Noble Deeds of American Women: With Biographical Sketches of Some of the More Prominent — John Shaqi
Noble Deeds of American Women: With Biographical Sketches of Some of the More Prominent
History
Noble Deeds of American Women: With Biographical Sketches of Some of the More Prominent
Women -- United States -- Biography
O rainbow of the battle-storm!
Methinks thou'rt gleaming on my sight;
I see thy fair and fragile form
Amid the thick cloud of the fight.
SARA J. CLARKE.
One grain of incense with devotion offered,
Is beyond all perfumes or Sabaean spices.
MASSINGER.
The following incident, we are informed by Mrs. Ellet, was communicated
to a minister--Rev. J. H. Saye--by two officers in the Revolutionary
war. One of them was in the skirmish referred to; the other lived near
the scene of action; hence, it may be relied on as authentic. The name
of the heroine is unknown, which is greatly to be regretted:
"Early in the war, the inhabitants on the frontier of Burke county,
North Carolina, being apprehensive of an attack by the Indians, it was
determined to seek protection in a fort in a more densely populated
neighborhood in an interior settlement. A party of soldiers was sent to
protect them on their retreat. The families assembled, the line of
march was taken towards their place of destination, and they proceeded
some miles unmolested--the soldiers marching in a hollow square, with
the refugee families in the centre. The Indians who had watched these
movements, had laid a plan for their destruction. The road to be
traveled lay through a dense forest in the fork of a river, where the
Indians concealed themselves, and waited till the travelers were in the
desired spot. Suddenly the war-whoop sounded in front, and on either
side; a large body of painted warriors rushed in, filling the gap by
which the whites had entered, and an appalling crash of fire-arms
followed. The soldiers, however, were prepared; such as chanced to be
near the trees darted behind them, and began to ply the deadly rifle;
the others prostrated themselves upon the earth, among the tall grass,
and crawled to trees. The families screened themselves as best they
could. The onset was long and fiercely urged; ever and anon amid the din
and smoke, the warriors would rush, tomahawk in hand, towards the
centre; but they were repulsed by the cool intrepidity of the back-woods
riflemen. Still they fought on, determined on the destruction of the
victims who offered such desperate resistance. All at once an appalling
sound greeted the ears of the women and children in the centre; it was a
cry from their defenders--a cry for powder! 'Our powder is giving out,'
they exclaimed. 'Have you any? Bring us some, or we can fight no
longer!' A woman of the party had a good supply. She spread her apron on
the ground, poured her powder into it, and going round, from soldier to
soldier, as they stood behind the trees, bade each who needed powder put
down his hat, and poured a quantity upon it. Thus she went round the
line of defence, till her whole stock, and all she could obtain from
others, was distributed. At last the savages gave way, and, pressed by
their foes, were driven off the ground. The victorious whites returned
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