stand. A detachment of musketeers, with E.
Johnson at their head, was, meanwhile, despatched round the enemy's
flank, which considerably increased their disorder, and, in about twenty
minutes, the main front of the assailants began to recoil, but from the
numerous obstacles presented to their rear, the entire absence of
discipline, and the difficulty of giving a reversed order, without
method, to so large a body, and added to all, the delay arising from
their practice of carrying off their dead, their retreat was, for a
time, rendered impossible; and the violence used by those in front, to
hasten this measure, only increased the difficulties of its
accomplishment. The colonists, perceiving their advantage, quickly
regained possession of the western post, and brought their long
nine-pounder to rake the whole line of the enemy, who, pressed together
into so dense a body, that a child might have walked on their heads from
one end to the other, remained thus defenceless, and exposed to the
destructive fire that was poured upon them by a cannon of great power,
at no more than sixty yards distance; every shot from this tremendous
engine did immense execution, and savage yells filled the forest with
horrible echoes. These gradually died away, as the terrified host fell
back. At eight o'clock the well-known signal for their retreat was
sounded, and immediately after, small parties were seen running off in
different directions. One large canoe, employed in carrying a party
across the mouth of the Montserado, venturing within the range of the
long gun, was struck by the shot, and several men killed.

On the part of the settlers it was soon ascertained that considerable
injury had been sustained. One woman who had imprudently, and contrary
to express orders, passed the night in a house outside the
fortifications, and which happened to be at the point first attacked,
received thirteen wounds, and had been placed aside as dead, (after
incredible suffering she, however, recovered.) Another, flying from the
house with two infant children, received a wound in the head, and was
robbed of both her babes; but she herself providentially escaped. A
young married woman, with the mother of five small children, finding
their house surrounded, barricaded the door, in the vain hope of
resistance. It was forced, when each of the women seizing an axe, held
the barbarians in check several minutes longer; they were, however,
speedily overpowered, a