organized to destroy the works. A young
Indian guided the party. Several horses were taken with them to bring
back those who might be wounded.

At one o'clock in the afternoon of September third, the party set out
from Esopus. A march of nine miles brought them to a creek, which was
so swollen by recent rains, that they were delayed for several hours
until they could construct a rude bridge across it. In the meantime
the rain was falling in torrents. It was not until four o'clock in the
afternoon of the next day that the party effected its passage across
the stream. They then pressed forward twelve miles farther and
bivouacked for the night.

At daybreak they were again upon the move, and about two o'clock in
the afternoon emerged from the forest in view of the fort. It stood
upon an elevated plain. Like the one we have already described, it
consisted of a square enclosure, surrounded by two rows of strong
palisades, and a third had already been commenced. These posts,
pointed at the top, were firmly planted in the ground, and were of the
thickness of a man's body, and rose fifteen feet into the air.

Captain Crygier, after carefully scrutinizing the works, divided his
force into two sections for the attack. He was well aware that he had
a foe to encounter who would fight with the utmost desperation behind
his intrenchments. One party of the assailants crept cautiously along,
beneath the covert of a hill, until, coming to the open plain, they
were discovered by a squaw, who uttered a terrible cry which roused
the whole garrison of Indians.

A sudden onslaught was then made by both parties pouring, like an
inundation, through the unfinished works into the fort. The savages,
taken by Surprise, and many of them without their arms, were thrown
into a panic. Many of them rushed out of the fort, leaving their guns
in the houses behind. The Dutch followed close upon their heels,
shooting them, and with keen sabres cutting them down. Just beyond the
fort there was a creek. The terrified Indians precipitated themselves
into it, and by wading and swimming forced their way across. Here they
attempted to rally and opened fire upon the pursuing Dutch. The fire
was returned with so much vigor that the Indians were driven with loss
from their position. The assailants soon crossed the creek, and the
discomfited Indians, in hopeless rout, fled wildly into the trackless
wilderness.

In the impetuous assault the chief of the tribe,