Author: Madison Julius Cawein

---

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.

---

Type of Poem: Narrative Poem

Date Written:

Date Published:

Language: English

Keywords: Public Domain

Source: Public Domain Collection

Publisher:

Rights/Permissions: Public Domain

Comments/Notes: This narrative poem vividly retells the events of the siege of Bryan's Station, Kentucky, in 1782. The poem's speaker, presumably Nicholas Tomlinson or Thomas Bell, recounts the dangerous journey he and his companion embarked on through enemy lines to seek aid in Lexington. The poem's themes include bravery, sacrifice, and the harsh realities of frontier life during wartime.

The poem's tone is one of tense anticipation, and this is reflected in the structure, which follows a consistent rhythm and rhyme scheme that lends the poem a sense of urgency. The poet employs vivid imagery and a robust vocabulary to paint a picture of the dangerous journey, from the wide buffalo-worn trails to the lurking Indian scouts and the enemy's painted faces. These details, along with the repeated references to the imminent threat of death, create a palpable sense of danger and suspense.

The poem also includes a commendation of the women of the Fort, a noteworthy deviation from the primary narrative. This serves as a reminder of the vital roles women played during these historical events, often overlooked in typical accounts of frontier warfare. The imagery used here, of women carrying water under enemy guns, symbolizes their courage and resilience, matching the bravery shown by the men on their perilous ride.

In sum, the poem employs narrative, imagery, and rhythmic structure to create a tense and compelling account of a historical event, with a notable emphasis on the bravery and resilience of both men and women in the face of danger.