Sarah Philabaum ²

  General Notes:

Notes on the settlement and Indian wars of the western parts of Virginia and Pennsylvania, from 1763 to 1783, inclusive together with a view of the state of society, and manners of the first settlers of the western country. Doddridge, Joseph, 1769-1826. Albany, N.Y: J. Munsell, 1876 . . Pp 275-280
Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh, Digital Research Library. 1999
http://digital.library.[...].edu

ATTACK ON RICE'S FORT

This fort consisted of some cabins and a small black house, and was, in dangerous times, the residence and place of refuge for twelve families of its immediate neighborhood. It was situated on Buffalo Creek, about twelve or fifteen miles from its junction with the river OHIO.
Previously to the attack on this fort, which took place in the month of September, 1782, several of the few men belonging to the fort had gone to Hagerstown to exchange their peltry and furs for sale, iron and ammunition, as was the usual custom of those times. They had gone on this journey somewhat earlier that season than usual, because there had been a still time. That is no recent alarms of the Indians
A few days before the attack on this fort about 300 Indians had made their last attack on Wheeling fort. On the third night of the investment of Wheeling the Indian chief held a council, in which it was determined that the siege of Wheeling should be raised, two hundred of the warriors return home, and the remaining hundred of picked men make a dash into the country and strike a heavy blow somewhere before their return. It was their determination to take a fort somewhere and massacre all its people, in revenge for their defeat at Wheeling.
News of the plan adopted by the Indians was given by two white men who had been made prisoners when lads, raised among the Indians, and taken to war with them. These men deserted from them soon after their council at the close of the siege of Wheeling. (One of these deserters as Christian Fast, who had been captured in Col. Langheims' expedition in 1781. Fast was from what is now Fayette County, PA. He died in Orange township, Ashland county, Ohio, in 1849 aged 85 years, leaving nine sons and four daughters) The notice was indeed but short, but it reached Rice's fort about half and hour before the commencement of the attack. The intelligence was brought by Mr. Jacob Miller who received it at Dr Moore's in the neighborhood of Washington. Making all speed home he fortunately arrived in time to assist in the defense of the place. On receiving this news the people of the fort felt assured that the blow was intended for them and in this conjecture they were not mistaken. But little time was allowed for for preparation. The Indians had surrounded the place before they were discovered; but they were still at some distance. When discovered the alarm was given, on which every man ran to his cabin for his gun and took refuge in the block house. The Indians answering the alarm with a war whoop from their whole line, commenced firing and running towards the fort from every direction. It was evidently their intention to take the place by assault; but the fire of the Indians was answered by that of six brave and skilled sharpshooters. This unexpected reception prevented the intended assault and made the Indians take refuge behind logs, stumps and trees. The firing continued with little intermission for about four hours. In the intervals of the firing the Indians frequently called out to the people of the fort:
"Give up, give up, too many Indians. Indian too big. No kill."
They were answered with defiance "Come on you cowards; we are ready for you. Show us your yellow hides and we will make holes in them for you."
During the evening many of the Indians, at some distance from the fort, amused themselves by shooting the horses, cattle, hogs and sheep, until the bottom was strewed with their dead bodies.
About ten o'clock at night the Indians set fire to a barn about thirty yards from the fort. The barn was large and full of grain and hay. The flame was frightful and at first it seemed to endanger the burning of the fort, but the barn stood on lower ground than the fort. The night was calm, with the exception of a slight breeze up the creek. This carried the flame and burning splinters in a different direction so that the burning of the barn, which at first as regarded as a dangerous if not fatal occurrence, proved in the issue the means of throwing a strong light to a great distance in every direction, so that the Indians durst not approach the fort to set fire to the cabins, which they might have done, at little risk, under the cover of darkness. After the barn was set on fire the Indians collected on the side of the fort opposite the barn, so as to have the advantage of the light and kept a pretty constant fire, which was steadily answered by that of the fort, until about two o'clock, when the Indians left the place and made a hasty retreat.
Thus was this little place defended by a Spartan band of six men against one hundred chosen warriors, exasperated to madness by their failure at Wheeling fort. Their names shall be inscribed in the list of heroes of our early times. They were JACOB MILLER, GEORGE LEFLER, PETER FULLENWEIDER, DANIEL RICE, GEORGE FELEBAUM, AND JACOB LEFLER JR. George Felebaum was shot in the forehead, through a port hole, at the second fire of the Indians and instantly expired, so that in reality the defense of the place was made by only five men.
The loss of the Indians was four, three of whom were killed at the first fire from the fort, the other was killed about sun down. There can be no doubt but that a number more were killed and wounded in the engagement, but concealed or carried off.
A large division of these Indians on their retreat passed with a little distance of my father's fort. In following their trail, a few days afterwards, I found a large poultice of chewed sassafras leaves. This is the dressing which the Indians usually apply to recent gun shot wounds. The poultice which I found had become too old and dry, was removed and replaced with a new one.
Examples of personal bravery and hair breadth escapes are always acceptable to readers of history. An instance of both of these happened during the attack on this fort, which may be worth recording.
Abraham Rice, one of the principal men belonging to the fort of that name, on hearing the report of the deserters from the Indians mounted a very strong, active mare and rode in all haste to another fort, about three and a half miles from his own, for further news, if any could be had, concerning the presence of a body of Indians in the neighborhood. Just as he reached the place he heard the report of the guns at his own fort. He instantly returned as fast as possible until he arrived within sight of the fort. Finding that it still held out, he determined to reach it and assist in its defense, or perish in the attempt. In doing this, he had to cross the creek, the fort being some distance from it on the opposite bank. He saw no Indians until his mare sprang down the bank of the creek, at which instant about fourteen of them jumped up from among the weeds and bushed and discharged their guns at him. One bullet wounded him in the fleshy part of the right arm above the elbow. By this time several more of the Indians came up and shot him. A second ball wounded him in the thigh a little above the knee but without breaking the bone; the ball then passed transversely through the neck of the mare, she however sprang up the bank of the creek, fell to her knees and stumbled along about a rod before she recovered; during this time several Indians came running up to tomahawk him. He made his escape after having about thirty shots fired at him from a very short distance. After riding about four miles he reached Lamb's fort much exhausted with the loss of blood. After getting his wounds dressed and resting a while he set off late in the evening with twelve men, determined if possible to reach the fort under cover of the night. When they got within about two hundred yards of it they halted. The firing at the fort still continued; ten of the men, thinking the enterprise too hazardous, refused to go any farther and retreated. Rice and two other men crept silently along towards the fort, but had not proceeded far before they came close upon an Indian in h is concealment. He gave the alarm yell, which was instantly passed round the lines, with the utmost regularity. This occasioned the Indians to make their last effort to take the place and make their retreat, under cover of the night. Rice and his two companions returned in safety to Lamb's fort
About ten o'clock next morning sixty men collected at Rice's fort for the relief of the place. They pursued the Indians who kept in a body for about two miles. The Indians had then divided into small parties and took over the hills in different directions, so that they could be tracked no farther. The pursuit was of course given up.
A small division of the Indians had not proceeded far after their separation before they discovered four men coming from a neighboring fort in the direction of that which they
had left. The Indians waylaid the path and short two of them dead on the spot. The other fled. One of them being swift of foot soon made his escape. The other, being a poor runner, was pursued by an Indian who after a smart chase came close to him. The man then wheeled round and snapped his gun at the Indian. This he repeated several times. The Indian then threw his tomahawk at his head but missed him; he then caught hold of the ends of his belt which was tied behind in a bow knot. In this again the Indian was disappointed, for the knot came loose so that he got the belt but not the man, who wheeled round and tried his gun again. It happened to go off and laid the Indian dead at his feet.

