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A review by claudiaswisher
Betty Zane by Zane Grey
4.0
Zane Grey's first novel, based on family lore. I have several gaping holes in my reading history, and westerns is one of the biggest. I have often asked people which Zane Grey novel I should start with, but I found this reprint in the book aisle at Target, and decided to start here.
Fort Henry, W. Virginia, one of the last battles of the Revolutionary War. White settlers IN the Fort; an assortment of Red Coats, turncoats, and Natives outside...but I'm getting ahead of myself.
Grey's style is pretty clunky here...but it was his first attempt to write. He obviously never met an adjective he didn't like, and he attempts to overwhelm us with the beauty of the place, and the ruggedness of the men, and the heroism of the women by telling us, not showing. But he gets a pass...
Ebenezer Zane and his brothers have carved their home out of this wilderness and have attempted to civilize it. Women, children, families...all share the place with Indian tribes and renegades. Zane's brothers have been kidnapped and ransomed, all except for Isaac, who has the misfortune of catching the chief's daughter's eye. While I rolled my eyes at his escapes and recaptures, there is real suspense and terror in more than one of his experiences.
But it's not the brothers who are the heroes...it's Betty. The baby. Betty who's faster and stronger and more beautiful and...and...and. Pampered and indulged, she has found a way to fit into this rough life, even when her family wishes she'd stay back in Philadelphia where it's safer.
Grey's descriptions of the 'stock' figures of our past is filled with hero-worship. The lone mountain man is strong and tall and fearless (I'm falling into adjectives myself.); the villain is beyond evil; the Natives are either noble or savage. And Betty is the coquette who will, according to the family story, save Fort Henry with her courage.
Grey handles the pacing well and creates some scenes of terror. Through it all, you can see he's telling us a story he loves, he believes.
Not really a western, tho...unless WEST Virginia counts.
I am very fuzzy on the history, so I'll fill in the gaps with some research.
From the website STORY OF FORT HENRY:
"In September, 1782, occurred the last siege of Fort Henry, regarded by some as the last battle of the Revolution. A force of forty irregular British soldiers and 238 Indians, under Captain Bradt, made the attack. Between the former siege and this one the homes of the settlers had been rebuilt, including that of Ebenezer Zane. His dwelling contained a store of surplus ammunition and arms and it had been decided to occupy it in case of another attack. Being notified of the approach of the enemy by John Lynn, a scout, preparations were speedily made for the expected attack. Those who demained within the Zane house were Andrew Scott, George Green, Elizabeth Zane (Colonel Zane's wife), Molly Scott, Miss McCulloch, a sister of Major Samuel McCulloch, a negro slave and his wife, "Daddy Sam" and Kate. From all other homes the occupants had entered the fort. Although Colonel David Shepherd was superior officer in the county it appears that Colonel Silas Zane was again in command.12
The Indians approached carrying the British flag and asked for surrender, which was refused. During the night of attack the garrison of Fort Henry was re-enforced by the arrival of a few men who had come down in a boat from Pittsburgh. They carried some cannon balls, some of which were taken and used in the real cannon which had been substituted for the wooden one, the rest being appropriated by the attackers.
The first efforts of the enemy were toward destruction of the fort by battering it in every way possible. The first day was spent in futile attempts in this direction. The Indians placed their chief reliance upon burning and during the night made many attempts to burn both the fort and Colonel Zane's house. The negro slave detected the approach of an Indian and killed him as he was about to set fire to the residence. The cannon was brought into play, firing sixteen times during the attack. Being impressed by the effectiveness of the cannon, the Indians and soldiers made one of their own out of a hollow tree which they wrapped with chains found in a blacksmith shop and loaded with the balls taken from the Pittsburgh boat. When they fired it the explosion did no damage to the fort but killed and injured several persons who stood about.
It was during the second siege that the ammunition ran low in the fort and a volunteer, Elizabeth Zane, sister of Ebenezer Zane,13 ran to the cabin and returned under fire with a supply of powder, thus doing her part toward defense, and furnishing the background for a much-repeated story of pioneer days.
At the end of three days the Indians were thoroughly discouraged and, soon after, when Captain Boggs arrived with seventy men, they gave up and turned their attention to Rice's Fort, in the vicinity, where they lost heavily again.
Thus Fort Henry not only saved a large proportion of the inhabitants of the young colony at Wheeling, but played an important, though minor, role in the closing days of the American Revolution. The Second Siege was the last formidable raid of Indians into West Virginia."
