Indian Attacks on Wheeling. 5 
Indian army was approaching, the fort having been for some time 
unoccupied by a garrison, and Col. Zane’s house having been used 
for a magazine, those who retired into the fortress had to take with 
them a supply of ammunition for its defense. The supply of pow- 
der, deemed ample at the time, was now almost exhausted, by rea- 
son of the long continuance of the siege, and the repeated endeav- 
ors of the savages to take the fort by storm: a few rounds only re- 
mained. In this emergency, it became necessary to renew their 
stock from an abundant store which was deposited in Col. Zane’s 
house. Accordingly, it was proposed that one of the fleetest men 
should endeavor to reach the house, obtain a supply of powder, and 
return with it to the fort. It was an enterprize full of danger; but 
many of the heroic spirits shut up in the fort were willing to encoun- 
ter the hazard. Amongst those who volunteered to go on this en- 
terprize, was Elizabeth, the sister of Col. E. Zane. She was 
young, active and athletic, with courage to dare the danger, and 
fortitude to sustain her through it. Disdaining to weigh the hazard 
of her own life against that of others, when told that a man would 
encounter less danger by reason of his greater fleetness, she replied, 
“and should he fall, his loss will be more severely felt; you have 
not one man to spare; a woman will not be missed in the defense 
of the fort. Her services were then accepted. Divesting herself 
of some of her garments, as tending to impede her progress, she 
stood prepared for the hazardous adventure ; and when the gate was 
thrown open, bounded forth with the buoyancy of hope, and in the 
confidence of success. Wrapt in amazement, the Indians beheld 
her springing forward, and only exclaiming “a squaw,” ‘a squaw,” 
no attempt was made to interrupt her progress: arrived at the 
door, she proclaimed her errand. Col. Silas Zane fastened a table 
cloth around her waist, and emptying into ita keg of powder, again 
she ventured forth. The Indians were no longer passive. Ball af- 
ter ball whizzed by, several of which passed through her clothes: 
she reached the gate, and entered the fort in safety ;” and thus was 
the garrison again saved by female intrepidity. ‘This heroine had 
but recently returned from Philadelphia, where she had received her 
education, and was wholly unused to such scenes as were daily pass- 
ing on the frontiers. ‘The distance she had to run was about forty 
yards. She afterwards married a Mr. Clark, and is yet living in 
Ohio.” : 
