|
| |
Towards Spring, we were frequently harassed by Indians; and, in May, 1782, a
party assaulted Ashton's station, killed one man, and took a Negro prisoner.
Capt. Ashton, with twenty-five men, pursued, and overtook the savages, and a
smart fight ensued, which lasted two hours; but they being superior in number,
obliged Captain Ashton's party to retreat, with the loss of eight killed, and
four mortally wounded; their brave commander himself being numbered among the
dead.
The Indians continued their hostilities; and, about the tenth of August
following, two boys were taken from Major Hoy's station. This party was pursued
by Capt. Holder and seventeen men, who were also defeated, with the loss of four
men killed, and one wounded. Our affairs became more and more alarming. Several
stations which had lately been erected in the country were continually infested
with savages, stealing their horses and killing the men at every opportunity. In
a field, near Lexington, an Indian shot a man, and running to scalp him, was
himself shot from the fort, and fell dead upon his enemy.
Every day we experienced recent mischiefs. The barbarous savage nations of
Shawanese, Cherokees, Wyandots, Tawas, Delawares, and several others near
Detroit, united in a war against us, and assembled their choicest warriors at
old Chelicothe, to go on the expedition, in order to destroy us, and entirely
depopulate the country. Their savage minds were inflamed to mischief by two
abandoned men, Captains McKee and Girty. These led them to execute every
diabolical scheme; and, on the fifteenth day of August, commanded a party of
Indians and Canadians, of about five hundred in number, against Briant's
station, five miles from Lexington. Without demanding a surrender, they
furiously assaulted the garrison, which was happily prepared to oppose them;
and, after they had expended much ammunition in vain, and killed the cattle
round the fort, not being likely to make themselves masters of this place, they
raised the siege, and departed in the morning of the third day after they came,
with the loss of about thirty killed, and the number of wounded uncertain.--Of
the garrison four were killed, and three wounded.
Adventure 18
| |
|
