RICE'S FORT ATTACKED.
After raising the siege at Wheeling, a division of the
enemy visited the settlements on Short and Buffalo creeks,
but the people had all taken the precaution to shut themselves
up in block-houses. Determined, however, to effect a massacre
somewhere, out of revenge for their failure at Fort
Wheeling, the party made a descent upon Rice's Fort.[32]
Information
had luckily reached the inmates of the Indians'
design, and they were prepared for them. The Indians
surrounded the fort and demanded a surrender, saying,
"
Give up, give up; too many Injun—Injun too big; no
kill." But the sturdy frontiermen thought differently, and
answered with shouts of defiance: "Come on, cowards, we
are ready for you; show us your yellow skins, and we'll make
holes in them for you!" This was what may be considered
brag, however, as the fort was but illy defended, many of
their men having gone to Hagerstown, Md., to exchange
their peltries for ammunition, salt, &c. The savages finding
they could make no impression upon the inmates, withdrew
until nine or ten o'clock at night, when they fired a large and
well filled barn which stood within thirty yards of the fort.
The position of the building and the course of the wind saved
the fort from destruction, and its inmates from massacre.
After the barn was set on fire, the Indians collected on
the side of the fort opposite, so as to have the advantage of
the light, and kept up a pretty constant fire, which was as
steadily answered by those in the fort, until about two o'clock,
when the Indians left the place and made a hasty retreat.
The names of those who defended this little fortress were
Jacob Miller, George Lefler, Peter Fullenweider, Daniel Rice,
George Felebaum and Jacob Lefler, Jr. George Felebaum
was shot in the forehead, through a port-hole, at the second
fire of the Indians, and instantly expired, so that in reality
the defence of the place was made by only five men.
The ascertained loss of the Indians was four, three of
whom were killed at the first fire from the fort, the other
was killed about sundown. There can be no doubt but that
a number more were killed and wounded in the engagement,
but concealed or carried off.
