Four Weeks in a Block House No. 50

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Ironton Register, Thursday, June 25, 1896
OLD TIMES
FOUR WEEKS IN A BLOCK HOUSE
(by John G. Wilson)
No. 50

Submitted by Sharon M. Kouns

For the Register.
We will now follow the fortunes of the two scouts who were let out to seek for succor.
The night was dark and the storm was on in all its fury and it was some minutes before they could get their bearings, but they proceeded cautiously keeping their hands on their weapons ready for anything that might develop. They groped their way step by step in the fashion of the savage, one behind the other, putting the foot down in the track made by his contemporary so as to make but one imprint. After going about 100 yards Graham, who was in the lead, touched his friend and they both stopped and listened with all the acuteness of the border scout. Peering into the darkness, just ahead of them they heard a savage accost one of the pickets with the command to keep strict watch. He passed on and now the trial came. Whispering to his friend to stay where he was, Graham prostrated himself and commenced to crawl towards the unsuspecting sentinel. When within a few feet of him, with a bound like the panther he was upon him, sinking his tomahawk into his brain, killing him instantly. Without a groan or cry the man was dead. Graham listened for a minute and then uttered a low whistle which brought his friend to his side. They held a whispering talk for a few moments, knowing that they had some time before the change of sentinels. "We had better keep on in this direction," said Graham, "and cut our way through the sentinels as we come to them. It may be that we may not come across any more." "I doubt that," said Rawlings, "they are more apt to have more on the other side of their encampment; but let us on. The storm will soon be over and our chances for escape will be less."
They proceeded as silently as possible, first dragging the dead body into a thicket so when it was discovered that he was not at his post it would take some time to find him. They had gone about 50 yards when they met a prowling dog, which either belonged to the Indians or the settlers, they could not tell, for the Indians rarely took their dogs with them on a foray. The dog commenced to growl, then to bark. Graham tried to get it close enough to kill it with his tomahawk, but it eluded him and soon raised the whole camp by its barking and running after them. With many curses on the dog the two scouts took to their heels and ran in the direction of the woods. They had to go through a part of the camp and saw the inmates as they came out of their wigwams wondering what caused the racket. With all speed they made their way for about one fourth of a mile, when they encountered a party of hunters, who belated by the storm were just getting into camp.
They were laden with game and the surprise was mutual. Graham and Rawlings fired instantly each killing their man, and bounding into the forest disappeared, followed by 50 Indians. After running about one half a mile they divided, Graham taking the right and Rawlings the left, where he came to a small creek into which he plunged, knowing that water leaves no trail. He waded down stream so that the mud stirred up by his feet would go with him. He went down stream about one half mile, when he discovered a cave into which he crawled and concealed himself behind a rock and awaited developments. There we will leave him, to follow the fortunes of Graham.
The main body of the Indians followed him, for they had recognized him by the flash of the guns and the exclamation of the Bounding Elk and their eagerness to make their redoubted foe their captive saved his life. They forbore firing on him and trusted to their number and fleetness, but after running for a mile or so they found that he was well named, for their swiftest runners could not keep him in sight, and he used every artifice known to hide his trail, such as wading in the small streams, cutting grape vines at the root and catching hold swinging himself some 40 feet and then letting go, which caused his pursuers a great deal of trouble. After following him until noon next day and losing the trail they gave it up. Graham proceeded to the Fort at Boonesborough, where he enlisted the services of a company of soldiers and was soon on his way back to the aid of his friends.
We will now go back to the block house and see how they are getting along. After the killing of the Indian who had endeavored to get his comrades into the block house by strategy, there had been but little change. The watch was kept up and the food was more carefully doled out, less being given to each one. On the 5th day after the scouts had been let out, they discovered quite a commotion amongst the Indians, and soon firing was heard, and the Indians could be seen concentrating their forces on the side away from the block house. "The scouts have brought help" was the cry which ran from lip to lip, and their hopes arose. The firing grew more rapid and soon the regular volley made by drilled men was heard and the Indians commenced to slowly retreat. Then the soldiers could be seen under Wayne driving the red men with the bayonet, and soon the cheers of the victorious whites were heard as the Indians were forced into a regular stampede. The door of the block house was thrown open and those who were able went forth and did what they could, but their enfeebled frames were not strong enough for active pursuit. They recovered some of their horses and cattle, also quite a lot of their household goods, which the Indians had in their tents. The two scouts, for as soon as the firing began Rawlings came out of his cave, joined in the pursuit. Wayne and his forces stayed for a day or two and then went back to his camp. G.