he hope, that the ravages which had been checked by
winter, would not be repeated on the return of spring, they were sadly
disappointed. Hostilities were resumed, as soon as the abatement of
cold, suffered the Indians to take the field; and were carried on
with renovated ardor, and on an enlarged scale.[8]

Feeling the hopelessness of extirpating the settlements, so long as
the forts remained to afford a safe retreat to the inhabitants; and
having learned, by the experience of the preceding season, that the
whites were but little, if at all, inferior to them in their own arts,
and were competent to combat them, in their own mode of warfare, the
Indians resolved on bringing into the country a larger force, and to
direct their united energies to the demolition of the different forts.
To prevent any aid being afforded by the other garrisons, while
operations were leveled against one, they resolved on detaching from
their main body, such a number of men as was deemed sufficient to keep
watch around the other forts, and awe their inmates from attempting to
leave them, on any occasion. This was a course of excellent policy. It
was calculated not only to prevent the marching of any auxiliary
forces from one to the other of the fortresses, but at the same time
by preventing hunting parties from ranging the woods, cut off the
principal source, from which their supplies were derived; and thus
tended to render their fall, the more certain and easy.

Accordingly in March 1777, they entered Kentucky with a force of
upwards of two hundred warriors; and sending some of their most expert
and active men to watch around Boone's and Logan's forts, marched
with the chief part of their army to attack Harrodsburg. On the 14th
of March three persons (who were engaged in clearing some land) not
far from Harrod's fort, discovered the Indians proceeding through the
woods, and sought to escape observation and convey the intelligence to
the garrison. But they too, were discovered and pursued; and one of
them was killed, another taken prisoner, and the third (James,
afterwards Gen. Ray, then a mere youth) reached Harrodsburg alone in
safety.[9] Aware that the place had become alarmed, and that they had
then no chance of operating on it, by surprise, they encamped near to
it on that evening; and early on the morning of the 15th commenced a
furious and animated attack.

Apprized of the near approach of the enemy, the garrison had made
every prepar