GATHERING COURAGE FROM DESPAIR.
The few savages who escaped fled in the direction of the river, where
they were met by the band coming to re-enforce them; and, being by no
means disposed to make another attempt upon the fort, they carried the
news of their defeat to the main body.
Wrought up to frenzy by such repeated failures, and thirsting for
revenge, the Indians rallied all their energies for one decisive blow.
Their numbers were now increased by the return parties; and, by holding
the edge of the bank both above and below the settlers, they were able
to command the ford with a cross-fire which seemed sufficient to insure
the destruction of any party that might attempt to cross. They were
favored in their plans by the shape of the shore, the settlers being in
the centre of a curve, while they held the two extremities, the ford
lying between.
The wind, that had been gradually rising during the morning, now blew
a gale in the direction of the ford, and right across the position
occupied by the settlers.
It was a period of drought, and the woods were full of combustible
material as dry as tinder.
"What's that?" cried Holdness as he smelt the smoke.
"They've set the woods afire," said McClure; "and we can take our
choice,--be burnt to death, or cross the ford in the face of their
fire. They've trapped us with a vengeance."
A bright flame was now seen rising in several places, and creeping
along the ground behind the Indians' line, that now began to open right
and left as the flames came on rapidly before the wind, heralded by the
exulting shouts of the savages, who now felt their long-sought day of
vengeance had come, and began to mass their force along the bank as the
flames came on.
Gathering courage from despair, the settlers prepared to dash across
the ford in a long line, hoping in this manner, and by the swiftness of
their passage, to escape in some degree the enemy's fire.
"Follow me, neighbors!" shouted Honeywood: "there's death behind, and
no mercy before."
His voice was drowned in a rattling volley, followed by the
death-shrieks of Indians, while far above the din rose the wild,
exulting, peculiar war-whoop of the Black Rifle, like nothing else in
the world as Holdness said, and which was instantly recognized both by
the settlers and their foes.
This was immediately succeeded by the blast of a conch, by which he
directed those who from time to time followed his lead.
Israel Blanchard, who was perched on the roof of the block-house,
listening anxiously to every sound that came from the battle-ground,
saw the flames rising, and understood but too well the object for which
they were kindled. Hard upon this came the volley, and the blast of the
horn.
"It's the Black Rifle and his men: Nat's got 'em," shouted Blanchard.
He flung open the gate, and rushed to the scene of conflict with all
the lads at his heels, whose yells justified abundantly their cognomen
of the "Screeching Catamounts."
"I do believe Israel has lost his senses," said Mr. Seth, as he shut
and barred the gate his brother had left open in his headstrong flight.
"Then he's lost a good deal," said Mrs. Sumerford, who heard the remark.
They were too late to join in the conflict; for when they reached the
spot the Indians had fled, pursued by the Black Rifle and his band.
From the scattered hints to be gathered from history and tradition, it
appears that there were quite a number of men very much like McClure
and Holdness, who were at any time disposed to follow the lead of
the Black Rifle, and to make up a scalping-party to kill Indians of
whatever tribe, although for the most part he preferred to go alone.
Revenge was so sweet a morsel to this singularly constituted being,
that he was seldom willing to dilute by sharing it with others.
The governor having offered a large bounty for Indian scalps, twelve
men were camping in the woods near the cave of Capt. Jack, waiting for
others who were to join them, and make up a party of twenty to start on
a scalping expedition; and, when Nat Cuthbert brought tidings of the
expected attack at Wolf Run, they marched on the instant.
Their leader, discovering by the sound of rifles the exact position
of the Indians (whose attention was fully occupied with the enemies
in front), gained their rear unperceived, and poured in a fire every
bullet of which told.
This most unexpected blow; the fearful slaughter at the fort, which
caused them to fear there were soldiers in it who might at any moment
bring a re-enforcement to the settlers, added to the terrible presence
of the Black Rifle, who the Indians believed bore a charmed life,
effectually discouraged them; and, though picked warriors, they sought
safety in flight.
The losses of the settlers were less than might have been expected
from the duration of the contest, and the overwhelming odds against
which they fought. Heinrich Stiefel, David Blanchard, and Wood were
killed; and all except Harry Sumerford, Ned Armstrong, and Stewart were
wounded, but most of them slightly.
"If this Indian war holds on much longer," said Holdness, "I shall have
to be made over; for I sha'n't have a square inch of flesh without a
scar, or a single bone without it's callous."
