The Sortie

The Indians waited just beyond rifle range until so many of their allies had joined them that it seemed certain they could overcome us; even then, instead of coming out into the open to fight, they tried one of their tricks.

Our watchmen saw five or six warriors steal out of the forest toward the fort as if bent on trying to climb over the stockade; but they did not know that half a hundred or more had crept up toward the gate through the weeds and were lying there hidden from view.

When Colonel Boone saw these few savages coming toward the fort, he ordered the gate to be thrown open, and out he ran, followed by Simon Kenton, my father, John Todd, and four or five others.

Jemima and I were watching from one of the big houses and saw, to our horror, when Colonel Boone and his followers were a short distance from the gate, all the hidden savages rise up from among the weeds and begin shooting.

It seemed as if our people were doomed, for I could not believe even such mighty hunters could prevail against so many, and I shut my eyes. When I looked again, I saw our men, few though they were, standing there fighting for life, while the cowardly savages, who outnumbered the white men eight or ten to one, held off.

Then I heard Colonel Boone shout to our people at the big gate to stand ready when he made a dash, and almost in the same breath he called out for every man to run toward the fort.