at the beautiful burying ground at Mount Mope, near Rochester, where a hand- some monument has been erected to their memory. "On another occasion Brant had made an incursion into the eastern part of the state and had taken several prisoners, among whom was a Captain Harper. Brant had at first threatened him with death, but had spared him and his companions on condition of their marching to Niagara as prisoners of war It was customary for all prisoners brought here to run the gantlet; but Captain Har. per and his party were saved from this ordeal on account of a niece of his Miss Jane Moore, who had been taken prisoner at therry Valley, having married a British offi- cer who was at that time stationed at this place It was an unexpected pleasure for the Captam to meet a relative who had ^1 i 38 ANCIENT HISTORY. been the means of his being saved from the gantlet. But such are the chances of war. "A month after this there came to the fort as prisoners a Captain Snyder and his son, who had been taken by a party of Indians and tories. While passing through the val- ley of the Genesee, their principal Indian conductor showed them the place where Boyd and Parker were buried. These men were compelled to run the gantlet." Harrv here asked the Colonel to explain to him how the Indians conducted this cere- mony. He had seen it played by school- bovs, but he thought this must be a difi'erent aflair. "On entering the Camp," said the Captain, "the prisoners are shown a painted post, and they are directed to run to it, and catch hold of it as soon as possible. Captain Snyder and his son were stationed, as was the cus- tom, thirty or forty yards from the post, and their path to it lay between two parallel lines of men, women and children, armed with hatchets, knives and sticks. Each one was at liberty to strike them, as hard and as often I from ices of the fort is son, Indians the val- Indian where ;se men explain is cere- school- lifierent I'aptain, ost, and tch hold Snyder the cus- lost, and llel lines ed with one was as often ANCIENT HISTORY. 39 asthey could before they reached the post. Sometimes they were severely cut. The prisoners saw the long line of savages on each s,de with their uplifted weapons but knowing that much depended upon thel courage m the race, they ran with all the r m-ght and reached the post with very Kttle 27; "* Po '"""S """='' ""-riment to he Indians. Had they faltered and showed sTverefy. ' "' """" '^^^ ^""-^-l "^^re "One prisoner trembled with fear and begged ,0 be excused from the trial.' But the chief threatened him with his upraised ha chet, telling him to run for his life, a„d before he reached the post, he received ^any a severe blow, and was afterwards jeered bv the Indians for his cowardice. "When the prisoners had entered the fort ToZTi '" the younger Snyder; 'You are' young and you I pity; but for that old vil- lam there, pointing ,o the father, 'I have no "And now," said the Colonel, I will give you the last act in the life of Walter N.lut- "•• u. .v»i ae led an expedition against 40 ANCIENT HISTORY. Johnstown. He was met by the Americans at a place called Jersey's fields, on the West Canada Creek, about fifteen miles above Herkimer. A brisk engagement followed, the parties being on opposite sides of the creek, during which Butler fell by a shot from an Oneida warrior, who rushed across the creek, and while Butler was begging for mercy, the Oneida with uplifted axe, told him to remember Cherry Valley, and buried it in his brains. This was the end of a tory who was one of the severest scourges of his country. "Before I leave oflf," said the Colonel, ''I must tell you one more strange scene that was enacted at this fortress. In the month of May 1793, Benjamin Lincoln, Bev- erly Randolph and Timothy Pickering, Amer- ican commissioners, came to Fort Niagara for the purpose of holding a council with the Indians. It will be remembered that this was long after the close of the revolutionary war; but the fortress, though agreed by the treaty of peace to be surrendered, was re- tained by the EngUsh. While they were •.• _ r_- Al, _ !,r«l ^f ^lolorrntfia from i\\0 I wailing lur tuu iuiivai ^t^ «^iv.Q«.r.v,- lericans e West above >llowed, of the a shot I across ging for xe, told d buried f a tory es of his lonel, *'I e scene In the )ln, Bev- g, Amer- Niagara with the that this lutionary id by the , was re- ley were from the ANCIENT HISTORY. 4] 24th day of June, the birth-day of the kin^ was celebrated here. Governor 'simcoe g ;f an entertainment, ending with a ball in the evening. Thus with feasting, and music and anc,„^ , ,he gala day of royalty celebra- ted on American soil, i„ a fortress at that "- rightfully belonging to us, but in the possession of an armed force of Great Brt ta'mlv'f '^": fi""''"'^'' commissioners relunc- n r r'^'''^^ "'"""S *he guests. 'On the 7th of July the grand Indian ouncil was opened, in the presence of Gov- ernoi Simcoe, and a large number of civil and military officers. Captain Brant was also there and a deputation of about fif'y Indians from the northwestern tribes, and a delagation from the seven Indian nations of Canada, to the number of two hundred and eighty. The subject of the treaty was the hreatened disturbances among the we tern nbes, and after a few days of consXt on they adjourned to hold another great councH at the rapids of the miami. »» ''"""cil "This is the last event that I know of any importance, connected with this forti 4* Mill 42 ANCIENT HISTORY. ress, till in 1796, it was delivered up by the English to the Americans, who had the unin- terrupted possession of it from that time to the war of 1812, when it again became the scene of conflict." up by the the unin- it time to came the CHAPTER III. THE IROQUOIS. Hany had been deeply interested in the ancient history of the fortress, as it was related by the Colonel. "I would like," said he, "to know more about the early history of the Indians." "Your friend the Captain," said the Col- onel, "can give you a better account of them than I can." "There were so many nations or tribes of Indians," said the Captain, "inhabiting differ- ent parts of this country, previous to its dis- covery and occupation by the French and English, that I hardly know where to begin The greater part of the State of New York and some portions of Upper Canada on the borders of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, were in possession of the Iroquois. This name was given to them by the French. By the Lnghsh they were called the Five Nations ana, alter the Tuscaroras had united with 44 THE IROQUOIS. KMiPi'lF "i m them, the Six Nations, and sometimes they were called simply the 'Confederates.' From their superiority over all other nations found on this continent, they have been called the Romans of America." Harry asked what were the names of the Six Nations. <'They were," said the Captain, "the Sen- ecas, the Cayugas, the Onandagas, the Onei- das, the Mohawks and the Tuscaroras. "The principal village of the Senecas was near the Genesee river, about twenty m.iles from Irondequoit bay. The Oneidas had their principal seat south of the Oneida Lake. The Cayugas and Onondagas lived in the neighborhood of the lakes that bear their names. The Mohawks had four towns and one small village on or near the fertile banks of the Mohawk river. The Tuscaroras, who, in attempting to exterminate the whites, had been driven from their home in the south, hved on lands assigned to them by the Onei- das, between the Oneidas and the Onondagas. *'The Mohawks were always held in the greatest veneration by their associates. r\f iKioi-r ao + f l*:inai:»nta tn ■o. *u. '\' THE IROQUOIS. 45 the whites, and their warlike renown, their name was sometimes given to the whole confederacy. In the history of those times the Six Nations were frequently called the Mohawks. At the treaty of 1768 at Fort Stanwix. by Sir William Johnson, they were called by the other nations, 'the true old heads of the confederacy.' " ^'I have heard much," said Harry, "about this confederacy of the Six Nations, and I should like to learn what their government was, and how they were united together." ^'I will tell you as well as I am able," said the Captain. ''Each nation was, for some purpose of its own, I do not know what, di- vided into three tribes, called the Turtle,' the Bear and the Wolf tribes. It appears \hat these tribes had different degrees of rank. In giving the history of any celebrated chief it is usual to mention the tribe as well as the nation to which he belonged. Brant the great warrior belonged I believe to the Tur- tle tribe of the Mohawks, which was the iirst in rank in that nation. Red-Jacket the great orator belonged to the Wolf tribe of the Senecas. Earh nntinn affairs without any interference from the others; but they had every year a great Council at Onandaga, which was a central position, composed of the chiefs of each na- tion. )> ''What was the object of this council," asked Harry, "if each nation could govern its own affairs?" "It was for the purpose," answered the Captain, "of settling the great questions of peace and war with other nations; to settle any difficulties there might be between the different nations of the confederacy, and to regulate their intercourse with the French and English. Their grand Council was very much like the old Congress of the United States before the formation of the present constitution. "The government of the Iroquois had ma- ny of the features of a free republic. They admitted of no hereditary distinctions. The office of sachem was the reward of great personal merit, either of wisdom or elo- quence, or of valor on the field of battle. It w^as conferred by the general consent of the nation, and could onlv be maintained bv THE IR0UU018. 47 the cultivation of those qualities on account of which It had been bestowed. Their gov- ernment was one of public opinion. They had no executive officers to carry into effect the determinations of their councils. The respect which was paid to the chiefs made them as binding upon the peopl^, as if there had been a power to enforce them. The Iroquois were a very warlike people and their position was favorable for conquest' They occupied a great body of the most iertile soil in North America. Their lands were the most elevated grounds in the Uni- ted States, in which were the sources of many large rivers, the Ohio, the Delaware, the Susquehanna, the Hudson and the St Lawrence, and many others flowing into the Mississippi, the gulf of Mexico and the At- lantic Ocean. They had great facilities for going on their warlike expeditions by follow- ing, in their bark canoes, the courses of the rivte as well as by traversing the gr.at lakes. Iheir hunting grounds were very exten- sive, including a large tract on the southeast side of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario and extendinp' frnm l ^h^ n^.*-.-- . ^ , ,- ron, and from Lake Erie to Lake Michi- 48 THE moauois. gan. Their military expeditions extended sometimes to tiie southern and eastern ex- tremities of the United States, and even as far north as Hudson's bay, and West beyond the Mississippi. Though they possessed great courage in war and exhibited at times a very considerable degree of military skill, they delighted in stratagem. They were accustomed to lie in ambush and wait the approach of their unsuspecting foe; or to fall upon him in the hour of sleep and cut him to pieces. "The Iroquios aimed to control the whole country, and they fell but little short of their ambitious designs. It is probable that they had conquered many nations before the dis- covery of America. Since that time they had exterminated the Eries, a nation living on the south of Lake Erie. They had con- quered the Hurons and the Ottawas and driven them off to the head waters of the Mississippi. Wherever the conquered.