Sammy Sumerford was found lying beside the dead body of the second
Indian he had killed, and was wounded.
He instantly became an object of envy to all his mates, who crowded
around him.
Stewart now for the first time became aware that his boy had been in
the action, Tony having been very careful to keep out of his father's
sight. Though several recollected having seen him during the conflict,
he could not be found.
Stewart was very much moved; for, notwithstanding his rough ways, he
was a man of warm affections, ardently attached to Tony his only son;
and, though often vexed by the mischievous pranks of the lad, was
excessively proud of him; and instantly commenced an eager search,
assisted by his neighbors.
"Dinna ye ken wha hae became o' my bairn?" said he to Sammy; "for I ken
richt weel ye canna be sundered by ordinar mair than soul and body. I
trust he's come by nae skaith."
"He was down there by that log," said Sammy, pointing behind him,
"and said he was going to crawl to a spring he knowed about, and get
a drink, and wanted me to go too; but I didn't want to, because this
Indian was behind a little small tree, and I wanted to shoot him,
'cause Tony shot two Indians, and I wanted to. He went to the spring,
and I didn't see him after that."
Stewart went in the direction pointed out by Sammy, found the spring,
the rifle of Tony, and the prints of his knees in the soft ground where
he had knelt to drink; but neither the lad nor his body could anywhere
be found. The spring was not far from the position occupied by the
Indians, and it was concluded that he had been seen and carried off
by them: but there were so many wounded, that pursuit was impossible;
and it was thought that the Black Rifle's band would be more likely to
rescue the lad than any party that could be sent from the Run.
Holdness and others scalped the dead; and McClure told Stewart (without
thinking of what he was saying) to scalp the Indian Tony killed.
"I winna he did nae want it done: I maist like'll nivir see him mair. I
hae been strict wi' him mayhap ower muckle, and I winna do it nor let
it be done."
He then proceeded to cover the body with rotten wood, brush, and
leaves, McClure and Holdness helping him. As for Sammy, though his
moccason was full of blood from a flesh-wound in his thigh, he would
not consent to be moved until he obtained a solemn promise from Harry
that neither his two Indians, as he termed them (those he had shot),
nor Tony's, should be scalped, but covered up with brush; "because,"
said Sam, "me and Tony and most of my company of the 'Screeching
Catamounts' don't believe in taking scalps. We feel just as Mr.
Honeywood does: he says it's a mean thing, and 'tain't right."
Harry gave the promise.
"Tony's father covered his Indian up, and wouldn't have him scalped,"
said Johnny Crawford; "and we'll help cover up yours."
Grant had a heifer that he was fatting, intending to kill her when the
weather became cool enough. This creature had been overlooked when the
rest of the cattle were driven into the stockade.
The Indians, finding the animal, killed her, meaning, no doubt, after
butchering the settlers and setting the buildings on fire, to have had
a grand dance and feast of victory.
She was dressed, the meat taken to the fort, and formed a meal for the
settlers. It was a singular assemblage: nearly every one had received
some injury. One had a patch on his head, where a bullet grazed;
another carried his arm in a sling; the hands of several were bound up.
Grant and Maccoy sat with their legs extended on stools, one being
wounded in the foot, the other in the thigh. There were three who were
wounded in such a manner, they had to be fed by others; and, in the
majority of the cases, the blood from the wounds had come through the
bandages. Nevertheless they were in high spirits at having defeated the
savages and saved their crops, and were resolved to enjoy themselves.
"It's a sore thing ter have our neighbors killed by our side," said
Holdness; "and there's no one of us but feels for those who are
mourning the loss of husbands, fathers, and children; but we ought
certainly ter feel thankful it's no worse. It's a sad thing for
neighbor Stewart and neighbor Blanchard to lose their boys. A smart lad
was Tony, and David was a nice, likely young man, and had good larnin';
but Stewart and his wife shouldn't be too much cast down. The Indians
won't kill Tony, that's sartain: they seldom do a boy of that age;
they've lost a great many men in this fight, and they'll adopt him to
fill up some gap, and treat him just like their own children."
"The Black Rifle's people may rescue him," said Proctor; "or, when the
war is over, he can be redeemed."
"I wad be loath our misfortune should mar the joy we a' suld feel, and
gratitude to One above," said Stewart, "seeing there's good ground for
hope in respect to the bairn. It's not like finding him on the field
with a tomahawk in his head, or a bullet in his breast."