Grey got the names right...but I don't remember anything that said Betty was only 13!!
Fort Henry, W. Virginia, one of the last battles of the Revolutionary War. White settlers IN the Fort; an assortment of Red Coats, turncoats, and Natives outside...but I'm getting ahead of myself.
Grey's style is pretty clunky here...but it was his first attempt to write. He obviously never met an adjective he didn't like, and he attempts to overwhelm us with the beauty of the place, and the ruggedness of the men, and the heroism of the women by telling us, not showing. But he gets a pass...
Ebenezer Zane and his brothers have carved their home out of this wilderness and have attempted to civilize it. Women, children, families...all share the place with Indian tribes and renegades. Zane's brothers have been kidnapped and ransomed, all except for Isaac, who has the misfortune of catching the chief's daughter's eye. While I rolled my eyes at his escapes and recaptures, there is real suspense and terror in more than one of his experiences.
But it's not the brothers who are the heroes...it's Betty. The baby. Betty who's faster and stronger and more beautiful and...and...and. Pampered and indulged, she has found a way to fit into this rough life, even when her family wishes she'd stay back in Philadelphia where it's safer.
Grey's descriptions of the 'stock' figures of our past is filled with hero-worship. The lone mountain man is strong and tall and fearless (I'm falling into adjectives myself.); the villain is beyond evil; the Natives are either noble or savage. And Betty is the coquette who will, according to the family story, save Fort Henry with her courage.
Grey handles the pacing well and creates some scenes of terror. Through it all, you can see he's telling us a story he loves, he believes.
Not really a western, tho...unless WEST Virginia counts.
I am very fuzzy on the history, so I'll fill in the gaps with some research.
From the website STORY OF FORT HENRY:
"In September, 1782, occurred the last siege of Fort Henry, regarded by some as the last battle of the Revolution. A force of forty irregular British soldiers and 238 Indians, under Captain Bradt, made the attack. Between the former siege and this one the homes of the settlers had been rebuilt, including that of Ebenezer Zane. His dwelling contained a store of surplus ammunition and arms and it had been decided to occupy it in case of another attack. Being notified of the approach of the enemy by John Lynn, a scout, preparations were speedily made for the expected attack. Those who demained within the Zane house were Andrew Scott, George Green, Elizabeth Zane (Colonel Zane's wife), Molly Scott, Miss McCulloch, a sister of Major Samuel McCulloch, a negro slave and his wife, "Daddy Sam" and Kate. From all other homes the occupants had entered the fort. Although Colonel David Shepherd was superior officer in the county it appears that Colonel Silas Zane was again in command.12
The Indians approached carrying the British flag and asked for surrender, which was refused. During the night of attack the garrison of Fort Henry was re-enforced by the arrival of a few men who had come down in a boat from Pittsburgh. They carried some cannon balls, some of which were taken and used in the real cannon which had been substituted for the wooden one, the rest being appropriated by the attackers.
The first efforts of the enemy were toward destruction of the fort by battering it in every way possible. The first day was spent in futile attempts in this direction. The Indians placed their chief reliance upon burning and during the night made many attempts to burn both the fort and Colonel Zane's house. The negro slave detected the approach of an Indian and killed him as he was about to set fire to the residence. The cannon was brought into play, firing sixteen times during the attack. Being impressed by the effectiveness of the cannon, the Indians and soldiers made one of their own out of a hollow tree which they wrapped with chains found in a blacksmith shop and loaded with the balls taken from the Pittsburgh boat. When they fired it the explosion did no damage to the fort but killed and injured several persons who stood about.
It was during the second siege that the ammunition ran low in the fort and a volunteer, Elizabeth Zane, sister of Ebenezer Zane,13 ran to the cabin and returned under fire with a supply of powder, thus doing her part toward defense, and furnishing the background for a much-repeated story of pioneer days.
At the end of three days the Indians were thoroughly discouraged and, soon after, when Captain Boggs arrived with seventy men, they gave up and turned their attention to Rice's Fort, in the vicinity, where they lost heavily again.
Thus Fort Henry not only saved a large proportion of the inhabitants of the young colony at Wheeling, but played an important, though minor, role in the closing days of the American Revolution. The Second Siege was the last formidable raid of Indians into West Virginia."
Grey got the names right...but I don't remember anything that said Betty was only 13!!