^ na- tions went, they proclaimed the terror of the Iroquois. It is related by Charlevoix that ten or twelve were pursued by a party of Iroquois, and that in trying to pass over to you, For THE lKO(li;oiS. ig Goat Island in their oanoos, they suflbred themselves to bo swept down by the current and carried over the cataract, rather than fall into the hands of their dreaded enemies. Ihey exercised great authority over other nations with whom they were at peace. At a treaty held at Lancaster in 1742 w,th the Iroquois, the Governor of Pennsylvania complained that the Dclawares refused to remove from some land they had sold. An Iroquois chief after commanding them to remove from it, said: 'After our just reproof; and absolute order to depart from the land, you are now to take notice of what we have further to say to you. This string of wampum serves to forbid you your children and grand children to the latest pos- terity, from ever meddling in land affairs: neither you, nor any who shall descend from you, are ever hereafter to sell any land. ' !< or this purpose you are to preserve this ^im in memory of what your uncles have this day given you in charge. We have some other business to transact with our brethren, and therefore depart the Council, «J -»1 50 THE IROQUOIS. •il |n« "Even the Shawanese, the nation ruled by Tecumseh and the Prophet, and with whom General Harrison fought his celebra- ted battle at Tippecanoe in 1811, as late as the year 1769, were not permitted to appear ornamented with paint at any general coun- cil where the confederates attended; these conditions having been exacted by the Six Nations as the terms of capitulation. "As they were in alliance with the En- glish, several attempts were made by the French to conquer them. In 1683 Delebarre the Governor General of Canada marched * with an army against them. He landed at Oswego, but finding himself unable to con- tend with them, he opened a negociatiun and demanded a conference. Delabiirre made a speech irj which he charged th ? Iroquois with robbing and abusing the French traders, and with conducting the English to the lakes, and thereby destroying the trade of the French. To this, Garangula, a chief 4pt^ Onondagas, answered, that the Six Nations had conducted the English to the lakes to trade with the natives, in the same manner as the Indians in alliance with the French 'iiftii 't THE inoQrois. 51 had brought them to the castles of the Iro- quois to carry on a trade which the Eiiffhsh claimed to be theirs. The chief justified the acts of his people. 'We are born free,' said he. 'We neither depend on Yonnondio nor Corlaer,' the French nor the English. 'We may go where we please, and carry with us whom we please. If your allies be your slaves, use them as such. Command them to receive no other but your people.' The Frenchman, vanquished in council by the Onondaga, retired and gave up the expedi- tion. ' "The next attempt t, oinjuer them was made by Denonville in 1687. He landed at Irondequoit bay with an army of tuo thou- sand men, and when near the village of the Senecas, he was attacked by five°hundred Indians, and thouj^h he defeated them he was compelled, in less than a year, to make ptjace, and to restore the captive chiefs who f |P°" sent to the gallies in France. Harry asked the Captain what he meant by the gallies. "They were," said the Captain, "a kind of low flat boats with one deck nu-in„.,teA "-^i^ ' i 11 THE IKOCiUOIS. sails and oars, which were common in those days. The oars were usually managed by slaves who were chained to them, to prevent their escape. The French punished the criminals of their own country, as well as their prisoners of w^ar, by confining them in the galiies." •* **The third and last expedition," said the Captain, '-against them was undertaken by Count Frontenac in 1697. He landed at Oswego with a large army and marched to the Onondaga Lake, but found their principal village burnt and abandoned. He destroyed the Oneida Castle and took a few prisoners, one of \yhom, an Onondago chief, was over a hundred years old. After enduring with firmness the most painful torture, and being several times stabbed, he said to his tormen- tor, 'Thou oughtest not to abridge my life, that thou mightest have time to learn to die like a man. For my own part, I die con- tented, because I know no meannesA^il which to reproach myself.' After this ti gical event the Count retired with his army. "At the beginning of the revolutionary war, the whole confederacy with t&e excep- THE IROQUOIS. 53 tion of a part of the Sen against the Americans. In ecas took up arnii dress made to them by Gene •inswer to an ad- ral Burgoyne, an old Iroquois chief said: 'We hav,e been tned and tempted by the B lave ioved our fathe Estonians, Jlut we be( and our 'ffitchets proof '';;'V"'^'^'-"'^'^ '" °- ««-tions. I„ P'oof of the s,ncen,y of our professions our whole villages able to go to war are come forth; the old and i„4 our fan and our w,ves alone remain at home.' Dunng the progress of the war, it be- came necessary to subdue them, and in 1779 General «ulhvan n.arched into their territory H burnt thcr towns, and destroyed thet fields d orchards; and they weJe driven rom the.r homes and compelled to take ref- hosUity to MS determined with the peace with Great Britain. ^ "If- the Iroquois were cruel towards their enemies, they sometimes suffered with equ^ jenty at their hands. Their courage wa !r;'!Jl-r-!'^-"^ertaki„gt ho^ ^^wUa it i7 %ht be; and their po# 5# er - 1 f 54 THE IROQUOIS. of endurance enabled them to bear the most horrible tortures that could be inflicted upon them. They could go to the stake and die by a slow consuming fire, or meet death face to face by a blow from the war club, without the motion of a muscle. *'But it was not alone their courage and skill in war by which the Iroquois were dis- tinguished. Many have been celebrated for their eloquence. Their speeches were filled with the most beautiful and striking imagery, and their arguments were enforced by the most appropriate comparisons and illustra- tions, The form of their government was such as to give to oratory a very command- ing influence. Their figures were drawn from the study of human nature and their observations upon the external world. But few specimens of eloquence, and those of an inferior order, are to be found among any of the Indian nations except the confederacy. The Historian, Charlevoix, in speaking of one of his countrymen who had been adopted by the Senecas, says, *he spoke with all the energetic spirit of a Frenchman, and with the most sublime eloquence of an Iroquois.' THE IROQUOIS. 55 the most ted upon I and die et death var club, rage and ;vere dis- rated for ere filled imagery, d by the illustra- lent was ommand- e drawn md their rid. But ose of an ig any of federacy. jaking of n adopted th all the and with 5quois.' * ^Fierce and warlike as were the Iroquois, they cherished a deep regard for personal liberty. Slavery was never tolerated among them. The prisoners they took in war, if not put to death, were either made free 'or adopted by them into their own nation. "But it seems to have been the destiny of these nations to waste away before the march of civilization. In 1677, a century before the revolu iry war, they were estimated at over seven thousand, and more than two thousand fighting men. During that war the whole number of their warriors was about eighteen hundred; and after its close, in 17S3, their fighting men were reduced to about twelve hundred, and the whole popu- lation did not exceed four thousand. ''Many causes may be assigned why the Six Nations have so rapidly diminished in numbers. In time of war the number of births does not equal the number of those that are cut down in battle. They cannot endure t! o approach of civilization. Intem- perance has been added to the list of their misfortunes. Their glory has passed away. VT ny:u luu tires of patriotism and the glow of # MrJ^l mr^ri^ %% "ifc 56 THK IROQUOIS. their eloquence iiad ^^one out among all the other nations of the Conibderacy, tlicy still lingered with the Senecas. But even there the stars have now set, and they are groping m tile darkness that dims the eye before the moment of dissolution. They have fiillen into a slumber that will end in the sleep of death. The eloquence of their Demosthenes no longer keep them awake." The Colonel had listened to the description the Captain gave of the Iroquois, but an af- fair of business now demanded his attention at a distance from the fort, and he was obli- ged to leave the Captain to describe to his young friend Harry, the remaining incidents connected with the history of the place. lii • .!»»•• € (•HAPTER IV. THE INDIAN MAIDEN. In the military expedition made into the Indian country by Count Frontenac in I697' among the captives he carried away fro.n the Oneida Castle, was a beautiful young In- dian gir . It was believed from the superi- ority of her dress and the abundance of her ornaments that she was the daughter of one of their chiefs. She had been taken to Os- wego, and from thence with the other can- tives to Fort Niagara, as being a place of greater security. It was sometimes impor- tant to the French to have as prisoners per- sons lor whom a heavy ransom would be paid. Sometimes it happened that the Indi- ans would have some of the French in cap- tiVitj. Then prisoners might be kept for the purpose of exchange. With some of h !. ; 58 THE INDIAN MAIDEN. She was just, at that period of life between girlhood and womanhood. She liad the dark piercing eye of her nation, but its look was softened and subdued by her captivity. During her march to Oswego and her pas- sage over the lakes to Niagara, she main- tained a sullen silence. This indeed was partly owing to necessity, for the French and Indians had hardly learned to communi- cate with each other. She might have talk- ed with the other captives belonging to her nation. But the Indians rarely converse with each other even in their own language, in the presence of strangers, though they would not be understood by them. This habitual reserve belongs in general to their character, and the captive girl was not an exception to the rule. "When the captives arrived at Fort Ni- agara," said the Captain, "it happened that there was a young Frenchman there who had been sent by the Governor from Fort Frontenac, on an errand connected with a proposed military expedition. He had acted in the capacity of interpreter between the French- and several of the Indian nations. THE INDIAN MAIDEN. ^ 59 In this way he had acquired some knowJcd^e of the language of the Iroquois. Possessincr the ardent temperament of the French he had almost the cunning and subtlety of the Mohawk. He could speak with equal force though not with equal correctness in the language of the French and the dialect of the Indians. ''The Frenchman saw and admired the beautiful Oneida girl. He addressed her in the language of her people. She was pleas- ed with hearing from a stranger and a white man too, the language of her fathers. The life of the Frenchman is frequently one of ex- citement and passion. Whether engaged in ' matters of love or war, he acts from impulse He loved the Oneida girl, and she seemed tJ take more notice of him than of any other of her captors. He staid several weeks at the Fort and every day he saw the beautiful captive, and her conversation with him made a part of the amusements of the place. "But the time had come when the French- man was compelled to return to Fort Fron- tenac. He wished to secure the affections 01 this VOUnff daiiD-hfpr r^f *U^ f . TT * ; i liW ;' 1 1 m m 60 THE INDIAN MAIDEN. dared not take her with him, and he feared to leave her at Niagara. There was in the Fort at that time a Mohawk who had been taken prisoner m a former expedition, and who would have been sent to the gallies in France, if he had not been saved from it by the kindness of the Frenchman. He had been accused of cowardice by his nation, and though set at liberty, he would not return to them. He was in fact a renegade; and the French, thinking that perhaps he might be useful to them, had permitted him to remain. He always acknowledged that he was in- debted to the Frenchman for his liberty; and <^e Frenchman thought him grateful, and he "^ believed that when confidence was reposed in an Indian, it was never abused. <'The Mohawk had a daughter, nearly the equal in years of the Oneida girl. He had taken her to an Indian settlement on the north side of Lake Ontario, where he pre- tended to make his own home; but he was now playing the vagabond about the Fort. When a great favor has been done to an In- dian, his benefactor feels that he has a right to command his services as a recompense. THE IXDIAN MAIDEN. gj her there, till he should ta J 1 ^T provision for her "''^ ,"'.