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Page 83
Meantime the repairing of the pallisades had been going bravely forward,
every moment rendering the garrison more and more secure, which served
not a little to revive their spirits; and when at length the women had
all entered, the gate been barred, and they had seen themselves well
supplied with water, they could restrain their feelings no longer, and
one grand, simultaneous cheer burst from their lips.
"Now then," said Father Albach, "let 'em come, and I reckon as how
they'll meet with a warm reception. But to draw 'em on, we must send out
a party to make a feint to fight the others."
Thirteen young men, among whom was Isaac, were accordingly selected,
to pass out by the eastern gate and commence firing rapidly; while the
remainder, with loaded muskets, were to range themselves along the
western pickets, and be ready to pour their deadly contents into the
swarthy horde of besiegers, in case their attack should be made in that
quarter. As the young men departed, all relapsed into a solemn silence
of anxious suspense; which was presently broken by the rapid discharge
of firearms, outside the fort, accompanied with cheers and yells from
both the whites and Indians. Now was the all important moment--the war
sounds were gradually growing more and more distant--and every eye of
the inner garrison was strained in breathless expectation, in the
direction of the spring, while every rifle was cocked and in rest, ready
for any emergency.
Suddenly the tall weeds--which a moment before had been quietly waving
in the morning breeze--became dreadfully agitated; and the next instant,
as if by magic, the ground was peopled by some five hundred hideous
savages; who, led on by the notorious renegade, now rushed forward, with
wild frantic yells, to the western pallisades, where our gallant little
band stood drawn up ready to receive them. They had advanced in a
tremendous body, to within a few feet of the fort, when the word "Fire,"
uttered in a clear, manly voice, resounded above their own frightful
yells, and was followed the next moment by a terrible volley of leaden
balls, that carried death and terror into their serried ranks. With one
simultaneous yell of rage, consternation, and disappointment, they
halted a moment in indecision; when another death-dealing volley, from
the gallant Kentuckians, decided their course of action; and again
yelling fearfully, they parted to the right and left, and bearing their
dead and wounded with them, rushed for the covert of a neighboring
forest. At the same moment, the party which had sallied forth upon the
Lexington road, to make a feint of attacking their decoys, entered the
fort by the eastern gate, in high spirits at the success of their
maneuver.
The warfare was now carried on in the usual manner, after the failure of
stratagem, for several hours, with but little success on either side.
The block-houses were immediately manned by the garrison, who by this
means could command every point of compass; and whenever an Indian
came in sight, he was at once made the target for three or four keen
riflemen, who rarely missed their mark. In consequence of this, the
wily savage rarely showed himself in an open manner; but would creep
stealthily among the tall weeds, or among the tall standing corn, that
covered about an hundred acres of ground on the southern side of the
station, or ensconce himself behind some stump or trunk of a tree in
the vicinity, and discharge his rifle at any mark thought suitable,
or let fly his burning arrows upon the roofs of the cabins. To avoid,
if possible, a conflagration, every boy of ten years and upwards, was
ordered upon the roofs of the houses, to throw off these burning
missiles; but notwithstanding their great vigilance, so rapidly were
they sent at one period, that two of the cabins, being in a very
combustible state, took fire, to the great consternation of all, and,
before they could be extinguished, were totally consumed. Here again the
hand of an overruling Providence was manifest; for a light wind drove
the flames from the other buildings, and thus a terrible and fatal
calamity was averted.
From the attack in the morning by the main body, a sharp fire was
maintained on both sides till towards noon; when it began to slacken
considerably; and a little past meridian ceased altogether--the savages
having withdrawn for another purpose, as we shall show anon, leaving the
garrison in suspense as to whether they had totally abandoned the siege
or not.
We have previously stated that Bryan's Station stood on a gentle rise on
the southern bunk of the Elkhorn, whereby it commanded a view of much
of the surrounding country. A considerable portion of the land in the
immediate vicinity had been cleared and was under cultivation; but
still, in some places, the forest approached to a close proximity; so
that it was impossible, without traversing the ground, to determine
whether the foe had withdrawn altogether, or, as was more probable, now
lay hidden therein, awaiting an unguarded moment of the besieged to
renew hostilities. Where the Maysville and Lexington road now runs, was
a long narrow lane, bounded on one side by the large cornfield before
alluded to, and on the other by a heavy wood. Through this lane the
reinforcements from Lexington must naturally pass, to reach the station;
and knowing this, and that they were expected, (for the escape of the
two couriers in the morning had not been overlooked) the Indians, to
the number of more than three hundred, had concealed themselves in the
thicket, within pistol shot of the road, and were now quietly waiting to
cut them off.
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