LIFE IN THE PIONEER FORTS OF WEST VIRGINIA

 

LIFE IN THE PIONEER FORTS OF WEST VIRGINIA .

Generally , the frontier settlements on the West Virginia Border, enjoyed immunity from Indian invasions and alarms from the first appearance of winter until the return of spring.

In this interval of time the warriors were greatly deterred from penetrating therein , as well because of their exposure to discovery and observation , in consequence of the nakedness of the woods , and the in creased facility of pursuing their trail in the snows which then usually covered the West Virginia hills ; as of the suffering produced by their lying in wait and traveling in their partially unclothed condition in this season of winter cold .  

Instances of their being troublesome in winter were rare indeed , and never occurred but under very peculiar circumstances.  

The inhabitants were, therefore, not culpably remiss when they relaxed vigilance and returned from the fort to their homes after a summer's confinement . But, scarcely were there evidences of returning spring ere savage warriors from the northwest side of the Ohio made their presence known by the massacre of the hapless families in the cabin homes of the West Virginia wilds. 

Then the dread alarm spread through the wilderness; homes were abandoned and the families throughout all the region thus visited , fled for safety to the nearest fort , there to remain imprisoned - shut in for the summer - within its palisades and walls . The agricultural labor was performed in the vicinity by companies, each member of which like the Jews when rebuilding the Holy City , worked with one hand , while the other grasped a weapon of defense . Who,today, can conceive of the monotony of such an existence ! These places of refuge were prisons , indeed . From their walls , men , women and children looked out across the valleys and over the hills , longing to be in their cabin homes again . The sun arose in the morning and as its glittering beams glanced down upon the earth through the heavy forest that then clothed the hills and vales of West Virginia , its dawning influence came in contact with a solitary fort standing in the midst of a desolate wilderness . 

Evening came and the in mates looked with eyes expressive of sadness as the sun sank low in the west . The curtain of darkness was drawn over the scene and gloom settled around and enveloped the fort . Women and children shuddered with awe as they thought of the monotony of the night . All watched the sheet lightning as it illumined the black accumulation of clouds which veiled the western sky , and trembled at the approaching storm .  

In the blackness of darkness the raven and the owl , birds of evil omen , muttered their doleful cry as they flapped their wings over the fort . From the deep valleys and ravines on every hand came the howl of the wolf , the scream of the panther , and the shriek of the wildcat. 

Then they listened in mighty dread to hear the harsh toned voice of the terrible Red man on the neighboring hill - top with echoing answers from every side . These were the agencies and elements which surrounded the pioneer settlers and so often brought despair to them in the frontier forts of West Virginia .