In 1782, Wheeling was besieged by a large number of British and Indians.
So sudden and unexpected was the attack, that no time was afforded for
preparation. The fort, at the period of the assault was commanded by
Colonel Silas Zane. The senior officer, Colonel Ebenezer Zane, was in a
blockhouse some fifty or a hundred yards outside of the wall. The enemy
made several desperate assaults to break into the fort, but at every
onset they were driven back. The ammunition for the defence of the fort
was deposited in the blockhouse, and there had not been time to remove
it before the Indians approached.
On the afternoon of the second day of the siege, the powder of the fort
was nearly exhausted, and no alternative remained, but for some one to
pass through the enemy's fire to the blockhouse, in order to obtain a
supply. When Silas Zane made the proposition to the men, asking if any
one would undertake the hazardous enterprise, all at first were silent.
After looking at one another for some time, a young man stepped
forward, and said he would undertake the errand. Immediately, half a
dozen offered their services in the dangerous enterprise.
While they were disputing as to who should go, Elizabeth, sister of the
Zanes, came forward and declared, that she would go for the powder. Her
brother thought she would flinch from the enterprise, but he was
mistaken. She had the intrepidity to dare, and the fortitude to
accomplish the undertaking. Her brother then tried to dissuade her from
her heroic purpose, by saying that a man would be more fleet, and
consequently would run less risk of losing his life.
She replied, that they had not a man to spare from the defence of the
fort, and that if she should fall, she would scarcely be missed. Then
divesting herself of such articles of clothing as would impede the
celerity of her flight, she prepared to start.
The gate was opened, and Elizabeth bounded out at the top of her speed,
and ran until she arrived at the door of the blockhouse. Her brother,
Colonel Zane, hastened to open the door to his intrepid sister. The
Indians did not fire a gun, but exclaimed, as if in astonishment,
"_Squaw! squaw! squaw_!"
When she had told her errand, her brother took a tablecloth, fastened it
around her waist, and poured into it a keg of powder. She then sallied
back to the fort, in high spirits. The moment she was outside of the
blockhouse, the whole of the enemy's line fired at her, but the shower
of balls fell without doing her any injury. She reached the fort in
safety, and the garrison was, in consequence, enabled successfully to
repel their savage foe. Such an instance of female daring is worthy of
all commemoration.