until the end of the siege. Sergeant Jacob Ogle, though
mortally wounded, managed to escape, with two soldiers into the woods.

The Indian army now advanced to the assault, with terrific yells. A few
shots from the garrison, however, compelled them to halt. Girty then
changed the order of attack. Parties of Indians were placed in such of the
village-houses as commanded a view of the block-houses. A strong party
occupied the yard of Ebenezer Zane, about fifty yards from the fort, using
a paling fence as a cover, while the main force was posted under cover on
the edge of a cornfield to act as occasion might require.

Girty then appeared at the window of a cabin, with a white flag in his
hand, and demanded the surrender of the fort in the name of his Britanic
majesty. At this time, the garrison numbered only twelve men and two boys.
Yet the gallant Colonel Shepherd promptly replied to the summons, that the
fort should never be surrendered to the renegade. Girty renewed his
proposition, but before he could finish his harangue, a thoughtless youth
fired at the speaker and brought the conference to an abrupt termination.
Girty disappeared, and in about fifteen minutes, the Indians opened a
heavy fire upon the fort, and continued it without much intermission for
the space of six hours. The fire of the little garrison, however, was much
more destructive than that of the assailants. About one o'clock, the
Indians ceased firing and fell back against the base of the hill.

[Illustration: THE ALARM AT FORT HENRY.]

The colonel resolved to take advantage of the intermission to send for a
keg of powder, which was known to be in the house of Ebenezer Zane, about
sixty yards from the fort. Several young men promptly volunteered for this
dangerous service; but Shepherd could only spare one, and the young men
could not determine who that should be. At this critical moment, a young
lady, sister of Ebenezer Zane, came forward, and asked that she might be
permitted to execute the service; and so earnestly did she argue for the
proposition, that permission was reluctantly granted. The gate was opened,
and the heroic girl passed out. The opening of the gate arrested the
attention of several Indians who were straggling through the village, but
they permitted Miss Zane to pass without molestation. When she reappeared
with the powder in her arms, the Indians, suspecting the character of her
burden, fired a volley at her, but she reached the for