^''«^ ^^me other readily assented She ;atbt:.''°'^"'^ with the greatest secrecy a„d Jo „" '""'^ toWthatthewiT^:-— hCSttee'^S was his favorite, 'it .as ev^n' hfu^' Z he was not „„wi,li„g ,, ^e carried fwaya tort till the first part of the plan was nut i*' execution, and the Mohawk had TaL^.K 1 n 01 escape, ^he parted with the French rnreiX"::tir'^^*^^^""'^' turned to Fort iZl^t '' ^"°" ^"^ - "They had set out from Niagara on , o"" -- .xio iun Deiore day-Jight 6 63fi tHE INDIAN MAIDEN. the next morning. In this they were not disappointed. The lake was so broad that it was not safe to venture directly across for. the fear of being overtak^i by storms. It was necessary to keep so near the shore, that it could be' gained in a short time if there should come a violent gale. In this way the distance was greatly increased, and was nearly equal to going round the south- ern end by land. Two or three days were necessary for the accomplishment of the journey. ^'On the second day of their voyage, the bark canoe was put to the test of enduring nhe violence of the winds and waves. They had' endeavored to shorten the distance as much as possible by crossing the widest part of Burlington Bay to the point on the oppo- site side. The storm was every moment dashing over the side of the canoe. Fortu- nately ihey had with them a dish made of birch bark, with which the Oneida girl bailed out the water while the Mohawk pulled at the oar. He had had many a contest before with wind and weather, and his strength ,„«„ «^iiq1 in. fhp tnsk of rowiuff to the shore THE INDIAN MAIDEN. 63 If the canoe could be kept clear of water and they reached the shore in safety. Another day's sail would carry them to her place of destination. They s'et ou" n the mornzng of a fair day with the certainty of fair weather. Gayly they moved over the water this day, and no storm was nean ihey had not reached the end of their jour- ney before other feelings than those of grati- tude and fidelity to the Frenchman^ad taken possession of the bosom of the Mo- fo7th n ' -f '"^T ^''* " '''""S '«^<=hment for the Oneida g,rl. He however kept it a secret from her. "They had reached the house of the Mo- lt wo', .'t ^"^'^'^ '"^"^ '^' Oneida girl that It would be necessary she should be kept in a place of secrecy and security. She rea- dily entered into any plan that seemed to iavor her meeting agai., with the French- man The Mohawk under pretence of avoiding any inquiries being made about the character of the Indian girl, had taken her rnaments from her. She readily gave them ''' j3 .i^^j Wuuiu ue restored to her proper time. at U THE INDIAN MAIDEN. 'li * "It was necessary in order to carry out his purpose that the Mohawk should prevent the Indian girl from meeting with his daugh- ter. Accordingly he took *her to the hut of an Indian as crafty as himself, who, he knew, would favor his designs. He then repaired to his own hut, and presented the ornaments he had taken from the Oneida girl to hi own daughter, telling her he had given her away to a young Frenchman who would, in a few days, come for her from Fort Frontenac. He told her that the whole matter was to be kept a secret. His daughter was delighted with the ornaments as well as with the pros- pect of becoming the wife of a white man. "The Frenchman in due time made his appearance, but the Mohawk had notice of his coming. The Oneida girl had been kept concealed, and his next object was to con- ceal his daughter also. But her pride had led her to expose herself decorated with her newly acquired ornaments. The French- man sought out the Mohawk and inquired for the Oneida girl. He told him that he had arrived there in safety with her, but that f VtQv -rxr^yonn nr\A tVlP rip.h- 4U- -»/-ion + TT r\ ness been Indif look was "C Fren day I hawk thou^ ter, tj the C up th He pi search secret report her, w to brig It was he had of the determ For thi Indians ''It w ' '^^ ally. •y out event augh- hut of knew, paired ments is own away a few itenac. 3 to be lighted 3 pros- Tian. ,de his >tice of ;n kept to con- de had ith her ^rench- iquired he had ut that IP rip.h" THE INDIAN MAIDEN, 55 ness of her dress and ornaments, she had Indian 1; *"t? "?^' '^'^ '^ ^ ^^-4 oot „V H I ^•■^"*='^'"'>" thought he saw I look of dishonesty in the Mohawk and he was not satisfied. ''On making mquiries of ofl^er Indians the Fre,jehman found that a ,oung ,irl had tha day been seen to leave vhc hut of the Mo- tr\"f/r'"^°™^"--'t'-'d dress, and hough the Indians thought it was his daugh- ter, the Frenchman did not doubt that it was the Oneida girl. He determined to follow up the inquiry, and if possible to find her He procured an Indian to assist him in the search, but unluckily for him, he was in the secret of the Mohawk. The Indian soon reported that he had found some traces of her when the hopes of the Frenchman began to brighten, and the search was continued. It was already dark when the Indian declared he had found her, and secretly informed her of the arrival of the Frenchman, who then determined to carry her away that night. J or this purpose he had brought two trusty Indians with him from Fort Frontenac. ^ —-,.... xx^v^vx Willi Hie Frenchman and '^^ ally, that he was to wait at a little dis- 60 THE INDIAN MAIDEN. tance from the village till he should be joined by the Indian and the Oneida girl, while the canoe with the Indian rowers was to be waiting at the water's edge. The Indian with the daughter of the Mohawk met the Frenchman at the place appointed, he not doubting it was the Oneida girl. There she was, thought he, in all her 'beaded glory.' For fear of pursuit they hasten- ed away to the boat. His faithful rowers were there, and soon they were moving upon the waters and beyond the reach of pursuit. ''The night was still, but the only light they had was the light of the stars. The rowers thought it prudent to keep pretty ■well out from the shore as the water was more smooth. They had intended to be guided in their course by the stars, and when morning came they found themselves out of sight of land, and the day being cloudy they could not lell what course to pursue. The Frenchman had thought himself happy in the possession of the Indian Maiden. She, like the Oneida gu'l, had learned a few French worus iroiii uic nciaeiD, u^^ iix-^-wv -- oined le the to be ndian it the e not There eaded asten- owers loving ich of ■f hght The pretty 3r was to be I when out of y they The ppy in She, Prench »f their THE INDIAN MAIDEN. conversation was carried on in the Ian I of the Iroquois. In the saw her fe •67 guage morning when he matures by day^light, he found she was more beatiful than he had supposed her not !i l!^^ T""' P"""** ^^"^y ^t the oars, not do,bt.„g but that they soon should see the hght of the sun, and that if they were a little too far from the shore, they wouid, by changmg their course a little, come out right at last. The Frenchman in the mean time was amusing himself with the conversation of the Indian girl. They had come in sight of a canoe which seemed to be coming to meet them, and soon the boats were in speak- ing distance. "The Frenchman now learned that they were going nearly in the direction of Fort Niagara, and that they were much nearer to that place than they were to the northern shore of the lake. The day was still dark, and there were some appearances of rougli weather. They therefore thought it best to continue their course to Niagara. "It was nearly night when they reached the • J^ort. Ihose who had known the French- - -- ^x,..^, aixd iiaa Deen puzzled by the «vS Tlir. INDIAN MAIHKN. mystorioiis (iisnpucnrmKM* of the OiuMiln girl \V(M(» snrpris(Ml to s(M» lum with ajiotluM* liuli- jiii lUMJtlcMi (l(MM)nit(Mi with the oni.'imciilM thov had known to Ix^lonji; to her. Th(^ FriMU'hnian had Ihmmi so clatt^d with his Hiic- ross that h(» had not discovtuiMl th«' chiMit. llt^ had. it is truo, thojii^ht Ucv nion* hcantiinl than \vh(Mi \\c first saw h(M- at I'ort lNia,^ara. 8hi* was in trnth uioro Infant il'nl than the Onoida i?irl. A word tVoni thc^ danirhter ol' thi* Mohawk abont Ucr lathi^r sont th(» whole iv[\\U into his mind hko a Hash ol" n,uht. lint his (Mnniinii: and unicknoss of wit did not lor- sako hin\ lioiv. \\c ivinainiul siK^nt, and those who rocoixnizod tho ornaments as bt;- lonixinu to tlie Oneida ii:irl, upon th(» danij^hter of the Mohawk, (Ud not suppose th(^ Freneh- nian knew how shi» eaine in })ossession of them. Ho was still the ereature of impulse. He even thou^fht that what was intended as a cheat, was very fortunate for hitn. He made no secret at the fort of his attachment to the Mohawk's daughter; and none there •knew that he had ever loved the Oneida girl. *'As day after day passed aw ay the Oneida orirl bpornn to make inquiries of the Mohawk h( Hf 'HI^ IMDMfV IVU|/>|.] S. n» 1 l)o(it fhn KrcMcl irnnri. i/iv(; licjinl Hr nolli pnjt.^indod i r> "•K '"''"^n Jii»n, |,iit Hf •"•';"'''' ''ofn Urn hulhm who had (;il( K5 Hoon nMHiHtifd in rend ilM(l I nK"Wayl,iH (laii^d,,,,, t,Hl,r l,o;,t, of tl "•»''>niarn(;rilMan(llj(!riovor \nu\h fliai, J X'^'M Nfolcn It '''".""^''' '''Jliou^l, hIm. wr;l| know ih IfTi ',i.'« of t|„; JVJoliawk t •<'f (;H(;a|)(! and roium to Ni oward.s lifjr t ffffd- o niakfj l'"n»'>-^'- hIk! Hon^dif. anoti •^^nni. Vor ihiH tho Ind inn w ".T int(!rvi(;w with iin and posniiT liJH dan^rfit '"^ ^'•''' •^'<'"^' tlirj Mr,hawk 'r nfK,n tlif; Kn-nr;/ pnUc'ndin-topndiTliinitolfif Mi>\ I man, lawk. wln.^l. ,„iKl,t, or ,„i;,|„ no, ),.,v,, h,:,m mu- «lw> porsni.,10,1 l.i,,, ,0 ai,| h.r in making her "«<:.'i|K' The Jn the s.des of the boats into the water." 88 CAPTURE OF FORT GEORGE. ^'Bring the boats to land," shouted Colonel Scott, as he stood upright in one of the fore- most. *'Some were already to the shore, and the men were springing out. Captain Hindman was the first to set foot upon the enemy's territory. Brave young officer! I shall tell you a story of him before I am through, that will send your warm blood in freezing currents back to the heart. Some of the boats had struck the ground in shallow water before reaching the bank, and the men were splashing into the river, and struggling to gain the shore. The fire of the enemy was then poured upon them, and many, with the ^burning bullet' in their breasts, sunk down and perished, partly from their wounds, and partly by drowning. Colonel Scott and a portion of his men had landed and were formed on the beach. By returning the fire of the enemy they pro- tected the rest of the troops in landing. Nearly all having landed they were led to the charge, and foe met foe with the courage of desperation. Fire answered back to fire, and our men, pressing on with their bayonets CAPTURE OF PORT GEORGE. 89 to the charge, the en.t,iy were dispersed in every d.rec.on. and fled before their pursu- ''Some escaped to the woods and were hotly pursued by Major ForsytJ.e till they g'owth of timber. Others fled to the .brt for refuge, but there they were vigorously assaded by the advance and the first brigade under General Boyd. A panic had s4e the garnson and while it was assa.dtcd bv 0">- men on this side with great elrect, th'e battenes on the American side and from Fort i\iagara opened upon it. The force of the enemy had been divided, those driven to the woods being unable to come to the relief of those m the fort. Assailed by fires on both sides they could holdout no longer, and after iaymg trams to their magazines, thev aband- oned the fort and fled with great precipita- 'on and m all directions. Colonel Scott fol- lowed closely in their rear t,ll he was re- oaijed. '^'The troops then took possession of ti,e Ml.. l.et us go up on to the embankment Wiere we can see the vvhol i} D-yn Oil !