ring on the Ohio, from Fort Pitt to
Wheeling, became justly alarmed for its fate; and the most serious
apprehensions for the safety of its inhabitants, were excited in the
bosoms of all. Intelligence was conveyed to General Hand at Fort
Pitt,[2] by some friendly Indians from the Moravian towns, that a
large army of the north western confederacy, had come as far as those
villages, and might soon be expected to strike an awful blow on some
part of the Ohio settlements. The Indian force was represented as
being so great, as to preclude all idea of purchasing safety, by open
conflict; and the inhabitants along the river, generally retired into
forts, as soon as they received information of their danger, and made
every preparation to repel an assault on them. They did not
however, remain long in suspense, as to the point against which the
enemy would direct its operations.

Wheeling Fort, although it had been erected by the proper authorities
of the government, and was supplied with arms and ammunition from the
public arsenal, was not at this time garrisoned, as were the other
state forts on the Ohio, by a regular soldiery; but was left to be
defended solely by the heroism and bravery of those, who might seek
shelter within its walls.[3] The settlement around it was flourishing,
and had grown with a rapidity truly astonishing, when its situation,
and the circumstances of the border country generally, are taken into
consideration. A little village, of twenty-five or thirty houses, had
sprung up, where but a few years before, the foot of civilized man had
never trod; and where the beasts of the forest had lately ranged
undisturbedly, were to be seen lowing herds and bleating flocks, at
once, the means of sustenance, and the promise of future wealth to
their owners.--In the enjoyment of this, comparatively, prosperous
condition of things, the inhabitants little dreamed, how quickly those
smiling prospects were to be blighted, their future hopes blasted, and
they deprived of almost every necessary of life. They [161] were not
insensible to the danger which in time of war was ever impending over
them; but relying on the vigilance of their scouts, to ascertain and
apprize them of its approach, and on the proximity of a fort into
which they could retire upon a minute's warning, they did not shut
themselves up within its walls, until advised of the immediate
necessity of doing so, from the actual presence of the enemy.

On the nig