How They Brought Aid to Bryan's Station

During the siege of Bryan's Station, Kentucky, August 16, 1782, Nicholas Tomlinson and Thomas Bell, two inhabitants of the Fort, undertook to ride through the besieging Indian and Tory lines to Lexington, Ky., for aid. It happened also during this siege that the pioneer women of the Fort, when the water supply was exhausted, heroically carried water from a spring, at a considerable distance outside the palisades of the Station, to its inmates, under the very guns of the enemy.     With saddles girt and reins held fast,     Our rifles well in front, at last      Tom Bell and I were mounted.     The gate swung wide. We said, "Good-bye."     No time for talk had Bell and I.     One said, "God speed!" another, "Fly!"     Then out we galloped. Live or die,      We felt each moment counted.     The trace, the buffaloes had worn,     Stretched broad before us; and the corn      And cane through which it wended,     We knew for acres from the gate     Hid Indian guile and Tory hate.     We rode with hearts that seemed to wait     For instant death; and on our fate      The Station's fate depended.     No rifle cracked. No creature stirred,     As on towards Lexington we spurred      Unflinchingly together.     We reached the woods: no savage shout     Of all the wild Wyandotte rout     And Shawanese had yet rung out:     But now and then an Indian scout      Showed here a face and feather.     We rode expecting death each stride     From thicket depth or tree-trunk side,      Where some red foe might huddle -     For well we knew that renegade,     The blood-stained Girty, had not stayed     His fiends from us, who rode for aid, -     The dastard he who had betrayed      The pioneers of Ruddle.     And when an arrow grazed my hair     I did not turn, I did not spare      To spur as men spur warward:     A war-whoop rang this side a rock:     Then painted faces swarmed, to block     Our way, with brandished tomahawk     And rifle: then a shout, a shock -      And we again rode forward.     They followed; but 'twas no great while     Before from them by some long mile      Of forest we were sundered.     We galloped on. I'd lost my gun;     And Bell, whose girth had come undone,     Rode saddleless. The summer sun     Was up when into Lexington      Side unto side we thundered.     Too late. For Todd had left that day     With many men. Decoyed away      To Hoy's by some false story.     And we must after. Bryan's needs     Said, "On!" although our gallant steeds     Were blown - Enough! we must do deeds!     Must follow where our duty leads,      Be it to death or glory.     The way was wild and often barred     By trees and rocks; and it was hard      To keep our hearts from sinking;     But thoughts of those we'd left behind     Gave strength to muscle and to mind     To help us onward through the blind     Deep woods. And often we would find      Ourselves of loved ones thinking.     The hot stockade. No water left.     The fierce attack. All hope bereft      The powder-grimed defender.     The war-cry and the groan of pain.     All day the slanting arrow-rain     Of fire from the corn and cane.     The stern defence, but all in vain.      And then at last - surrender.     But not for Bryan's! - no! too well     Must they remember what befell      At Ruddle's and take warning.     So thought we as, all dust and sweat,     We rode with faces forward set,     And came to Station Boone while yet     An hour from noon ... We had not let      Our horses rest since morning.     Here Ellis met us with his men.     They did not stop nor tarry then.      That little band of lions;     But setting out at once with aid,     Right well you know how unafraid     They charged the Indian ambuscade,     And through a storm of bullets made      Their entrance into Bryan's.     And that is all I have to tell.     No more the Huron's hideous yell      Sounds to assault and slaughter. -     Perhaps to us some praise is due;     But we are men, accustomed to     Such dangers, which we often woo.     Much more is due our women who      Brought to the Station - water.