•» >-J ^f 8* 90 CAPTURE OF FORT GEORGE. where you see the opening in the baniis was the gate through which they entered. Near thetiorth side was the magazine whicii the enemy had intended should be exploded by the matches they had applied to it. Capt.'in Hindman and Captain Stockton were the first to enter. They saw the fire rapidly pursuing the train which had been laid lead- ing to the magazine of powder. They were laid in different places, and must instantly be extinguished or the whole would explode. Had these officers been alone and consulting only their n safety they would have re- treated. .But the American forces were rap- idly entering the fort, and the lives of hun- dreds would be lost by an explosion. These were the thoughts of an instant. One of the matches had all but reached the powder. Captain Hindman rushed forward and seized it, not knowing but the very motion of his hanci would produce the terrible discharge he so much feared. He was successful^ and the matches were all extinguished. ^•A shou+ was given as the American lor- ces entered the fort, and General Boyd and Colonel Scott mounted that parapet yonder, iks Was Near icii the ded by I^apt.'in J re the rapidly d leud- y were intly be xplode. isulting ave re- ire rap- of hun- These One of lowder. I seized 1 of his jcharge 'ul^ and jan lur- ►yd and y^onder, CAPTURE OP , )RT GEORGE. fi] for th. purpose of cutting away the stafl' that supported the BriLsh flag; bu^ Captain Hind- man had succeeded in hauling !own the flag Itself aiKl carried it to General Dearborn: Ihc uee shouts of the soldiery the the air. This was their revenge for insult offered to the American people tw , years before by celebrating the birth-day'of the -•itish king t Fort Niagara, then wrong- fully withhei romus. The American en- sign was then raised and the .tripes and stars were greeted by shouts and cheers from the lusty lungs of the conquerors. ^'At twelve o'clock the troops were quar- tered m the fort, and the whole line of Bri- tish fortifications, from Fort George to Fort ^ne, was in possession of the Americans. ihe enemy had moved ofl^ rapidly and noth- ing was to be seen of them. ''But the joy of this, like that of every other victor) , was tempered with sorrow ^ome of their brave comrades had fallen. I here lay upon the field near forty men whose spirits had been borne away by the breath of victory. A hundred or more were made helplftss hv wnnv.^" e^„- ,, I ^ rr^auao, ►^juniu were there IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1? ^0 '^^s5rj> 1.0 I.I 1.25 |50 1""^^ 2.5 2.2 lif 1^ mil 2.0 i.8 U IIIIII.6 <^ >m / 'cf^l # c^: z;^ -v w 7 Hiotographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 ^ 92 CAPTURE OF FORT GEORGE. who bore the honored scars they had receiV' ed in the battle of Quecnston. Though that was in its results a dishonored field, it was honorable to those who fought well their part. This had been a more glorious day." The courage of those who fought and bled on the heights of Queenston, and at Fort George will never be questioned. ^'Among the dead was Lieutenant Hobart. He had been one of the first to land in the morning, and had fallen in the first charge that was made ac^ainst the British force. His body was brought up here with those of his companions who had fallen, and they were buried with all the honors of war. "The famous forty ninth regiment, 'the Invincibles,' the same that was led on by General Brock at the battle of Queenston, was here and their commander Colonel My- ers, was wounded and taken prisoner. The forty ninth were the invincibles no longer. Twice had they been beaten by the Amer- icans; in the first engagement their leader killed, and in the other wounded and taken prisoner. ''All the officers and men ens^ai^ed in this brilli'iiit affair acquitted theni^selves nobly. CAPTURE OP PORT GEORGE. 93 There was one I have not yet mentioned, who rendered great service in the arrange- ment of the vessels and the debarication of the troops. He was reserved by Providence lor a greater day and a greater event than ttiis. That man was Oliver Hazard Perrv the future hero of Lake Erie. "Why was it," asked Harry, "that our Country did not keep possession of the for- tifications on this side of the river? The English always keep all the territory thev can conquer." ' "We had the fortifications," answered the Captam; "but we had not conquered Cana- da. Had the war continued, it is possible we might have extended our authority over a portion of that country, at least. But we had hardly recovered from the effects of our revolutionary struggle, when this war begun and our country was anxious for peace as soon as it could be secured on honorable conditio/ns. The force employed in the in- vasion of Canada was not adequate to the end to be accomplished. There was much Hard fighting without any useful result hav- met beari ohtm'no^ »> 94 CAPTURE OP PORT GEORGE. **Were our forces driven out of this fort/' asked Harry, ''or was it surrendered at the close of the warl" "It was voluntarily surrendered a few months after it wms taken," replied the Cap- tain. ''I will, before I get through, give you the whole history. The story is a sad one, not so much from the character of the act itself, as from the results that followed. But . before I begin this part of the story I want to tell you, about the enlisttnent and service of a man that I knew, and who was for a short time before enlisting in the army, one of my neighbors, for we called all men neighbors in those days who lived within eight or ten miles of us. The story of this man will illustrate the history of many others, and I select it on account of the un-. fortunate termination of his life." i CHAPTER VIJ. THE ENLISTMENT. ^'According to promise, Harry, I will now tell you the story of the enlistment of the young soldier. If I do not allow you to have your share in the conversation as we go along, I will give you the privilege of asking the more questions when I get through. ''I m_ust go back a httle in the order of time in order to give you the whole story, and that you may better understand it. The war which was now going on between this country and Great Britain, was authorized by Congress on the 18th day of June 1812, and was proclaimed by the President of the United States the day after. But Cono-ress' had before that time, on the 10th of April, passed an act, in expectation of war, author- izing and requiring the several states of the Union, to raise their proportion of an army of one hundred thousand men. 96 THE ENLISTMENT. "Accordingly notices were published in the western part of the state, as they were in many other parts of the country, before the declaration of war, addressed to the active and patriotic men of the country. An op- portunity was offered by which those who would embrace it, might display their bra- very, secure the gratitude of their country, and entitle themselves to a handsome reward for their services. "A bounty of sixteen dollars was offered to be paid to every able bodied man, be- tween the ages of eighteen and forty five years, who would enroll himself in the army of United States for the term of five years. In addition to this he would be entitled to re- ceive five dollars a month while in the service, and every necessary article of food and cloth- ing, together with an extra allowance for fatigue duty, and at the expiration of the time, or sooner, if honorably discharged, would receive three months' pay in advance and be put in possession at the public ex- pense of one hundred acres of land. "It was promised that in case of the death of any soldier, his heirs or representatives THE ENLISTMENT. 97 Should be entitled to receive the three month', to hm. Recruits were offered to bo receiv ed for eighteen n^onths and were pr ^ th same pay as the others except tiLrnd Such were the alluring pro Jses and flat- ering prospects presented to the soldtr f men should stand idly by, and seT t> fa r possessions and the noble heritage of 1^ erty stripped from them, their iivf \lt rn'gln justly reason, would not be worth no J messing. If they should fall in attZ nrto -cure them, their death would beZ^ no- than a life of bondage. And i ft^^y' should survive and their country be victo ahkc have been won by the valor of their prospect of making fame and fortune at thp same time, flocked to fh» . "«ne at the countrv oT standard of their ihT 7V }^'' '^^'■° ^'''"ated by what hey behved to be their duty, not onrv to heir country, but to their families wL eWm d protection at their hands. And others neT haps enlisted wifh f^„ u^i:.. T^'^^P^'" '"^ "Cuei as wefl as the 9S THE ENLISTMENT. hope that there would be no war; that th-eir bounty of money and land would be easily acquired, and that, in the mean time, they would be comfortably clothed and fed. "It is not known with which of these mo- tives young Rodman enlisted; and it can only be inferred from his condition in life. He had come into the country a year or two before, measuring the long and dreary path- way that led from his former home to the rude cottage he had built in the wilderness, by the days of travel it cost him by the slow pace of his team of oxen with which he travelled. All his worldy goods, as well as all his earthly hopes, his wife and his chil- dren, were borne upon his rustic sled. A covering of coarse cloth had been stretched over it upon the hoops which were bent over like an arch from side to side. Though they were in a measure protected from the storms tbey might encounter on their way, many a rude winter wmd reached them through their frail covering. "The place he had selected for his dwel- ling and future home, was not many miles from the frontier. The house he had erec- THE E\LISTMEIVT. 99 ted before bringing his family tl,ero, was small v^ndows, as was common in .hat early ^ay. The chinks were filled with clay to ieep out the winds and the snows. Rough and cheerless as n might seem to you, Har- ry, Rodman and his family were happy' when they reached it. The broad and blackened to vo .r",^ '" "'"P''' ^'""''^ ^°"W look to you hke the mouth of a dark cavern- but when U is lighted up by a warm fire.' and the imie family circle is formed around it happy hearts are there. The smoke slowl^ mes up the spacious chimney which is il uth so large that daylight and starlight a most look down and join their li-ht w!th 1 t' r '" '"""'"^'^ 'he"' ^^"mble home. The hearth, which was the signifi- cant name by which the rncient Romans designated those places which had been con- secrated and made holy as the homes of their wives and their children, was here in- vested with all the charms given to it by the eloquenee of Tally or the poetry of Virgil. The hearth, which was the household ^^Jtar, and was in f^nt ^^r.. j .