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"Philabaum - Lancaster County - Washington County Pennsylvania" by Raymond Martin Bell. Washington, Pennsylvania. 1993

Conrad Philabaum b c1721 d Sep 14-1782 n bef Nar 24-1787 Salome b c1727 d 1803 - she m2 Jacob Rice

1. Catherine be c1747
2 Elizabeth bap Jan 24-1755
3. George bapt Mar 9 1755 d Sep 14-1782
4. Christina b 1757
5. Mary b c1760
6. Salome Bap July 10 1763. d young
7. Christian b c1764
8. Adam b c1766
9. Salome be 1769

Accounts of September 14-1782

Widow of Conrad

We being greatly on the frontier line, this horrid scene happened as we were all forted at Mr. Rice's and between our cabin and his blockhouse. This happened, my husband and son as they fell in the enemy's hand - my husband scalped, lying in his blood, which was to me a great surprise and affecting sight, the loss of a good husband and an obedient son

Others'Conrad's son was in the blockhouse. George descended the ladder into my mother's apartment. He said We can't hold out much longer, for I am out of bullets. Mother made bullets out of pewter. George ascended the ladder, but in a few minutes was shot in the head through a port-hole and fell a lifeless colrpse. His blood came trickling down on her bed. This was in the night, a sad event. Old Mr. Philabaum had gone out early in the morning to hun t cows. The Indians caught him in sight of the fort. They scalped him near the edge of the creek. He had heard that Indians were in the country.

Raymond Martin Bell, 413 Burton Avenue, Washington PA ⁴

Sarah married Jacob Rice about 1786.¹ (Jacob Rice was born on 16 Oct 1724 in Baden-Württemberg, Germany ⁵ and died on 10 Apr 1802 in Donegal, Washington County, Pennsylvania, USA ⁵.)