„ i i- , . , 100 THE ENLISTMENT. up by the fire of burning wood, was the shrine, where in primitive ages, at night and morn w^as offered the sacrifice of contrite hearts, and whence arose the incense of pray- er and praise. And in a more correct and spiritual sense, the hearth impUed all the endearing relations of wife and children, of brothers and sisters, and in the same spiritual sense, the fire that illuminated it was the glowing light of love and affection that sur- rounded the whole like a halo of glory. *'But motives of economy, perpaps of parsi- mony, and sometimes even of luxury, have in a measure dishonored and brought into dis- use this expressive emblem of the happiness of home. The hearth is darkened, and with its expiring light, 1 am afraid has gone out some portion of the light of love that used to shine around it. The fires of our homes are now imprisoned in the blakened bosom of the iron stove, and I am afraid that the warmth of our hearts k wasting away, and that the light of our domestic sanctuary is becoming obscured. *'The whole family of Rodman consisted of a wife and two children of tender age. THE ENLISTMENT. JQl He had the year before made a small clear- mg about his house, and the first bright days of spring gladdened their eyes with the sight of the green blades of wheat. His axe had been active through the winter and another small portion of the forest had fallen, and he was again committing his seed to the ground with the hope and belief that as the seed time had come, the harvest would not fail. It was at this happy period of liis life, that they were alarmed by the prospect of war. "It was the first impulse of Rodman to enhst, but he was met, as he had expected by the remonstrances of his wife. "You know,'* said she, ^'that our living depends upon our industry, and if our little fields are not cultivated, we shall not be provided witl^ .read.'' "The bounty money I shall receive," said ^ "will enable us to buy what our little farm will not produce, and, besides, if I should not be called into active service, I may get a furlough long enough, with what., little assisstance you can render me, to gath- er in the harvest." ''But you know, John," said she, ''that we , 9* 102 THE ENLISTMENT. have two little children to provide for and to protect, and what should I do if left alone]" "You have neighbors," said he, ^'within half a mile on both sides of you to whom you could flee in case of alarm, and, besides, there is no danger except from the invasion of the country by. the British or Indians, and I can do more to protect you from them by joining the army and being on the frontier, than by staying at home." **That all may be true," said his wife, "but much depends in our having a home here, , on our being able to clear up our farm, and if you enlist no progress will be made." "I have thought of all that, Clara, and I have the same feelings that you have; but our land is not paid for, you know, and if we should be driven from it, our improvements would be of no avail. But by enlisting and serving through the war, or for five years if it should last so long, or till I should be dis- charged in case there is no war, which is ,. is quite possible, I shall be entitled to one hundred and sixty acres of land free of charge." Clara did not assent to the reasoning of her husband. Though the bright hearth of THE ENLISTMENT. JOg Uodman had not given place to the black stove, ,t was believed that in many things here was not the most perfect agreement between them. Rodman however affected to compromise the matter by enlisting for he period of eighteen months, instead of t've years. Clara submitted without a mur- mer to the decision of her husband. It is not m the heart of woman to resist where re- sistance IS useless. Her disagreement with her husband was in fact only the result of a difference of opinion in relation to their tem- poral affairs. Their children formed a bond of union and affection between them which was not to bo broken. _ "Rodman," continued the Captain, "had oeen to the recruiting station, and enrolled his nanie among the defenders of his country. He had received his bounty money, and had been permitted to return to his home, to take leave of h,s family and to make so.ne provi- sion for them dunng his absence. A portion of the money had been expended in the pur- chase of such articles as were necessary for Zl ?°'"^°f °^ •"■' ^"'-^ «"d children. He cly accomplished this object when 104 THE ENLISTMENT. news was received that war had been alrea- dy proclaimed. He hastily finished his pre- parations and was. ready to set out for Fort Niagara two days before the time limited for his absence had expired. *'It v/as but a day's march from his house to the fort. But his wife felt as if he was about to pass a gulf that would forever sep- arate him from her. But his children! — they could not, from their tender age, comprehend the cause of all this preparation. Yet it would have been easy to see that their fea- tures were saddened from sympathy with their mother. *'Clara knew that the hour had come for a separation, temporary at least, and perhaps for ever, from her husband. Her courage had been roused to meet the occasion. Af- ter he should have taken his leave the deep overflow of her feelings was to come. ''As he looked upon his children and gave them his parting kiss there came a bright drop from the fountain of feeling, but, think- ing of the high vocation to which he had been called he dashed away the tear and bade adieu to his family and his home." CHAPTER VIII. CATCHING A TARTAR. mM Harry was so well satisfied with the last story told by th. Captain, that ho was now sitting m silence, and waiting for him to con- tmnc his narration. "The last story I told you," said the Cap- tain "was one of victory. Since that time the fortune of war seems to have been rather agamst us. On the 6th of June the enemy were again attaclved by a strong force at htony creek, which is near the head of Lake Ontario; and. although the engagement was productive^ of no decisive results, and the loss of the enemy was grea'er than ours yet strangely enough General Chandler and trenoral Winder were taken prisoners "On the 23d of June, a party of troops consisting of five hundred infimtrv, twenty light dragoons under the command of Colo- nel Boerstler, and about forty mounted rifle- Mien under Major Chapin, were detached H IOC CATCHING A TARTAR. from the American encampment for the pur- pose of cutting off the supph'es of the enemy, and breaking up the small encampments that were forming through the country. John Rodman of whom I have told you was one of the party. They marched to Queenston that day and encamped for the night. The next day they continued their march to a place called the Beaver Dams, about nine miles southwest from Queenston, where they were attacked by a large body of Mohawks and British regulars who had been concealed in the woods. A sharp contest followed which lasted for three hours, when our force, nearly surrounded by the Indians, who were commanded by the young chief, John Brant, and being too far from Fort Niagara to hope for assistance from that place, and unable to retreat without fighting their way back for the whole distance, thought it most prudent to surrender. ^'By the terms of capitulation it was agreed, that the wounded should be taken good care of, the officers be permitted to retain their side arms, private property be respected, and that the militia should be pa- CATCHIx\G A TARTA R. 107 le pur- inemy, its that John as one ens ton The ^ to a t nine •e they hawks cealed llowed force, who John lagara r way t most : was taken .ed to ty be be pa- rolcd and permitted to return home immedi- ately. The articles of capitulation were no sooner agreed upon than they were broken, i he Indians plundered the officers of their arms, and stripped the soldiers of their cloth- ing. The regulars, who were taken prison- ers were soon after sent to Kingston. It had been agreed by the articles of capitula- tion that Major Chapin and his men should be liberated on parol, but this engagement was broken also; and they were marched oft" to the Head Quarters of General Vincent at the head of Lake Ontario, where they ' were kept under a strong guard. '•The Major before entering the service was a physician and surgeon; and he fre- quently made himself useful in that capacity in the army. While detained under guard at the head quarters of the British General he obtamed permission to visit his men at the barracks daily, and to prescribe for the sick and the wounded. Every time he made a visit, he gave some of them directions how to make their escape, all of whom succeeded. "How is it. Major," said the British Gen- eral, "that every time yr,,, ,,;»;» ,. some of theiii run away?" mi 108 CATCHING A TAIITAH. ''They don't like to stay with you," said the Major. /''They can find a better place among thcit own countrymen." Tiie General told the Major that he would be sent to Montreal, and perhaps to England. "That will be very pleasant," said the Ma- jor/"! can then travel over England and perhaps make a tour on the continent, before the war is ended." "Major Chapin and his men were kept there till the 12th of .July, and no attention was paid to the article of capitulation which provided for their being parolled. They were then ordered down the lake to Kina's- ton, for which place they were embarked in two boats, accompanied by a guard of men under the command of a Lieutenant. "The Major had with him twenty-eight of his own men, and they were under the care of a guard of sixteen. It had been agreed between them before starting, that they would seize the hrst opportunity to gain their liberty, or die in the attempt. In the boat with the Majnr and two of his officers were a Lieutenant and thirteen men; and in the other boat, which was ordered by Lieutenant I," said ' pliice would 1 inland. :iG Ma- id and before e kept tciitiori which They Kings- ked in )f men t'ATCHINtj A TARTAit. J Oil le care agreed t thev n their e boat s were in the itenant Showers to keen nhnnf r i , . ivitp af)out lour rods be lijid were t le resf of tl./» \t • - •^^miiu, iJitlish .Sergeant and one soldier ^vlien they were miUln twelve nnlos of the P--^nt C ty of Toronto. At that ti.ne t e --; ^^^ the hin the officer m command was absent at ihc time of the attack, having left the fort about eleven o'clock the night before, and that too, so far as was known, without being called away by any peculiar emergency. And it was even stated in the papers at the time that the gates were left open, and that the enemy entered without the least obstruc- tion." "Where were the sentinels?" asked Harry. "It was not exactly known," answered the Captain. "It was supposed however, that they had either neglected their duty, or that 120 THE SURPRISE. they were attacked and killed before thcv could give the alarm. The ail'air happened in the night and there was so much confusion there the next morning wlien day-light ap- peared, that nothing certain could be ascer- tained." "In what part of the fort were' vouf asked llarrv. "I was in the barracks/' answered the Captain. "Things are so changed here since that time that I cannot exactly tell the spot. It was near where that ffun is standing, von- der. I was one of the party that escaped to that old building where we kep^t up our lire till our cartridges were exhausted, when, the enemy by this time having possession of the magazine, v/c could get no more. We then tried to scale the walls; but so terrible were the thrusts of British bayonets and the blows of Indian tomahawks, that but twenty sue- ceedod of nhom I was one, and the rest were obliged to surrender. "There are times, Harry, when the heart of the soldier almost tails him. When he goes to his rest at night thinking himself se- cure; and is surprised and reduced to bond- G they ppened nl'usion ]flit ap- ) ascer- ed the e saice 10 spot. g, yon- aped to our fire icn, the I of the ^^e then ie were e blows ity suc- st were e heart hen he self se- bond- '^HE ST RPUi.sjj. 121 age in an hour, the shouts of ihn found a wfblly harsh t!;,.t^ 'r^"?"^^'^^'« ave endured to have h( ^''*^'&'. I could '^^ most of ^ut to find th were killed by a t[ terribie bi ■en taken *^^v brave sone com r irust of the bayonet the':'T,-:T:5^^^^^'-^^--i.ht This fort] of the British and J ■^'^•^ was iu tlu ados \vas was remnant of ou nd. ^i^^; but a that old buiJd woimdcd. ' ''-^^n was left penned ^^Jg, 'dnd some of th possession Jiiiserable ^^i^d withm th up hi em Were ground was covered with th G iort the whole dead. It ^all by the British was not enough that tl e bodies of th( ley sliould tomahawl wl able to defend tl must finish the len taken h ^'^youci and the Lid lan y surprise and un- and mutilatinrr the bod ^^^I^^sehes; but the Ind y by seal] ^^ork of barb, irit Jes of the slai ians .-r;;:^=--™::"=^^. tlieir friends had ihll \ o/licers to see who am reyal and s avage butcher ^^^^ by the hands Of these i'ound and their hea ^^ght. In an old b Th cy went all r^s were sick with th wher 'e wr» uild "ig which w 'IS near '^^- stand, v.as the body of Rod- 11 m 122 Tim SlJKPRIaiE. man. It is painliil at iiny time to see the dead body of a fellow soldier. But this was the most distressing sight they had seen. He had either been sittnig upon a bcneh at the baek side of the room, or had fallen back upon it in endeavoring to avoid the thrusts of the enemy, when he received his mortal wound. A bayonet had been thrust quite through his body and into the plank ceiling behind him. There he was, and one other with him in the same condition, hrndy spiked to the wall. After the fatal thrusts had been given, the guns had been withdrawn from the bayonets leaving their victims to die. with a^ refinement of cruelty hitherto un- known, except in savage warfare. I saw them the next day and before they were moved. I would not willingly look upon such a sight again. I can almost sec them now, their eyes glaring with the look ol death, and their features strained up to a most horrible ferocity, as if, from the energy of their feelings, they had strongly resisted death. ^'The death of Rodman was a most unhap- py one, both from the manner in which it [ TIIR SlRPniSK. 123 occurred, an.l fn,m other circnmsfnnco.s. rho ponod of his o„h-stmc„t had expired, and he intended to return to liis family the next day. He },ad been visited by one of ...s neighbors the day before and had inform- ed ln,n of his iiitention. The messacre l,ad ah-cady been borne to his fannlv, and when his coming was looked for, thJir ears were pained by the story of his death. "But cruelty had not yet done enough. Un tlio same morning a detachment of mili- tia under Major Bennett, stationed on Lew- ■ston heights, were attacked by the Indians. He retreated after being surrounded by sev- eral hundreds with the loss of six or eiM.t among whom were two sons of Captain Jolies the Indian Interpreter. Youngstown, Lew- iston, Manchester and the Tuscarora villac-c were burnt, and such of the inhabitants as were unable to make their escape were mur- dered by the Indians, who were led on by British officers painted. Even women and children were slain and their scalps taken and carried away as trophies of victory ''Major Mallory who had been stationed at Schlosser with forty volunteers, hastened •Ml ( 124 THE SURPRISE. to Lewiston, and compelled the advance guard of the enemy to fall back to the foot of the mountain. With his httle band he fought for two days with trifling loss, dispu- ting every inch of ground with the enemy till he reached Tonawanda. ''It would seem that the destruction of Newark was now fully avenged. Even Sir George Prevost, the Governor General of Canada, stated in his proclamation a few^ days after, that 'the opportunity of punish- ment had occurred, and that a full measure of retribution had taken place," and at the same time he confessed the wickedness of their acts by declaring his intention of 'pur- suing no further a system of warfare so re- volting to his own feelings.' " "What was done with the prisoners?" ask- ed Harry. "They were kept for two days in the fort with little or no food, and with but a scanty supply of w^ood and water. After that they were taken across the river, and confined in an old building that had been the magazine at Fort George. Here their sufferings were very great. Fo.r a whole week were tliey THE %IRPRISE. 125 kept crowded into dirty and damp rooms in- fested with vermin. They were then taken to Queenston and confined there, and kept on the most loathsome food. And to the dishonor of the British name it must be said, that American prisoners within sight of the Niagara river and on its very banks, were obliged to suffer the pains of thirst, or buy with money a drink of water. A f^^w of the prisoners were soon after discharged, and the rest were marched off to Burhngton heights." * Harry asked if such treatment of prison- ers, and more especially tiie cruel murder of those at the fort was justified by the British government. "1 dont know" said the Captain, "that any apology was ever made for it; and Lieuten- ant General Drummond, the same day issued orders m which he stated the number of the killed and wounded, and that they had all been killed by the bayonet, and openly com- mending his officers and men for the faith- falness with which they had executed his orders." jj# 111! 11— I CHAPTER X. THE FLIGHT. The surprise of Fort Niagara was follow- ed by the desolation of the whole j\iaf]:ara frontier. The few soldiers who escaped from the fort spread the alarm, and the in- habitants fled with the greatest precipitation. But the British and the Indians were close on the heels of the livintr soldiers. The in- habitants made no resistance. The war- hoop of four hundred savages, led on by the painted British otiicers, was given with ter- rible effect. Thev hastily seized such li^ht articles as they were able to carry from their houses, and left the rest to' the pillage of the savages and the British soldiery; "or to be by them consigned to the flames. Many could look back upon the blaze and the smoke of their burninix dwellinn-s. But few were able to take any thing with them but the clothes they wore. The roads in every direction that led from the frontier were filled with men women and children. Th, *!» THE PLIGHT. 127 for scene of distress was too deep ,or descnption In some cases husbands and Wives and brothers and sisters were spara- ted, and mothers had lost their children, l.es were broken that were never more to be reunited in this world. Men are now iivmg who wore infants then, and were borne in the arms of their fainting mothers that day. And some owe their lives to ex- eftions which caused the death of their na- tural guardian and protector. The affection of the iiiother ^voarics not in the care of her child, though her strength may fail. Her physical powers have limits set to them, but the love of her offspring is not only never destroyed but never diminished. The reign of terror was not limited to the scene of ruin. All that portion of country ying east of. the Niagara river and within the distance of thirty or forty miles, which then contained a population of near twelve thousand persons was for a short time al- most adandoned, and the people were in' the greatest distress. Those who returned to their homes found there but a heap of smok- ing ruins. Committees were raised in all ,#1 ■>j'',i 128 THE FLIGHT. ' parts of the country for the purpose of pro- curing contributions to reieive the sufferers. The City of Albany contributed one thou- sand dollars, and an appropriation of forty thousand dollars was made by the state. Collections were also taken up in the different churches in the City of New York and in Albany. It will be remembered that tiiis event oc- curred in the beginning of a severe winter. The sufferings of the people were much more severe on that account. But the char- ities which had been dispensed did much to to alleviate them. The wounded feet, which had left their blood-traces on the frozen ground, could be healed. But the broken hearts of the mothers who had lost their children from exposure were never to be made whole. These were hard times, Har- ry. Men who had come to the country a few years before, and after suffenng severe trials and privations, were beginning to ac- cumulate some of the comforts of life, were driven from their homes, and their dwelhngs, which were the hard-earned fruits of their ioil, were in a moment reduced to a heap of ru settle and they whicJ Gr( they by th( ties w going tarnec ed as ling tc Nei appeal the ro on hor were < childre down with bs ing ha childre] were di was ev with th pursuer tr,' THE FLIGHT. 129 Of rums. In emigrating from a more thickly settled country, they had encountered great and almost incredible hardships, but now hey were leaving the places of their homes which were homes to them no more Great as was the actual danger from which hey had escaped, it was greatly magnified .y their fears. They met several small par- ties who, Ignorant of what had passed, were going towards the frontier, but they all turned back, and thus .their numbers increas- ed as they went like the waters of the swel- ling torrent. Neither pen nor pencil can describe the appearance of the motley throngs that filled the roads m every direction. A few were on horseback, but by far the greater number were on foot. Some were carrying their children on their backs, some were loaded down with bundles of clothing, and some with bags of provisions. Others were draw- ing hand-sleds loaded ^th goods or with children and infirm persons. Others again were driving their cattle before them. There was every description of persons all filled With the one idpa nf ^c^^^: r... ., . pursuers. * ISO THE FLIGHT. At night every house by the way was fil- led to overflowing, and men, women and children were stretched upon the floor till room for another could not be found, and then tl .y divided with horses and cattle the possession of every barn and hovel to be found. One might almost believe that the very horses laughed at the strange variety and uncouth appearance of their companions. CHAPTER XL THE BURIAL. The next day when the sound of the war- hoop had a JittJe subsided, those who es^ caped began to think of the bodies of their friends who had fallen. A few of the braver ones crept cautiously out from the places of their retreat, and bent their way slowly and warily back to the settlements near the river. Many bodies were found of men women and children, all of which were scalped, and most of them otherwise mutilated. Some were even so much disfigured that they could not be recognized by their friends. Here and there was found one whose name and resi- dence was known. The distress of the liv- ing was so great that it almost seemed as if those who had fallen by the tomahawk had been the most fortunate. '* What became of the bodies of those who were murdered at the fort?" asked Harry. "A few persons," answered the Captain, ''•who had known most of them w^nt back 132 THE BURIAL. there, carrying with them a white tkig, and reached the fort unmolested. They were permitted to enter, and they found that the bodies of the dead, by the request of those who had been taken prisoners and were then detained there, were left for recognition by their friends. All of them, about eighty in number, had been killed by the bayonet and the hatchet. It was a terrible sight to be- hold. There is a peculiar ferocity in the countenance of a man who has died by a stab from the bayonet. Those who are shot present an appearance of languor, the mus- cles of the body appearing to be entirely relaxed. The muscles of those killed by the bayonet are rigid, and their features* are braced up to a look of determination and re- sistance. This appearance, in many of them, was heightend by the loss of their scalps, * And then too the wounds with which they fell, like the dumb mouths of the murdered Caesar, told of the terrible ferocity of their royal murderers. *'Some were borne away by their friends in the stillness of their grief, and quietly bu- ried not far from the fort. Others whose THE BURIAL. i 133 friends Jived near the frontier were carried by them to their homes, and there buried in some spot which they could ever watch and hoJd sacred. The rest were left to be dis- posed of by their British butchers." "Can we find any of their graves?" asked Harry. "I like to look upon the spot where a soldier is buried." "The face of things is changed since then » replied the Captain; "and the place of their burial cannot be found. No stones or marks were put at their graves. It would have been useless, and perhaps worse than useless, i hey might have been torn away by the British soldiers, lest the burial place of those martyrs to liberty should be known, ^md should serve to call to mind, in after ages, the awful story of British vengeance." "That, I think will not soon be forgotten " answered Harry. ' "No, it will not. There was something in that burial scene, so solemn and almost terrific, that I shall never forget it. A fu- ■ neral is always a sad ceremony. I had seen thm m the old towns in New England, when a- .«e relatives, and neighbors, and friends 13 134 THE BURIAL. of him who had died, would stand around with closed lips, and the hushed voices of the few whose words found utterance, would only speak of the virtues of the dead. All was conducted with a slow formality and a decent respect. The coffin was laid upon the rustic bier and borne away to the little church, where such religious ceremonies were performed as were deemed to be for the benefit of the living. And then, the last look at the face of the dead! this was a painful trial to all, to say nothing of the distress of relatives and friends. Slowly and one by one, they looked their last adieu to their de- parted friend, and then all the little girls, with faces radiant with the light and the love which is from heaven, but softened and sub- dued by the sorrow of earth, would come up and take their last look also, and as they walked away, I could see their cheeks were wet with the tears which are always the birth of young and innocent grief." "0 I. have seen such tbings too," said Harry; and, as he said it, a tear stole from his eve. "Yes," said the Captain, <'such were solemn scenes. But when 1 lirst saw a burial in this ■ ■^i. t,i THE BUnUL. 135 country, when neighbors were few and far distant, and no church was here, and there was no minister to offer to the mourners the consolations of religion, and the dead were buned in a lonely looking place-lonely it seemed because there were none of the white marble stones which I had been accustomed to see— O, It was afar more solemn event "And then too when I have heard the solemn music of the muffled drum marching to the soldier's grave, and the guns that were fired over it in testimony of his valor, I thought that nothing could increase the sub- limity of the scene. But the burial at Ni- agara was more solemn than any 1 had ever witnessed. The relatives of the dead were not there, and even the names of some that we buned were unknown. Here was nei- ther the parson to pray for the souls of the dead, nor the pall to cover their bodies; and the coffin and the shroud were wanting also. The soldier who dies in the hour of victory may be wrapped in the flag of the coi.quered loe. But these in their war-worn garments alone were laid in the ground. The notes of --^xi.ui muciu were not heard, 136 THE BURIAL. *But our hearts though stout and brave, Still like muffled drums were beating Funeral marches to the grave.' If friends could have been round us to weep and join their sorrows with ours, it would have been a relief to our feelings. Then I thought of the sweet faces of the little girls I used to see bending over the dead. I could not have wished that they had been here, their httle hearts would have been so pained with the sight. But I have often thought that the spirits of those who are looked upon by them before they are com- mitted to the ground, must feel a gush of happiness, and be, by the sympathies of those so young and innocent, brought nearer to heaven; and I pray that when I die the eyes of such may follow me to the grave. **A11 the time this sorrowful work was going on we were closely watched by the British, and the indifference which they man- ifested seemed to be a mockery of our feel- ings. Our last duty to our companions was performed, rudely it is true, but in the best manner we were able, and we turned our backs upon the fort, glad to escape from a scene so painful to our feelings.'^ "I of SO] fled ] tell y than ^ man.'' **I Harr}^ them 1 ^•I 1 tain, '' the wi turn, s death. holvda receive sweet to look departe beings c them th( CHAPTER XII. , THE WIDOWED MOTHER. "I must tell you in the next place, Harrv o some ,nciden,s that occurred to those who fl d fro™ ,he frontier. Perhaps I cannot ell you one that will be more interesting than what happened to the fa„>ily of Rod Ha'rrv'''°?h'"' T"'' '° ""''' ''^'''" ^^'^ Harry I have become much interested in them from knowing the story of his death." tain '*'"'" «'»''' »he Cap- tam, that almost at the very moment when he Wife of Rodman was looking fer his re- turn she was startled with the news of his deat. She had clothed her children in the" holyday dresses, and they .were waiting to receive their father's kiss. Thev were two sweet imie girls, such as I hop; will coma to look upon me when I am dead; and if the departed are permitted to hnhnU c .l^ beings of earth, I believe that I sjj see ia them the aagcJs of heaven." if] 138 THE WIDOWED MOTHER. Harry said he should Uke to have seen these httle girls, and then he paused a mo- ment and looked thoughtful, and it was easy to discover that he had in his mind the im- ages of his young friends Alice and Lucy Gray. **But I must go on with the story," said the Captain. '*The wife of Rodman, Clara, as he always called her, had no sooner heard of the death of her husband, than she was warned to flee from the approaching enemy. Taking her children, the youngest one in her arms and leading the other by the hand, she hurried away. The wind was blowing rough and cold, and there was some snow upon the ground. It was a sorry sight to see the mother pressing on with her children, her arm almost breaking under the load of one, and the other, straining her little hand which was held tightly in the grasp of the mother's, was scarcely able to make her steps long enough to keep up with her rapid pace. At first they rather flew than walked, and they scarcely dared to look behind for fear of losing a single step in their escape from the sav ago iuca* THE WIDOWED MOTHER. 139 ''All day they fled before the enemy, but long before night the child she led had be-^ come chilled with the cold, and her shoes, which were rapidly worn away by the rough- ness of the frozen ground, had fallen from her feet. The child was exhausted and could go no further; and the mother was scarcely in a better condition. She had al- most fallen down with the effort of carrying one child and leading the other. To carry them both was impossible. .There were sev- eral others in company with her, and all but one whose strength was at all equal to the task were already burdened with a child, and that one was loaded with a large bundle of clothing which would be absolutely neces- sary for the comfort of the party. What was to be done? Tt was getting late in the day and they were a long distance from any settlement. They might have struck a fire and the whole party encamped for the night, if it had not been for fear of the enemv! But this would not do. It was not safe to waste time by deliberation, and it was at once determined that the bundle should be left behind, and that the man who had car- jm 140 THE WIDOWED MOTHER. ried it should carry the child. It was con- cealed under the trunk of a fallen tree, in the hope that they might be able to find it again when the enemy should have given up the pursuit. This being arranged they again pushed forward. They had not proceeded far when the strength of the mother again failed, and she was obliged to give up the march, and sit down by the way-side. The young man who had taken one of her chil- dren would have stopped with her. but she refused it telling him that if they were dis- covered all might be killed; but that if he kept on he might save himself and one of her children. *'Self preservation was of necessity the law that prevailed, and with this in view the party moved on leaving the mother and child almost with the certainty as they thought of being murdered by the Indians or of perish- ing with cold and hunger. She sat herself down at the foot of a tree upon the folds of a single blanket she had with her, and was in some degree protected by its trunk from the chill wind that was blowing. There, dev THE WIDOWED MOTHER. HJ it were the last tie that bound her to life, for the first time since hearing of the death of her husband she wept. She had before been so filled with a sense of her own danger, that she had not fully realized her Joss. Now that she was alone with her child, she recalled to her mind the image of Its father. You can have some idea, Harry of the appearance of a country that has been devastated by the torch of an enemy but you can form no conception of the desolation of spint which then hung over that woman. If her child could that moment have died in her arms she would herself have prayed for death For the sake of her children only did she live." ^ ^'What became of her after that?" asked Harry. "I will tell you. She had found relief to her feelings in tears. The agony of her soul had given way to a softened sorrow, and in this frame of mind she fell asleep. How ong she slept is not known. She dreamed that she was pursued by savages and was hkely to be taken; and while she thought she was annmnoIiQi^ :»-,, -, x_ii i • /» . . -„^.- ,.x„^« ^^ ^ i^^^ cniei witn up- 142 THE WIDOWED MOTHER. lifted hatchet, she uttered a scream which caused her to awake, when she saw standing beside her with his hand upon her shoulder the same large and muscular savage she had seen in her dream; and two others were standing near by. *'From the appearance of the savages it was rather doubtful what their intentions were towards her. With an effort at a smile she drew the blanket from the face of her child, and gave it to the chief. A few words passed between him and the other In- dians which she did not understand. She was afraid they were jealous of him for the ' gift he had received. She thought of the bundle of clothing that had been concealed, and knowing that it contained some blankets she thought to appease the others by gifts. With a signal made to the chief she arose and conducted him to the place where the bundle was concealed. It was eagerly open- ed and the blankets distributed among the three Indians, when they started and made a sign to her to follow. Though she had not tasted food since morning her strength was somewhat recovered by rest and sleep. THE WIDOWED MOTHER. I43 She knew that if she faltered there would be danger e.ther to herself or to her child. The thought of this gave her courage and Th.?H- '" u" '^^P "P ^'"•''"gh the day The Indmns then halted and made a fire for then.ght. It was now dark and the blazing pile gave a distinctness to every tree and mound. The child had fallen asleep and no vio ence or rudeness had been offered to Z tion of the chief to detain her as a prisoner and make her his wife. P"soner ,vi!'^''^^ '!"'' "°* ^""^ '° "■««' for the night ted by the hght came up having an American and her ohTr "^ ''"'"' «' '"^^ -<""«« and her child but said nothing, and she was a so silent; and when they had all fain asleep Clara rose quietly and passing round boy lay, she gently touched his arm, at the theI'lLrf*"^'''^^^^'''"''«'>P-'d aw hv J ""' '''P' ''""'^^y ^"d he soon saw by her motions that she wished to take ieave of ho** ^.^ «-- ' - «e. .vuipaniuns; aim gathering up 144 THE WIDOWED MOTHER. the clothing the bundle had contained, except the blankets which were wrapped about the bodies of the Indians, they moved carefully away with a sidelong step for a considerable distance, when they turned their backs upon the Indian camp, and moved hastily forward. *'Soon after it began to snow, and though this gave them some inconvenience, they rejoiced at it, as it would eflectually prevent the Indians from following their track. Clara had gathered strength from the brief period of rest she had enjoyed and resolution from the hope of escaping with her child, and so she was enabled to keep on through the night. ^'In the morning their eyes were gladdened by the sight of smoke from the chimney of a log hut. They however approached it warily fearing that its rightful occupants had fled and that it was then in the possession of savages. While they were watching it, still in doubt, they saw a white man come to the door, and they no longer hesitated to ap- proach. They found that their first suppo- sition was conect that the occupants of the house had fled, but the present inmates were. iC THE WIDOWED MOTHEK. I45 |ike themselves, a party who had fled from nat7?o?rT*'""^ 1*. ''^^ P'*"^ ^^« f*>""- Zll .p'f'* «"'• her child, for she was both enabled to warm herself and to procure food Without this she would h^rbee: o te? ""^r '" T''' '''' ^ ^^'-' ^ longer. She was also relieved from the "When she had enjoyed the ffra.pf,,! warmth of the fire and ha'd bee a St had escaped from the enemy, she gave way to her feehngs. She now began to feel she was a w.dow, and that her ehildren were fatherless. When a wo„,an is i„ real danTer her courage is of a higher order than thaf of -est men. N^^jy ^ad she sustained he Llf wheth. i. ,,, ,,, com;;nT:h:fora at the log hut supposed themselves not yet out of danger, or for the purpose of JZ Where they would h^ .ki. J.. _.. _ ^ "^ 18 146 THE WIDOWED MOTHER. ions, that they determined to go futher into the interior, is not known. Clara and the boy who had escaped with her from the In- dians, also resolved to go ©n. But when she raised her child in her arms she found herself unable to sustain it and keep up with the party. The boy felt that he owed his es- cape from the Indians to her, and he kindly offered to carry her child, and so they set out. "They had not gone far before it became apparent that her strength would fail. Here was a new difficulty. She could not go on, but she could return to the untenanted hut and wait there for some new fortune, if any of the party would stay with with her. All were anxious to go on, and no one offered his protection but the boy, and so they turn- ed back and again slowly made their way to the hut. The fire they had left was still smouldering on the hearth, and the addition of such sticks as the boy was able to gather soon created an agreeable warmth. Here they might be protected from the cold of a winter-day; but they might suffer for want of food. "It Avas afrain necf^ssa^'V to trust in Prov- idence. The house had the appearance of THE WIDOWED MOTHER. 147 having been recently deserted. The bov v>'as prying around with curious eye when tn itT""'^ :^'' ""^ "'°"«'^' »" "Pining n he floor. Raising a board to satisfy him se f, he found a small cavity in the ground below which had been used for a cellar, but he saw nothing there but darkness. He drew a burning brand from the fire and thrustmg It down, the cellar was partially illummated, and to his great joy he discov- ered a small heap of potatoes. Drawing forth a handful, although they were partially trozen. they were soon roasting in the fire "Another difficulty being removed, they resolved to stay there until the next dav^ i he day had passed away and they had se- cured the door as well as they were able for he „,ght. They heard every whisper of the wind as it frolicked around this lonely tenement. But soon they were startled by a sound of fear. There was a violent rap- ping at the door, and they heard the mutter- ing voices of Indians. It was apparent that It they were not admitted the door would be broken, and Clara with much presence of mind openeu it and by a sign bade them enter. 7 148 THE WIDOWED MOTHER. They were the three Indians by whom she had been taken captive, but they, supposing her to be the occupant of the house, did not know her. She made the best of their mis- take and bade the boy bring forth from the cellar some potatoes which she by signs asked them to roast in the fire. *'Her courage and strength had again risen with the presence of danger. It was soon . apparent that the Indian.? intended to stay there that night, and Clara wrapped her child in a blanket and laid it down to sleep with an appearance of unconcern. *'It was very late before the Indians had all fallen asleep, and when she was assured of it, Clara again made a sign to the boy to follow her; and taking her child and a single roasted potatoe which the Indians had left, for her food by the way, she stole cautiously out of the house and took the path that led in an easterly direction. The night was chilly but not dark, and they were to follow the track on which they had set out the day before. **A11 night they continued their march, but Clara w ,1 r V w> £^r9 ^% V\li n.i-\y-l ♦/ ao DCFVcxai uiixcD vwiigcu, tv ►3i.v|-' r\ cit/w* o nd THE WIDOWED MOTHER. 149 sit down upon the cold ground, and some- times even in the snow to rest her weary limbs. It was a long and laborious night. It seemed to them as if day-light would never come, and when it did come they felt thankful that they had escaped the dangers of the night with lire. Clara had become so fatigued that it seemed impossible for her to proceed further, and she had again sat down to rest. As the boy was standing by her, he thought he heard the sound of an axe at a distance. He listened again and again till he was fully assured, when at the request of Clara he hasted away in the direction of the sound. At the distance of half a mile he found the chopper and learning from him that his house was not far distant, he told him of his perilous adventures with that young mother and her child, and the Woodman, moved with compassion lor her, went at once to her relief. She was carried to his house, and learning from him that there was little prospect of molestation at that distance from the frontier, she consented to remain there till she could be assured she could return to her owG home in safety." 18* •IV' CHAPTER XIII. PEACE AGAIN. *'I have now given you the history of this fortress," said the Captain, "as far as I am able. I know of nothing else of much impor- tance connected with it. There are many personal anecdotes and adventures, that are but little known, and probably many inter- esting ones have been lost. Nothing is now required to complete this history, but to tell you of the joy that was felt throughout the country, at the return of peace. The war had been kept up for nearly three years on this frontier, and there had been much fight- ing here, with small results of good to either side. Many were distinguished by their heroic valor, and had gained great praise, and some had lost their honor but more had lost their friends. Death is the greatest warrior, the mightiest conqueror. All other victories are as nothing compared with his. The world does not know the extent of his ^t^mmm mm, PEACE AGAIN. 151 conquests. All other triumphs are overrated as much as his are undervalued. The few whose names are written in books and car- ved on stone, are as nothing to those not found there. And even figures and tlie pow- ers of enumeration, can scarcely tell the millions that have lived and died." ''The fort was in possession of the English," said Harry, ^/after the surprise. "When was it delivered to the Americans?" ''It was surrendered to us soon after the peace," said the Captain,—"! think in the month of March, 1815." ^ -'And it has been in our possession ever since, I suppose," said Harry. "Yes, for we have been at peace. A gar- rison has been kept up here most of the time. Fort George was suffered to go to decay, and the English built Fort Mississaga directly opposite. That is in a better position to command the river." "There must be some jealousy," said Har- ry, "between the two nations, that they should think it necessary to keep up these fortifications to watch each other in time of peace." I 1. 1^ 1 15% PEACE AGAIN'. "It is so," said the Captain; *'but nations act on the principle that the best way to preserve peace is to be prepared for war. There is a great degree of good feeling pre- vailing on both sides of the river. Our ves- sels freely enter it and go up to Lewiston, while the British vessels' in like manner go to Queenston on the opposite side. I have often thought, when looking on these two forts that guard the entrance to the beautiful Niagara, pointing their guns with a show of defiance out upon the lake, of the two lions that Christian saw guarding the narrow en- trance to the Palace Beautiful. But the war spirits are now chained, as were the lions at the Palace-gate." "O I rernember the story in ^Pilgrims Pro- gress,' "said Harry. "Christian was going from the city of destruction to Mount Zion, and, being belated by having slept by the way, he was obliged to stop at the Palace for the night." "That is a beautiful story," said the Cap- tain. "We are all pilgrims in this world. You, Harry, have hardly begun your pil- ffrimaflre yete" •stusm PEACE AGAIN. 153 ic I have been on one pilgrimage," said Har- ry, ^'with you to the batile-field of Queeng- ton; and on another to this place." **This will soon be finished " said the Cap- tain, ^^and you will be ready to enter upon another; and so you will And it through life. When one enterprise is accomplished, or has failed when undertaken, another is sought for and followed with equal avidity. Man is never at rest, and is never satisfied with himself." These thoughts were something too seri- ous for the mind of Harry, yet he fell into a train of silent reflection; but his medita- tions were soon interrupted by the voice of the Captain. ^'It is now past twelve o'clock," said he, "and we must set out for home." They again and for the last time entered the old stone house. The Colonel had not yet returned, and the Captain and Harry, after presenting their thanks to his family for the kindness with which they had been entertained, took leave of them and of the old fortress. TK. U. not wisn to ioiiow the same route home by which they had come. They 154 PEACE AGAIN. passed out at the eastern gate of the fort and steered across the plain. As they went they turned back occasionally to take a look at the fort, and to consider the position an army might be in when making an attack. They soon struck into the woods in the rear of the plain, and the trees not being so thick as to form any great obstruction to their travelling, they entered them, and soon came out to a road, and they thought they would follow it a short distance, lead where it would. It gradually bore round to the Mt^ till they came in sight of a farm house to which they made their way. When they reached it they saw from its slightly eleva- ted position the beautiful waters of Lake Ontario. While they were taking a survey of the prospect, the farmer appeared at the door and they recognized in him the wagoner with whom they had met in the morning. On learning from the Captain that they had spent the whole day at the fort, studying its position and the various places around it, he looked at them with a vacant stare, as if he wondered of what use that could be. The s£ Hi PEACE AGAIN. 155r location of his farm and buildings was one of unusual beauty, though he did not seem to value it so much for that as for the acres it contained. Our travellers had come a little out of their way, but they did not grudge the time and travel, as it enabled them to take a new and interesting view of the lake. Making their bow to the wagoner, they retraced their steps, by the same road they had come, till it seemed to deviate too much from' the course they wished to pursue. They then left it and followed on, sometimes through fields and sometimes by roads, thinking of nothing but how they should soonest reach home. It was late in the evening before they ar- rived, and they found the family of the Cap- tain seated around their evening fire. They had not expected his return that night, and were taken completely by surprise. There was the old fashioned hearth, the fire blazing bright and warm upon its naturally rough, but now smoothly worn stones. They had not set up, like the ancient Romans, images of wood and stopfi. Knf tho frr^ci^d ^f u hold gods, happiness, was there. use- 11 ( 156 PEACE AGAIN. ir. m If the readers of this little book could have looked in at that time upon the family of Captain Gray, they would have seen a pic- ture of as much enjoyment as it vv^ould be easy to find in this world. The old Captain had passed through the war which had again secured the peace of the country, and he was at peace with all the world. With his wife, the companion of his youth, the domes- tic virtues had found a home. All who came to his house, like his young friend Harry, found a hearty welcome. The Captain had decided that their next journey should be to Fort Erie, but before that was to be undertaken, he must, for a few days, attend to some matters of business about his neighborhood, and in the meantime Harry West could amuse himself with re- peating 4he stories of Niagara to Alice and Lucy Gray. The evening fire was now smouldering away, and their drowsy lids in- viting them to sleep, they all retired to rest. "" ' 1 ■ ■■• 1 1 » i 4 1